For any serious shopping you’ll need to cross the Maipo River to San Antonio, about 10 minutes away.  I saw my favorite condos on the coast here - Paseo del Mar. The three- and four-bedroom homes run from 1,300 square feet to 1,500 square feet and are located on the beach with great views.  The two-story condos are circled around a nice pool and a green, well-landscaped lawn.  Prices start at around $100,000 and my favourite four-bedroom model was $137,000.

Another property on Calle Bella Vista has 1,400 square feet of living space with three bedrooms and two bathrooms and the asking price is $159,000.  We also looked at a house with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a large, wraparound deck with an ocean view (one block from the beach), selling for $177,900.  A large lot in town with an ocean view will set you back $74,900.

Fresh seafood and world-class surfing

We parked the car and walked out onto the cliff at Punta de Lobos - just outside the town of Pichilemú - so we could watch the surfers take on the giant waves. The surf is unlike anything I’ve seen in any country up and down the Pacific coast. The wide, black-sand beaches stretch for miles in this area. The surf is not for beginners, however, there are a number of memorial crosses on the cliffs overlooking the rocky sections of the shoreline. Pichilemú (pee chee leh moo) is the unofficial surfing capital of Chile - home to surf schools and frequent competitions. Along the waterfront you’ll find a number of reasonably priced, open-air seaside restaurants serving fresh seafood and cocktails at lower prices compared to the rest of the coast.  We whiled away hours on the waterfront watching the sunbathers and surfers. 

Aside from the beaches and the waves, however, the town is a little on the shabby side and not up to the normal Chilean standard of clean, tidy villages.  Without high rises, casinos, or “fine dining” venues, it has a rather rustic ambiance typical to surfing villages.  That said, it has several well-stocked supermarkets and bakeries.

I found some condos for less than $20,000 in town, but if you’re going to come this far you may as well be right on the beach given the low cost. For example, I found a two-bedroom, two-bathroom cabin directly on the sand in a gated complex. The asking price was $61,800. For more information, contact the owner at tel. (56)978-93-094. Another house I saw with 3,100 square feet (off the beach) was selling for $93,600.

Raw land is inexpensive, too. There are a group of 6,450 square foot lots on the beach with a starting price of $11,200; and some large, ocean-view lots of 1¼ acres are available at Punta de Lobos for $69,200. Contact Propiedades Pichilemú, tel. (56)72-841-974 or (56)97-781-501. This agent seemed to have the majority of the listings in the area.

A private owner is offering 8,600-square-foot lots on the beach starting at $16,800 between Pichilemú and Punta de Lobos. The owner said he gives a discount for purchasing more than one.  From what I could see, he had about 10 lots available. 

Raw land is inexpensive, too. There are a group of 6,450 square foot lots on the beach with a starting price of $11,200; and some large, ocean-view lots of 1¼ acres are available at Punta de Lobos for $69,200.

Contact Propiedades Pichilemú, tel. (56)72-841-974 or (56)97-781-501. This agent seemed to have the majority of the listings in the area. 

A private owner is offering 8,600-square-foot lots on the beach starting at $16,800 between Pichilemú and Punta de Lobos. The owner said he gives a discount for purchasing more than one. From what I could see, he had about 10 lots available. 

The greatest little city in Chile

Nestled in a heavily wooded region of pines, the city of Concepción is reminiscent of the U.S.’s Pacific northwest, right down to the resemblance between its river Bio Bio and the northwest’s famous Columbia River. Concepción exhibits the life and vibrancy common to many university towns—from the street musicians to the abundant cafés, bookshops, and restaurants. A clean city of 380,000 people, it’s home to two orchestras, a music conservatory, and several theaters. The cost of living is lower in Concepción than in most of Chile’s other desirable locations. 

There are new two- and three-bedroom apartments for sale atop a wooded hill in a residential area on the edge of town. This neighborhood is about five minutes from downtown Concepción, and it serves as what I’d call a bedroom community for the city. The apartments have a view of the river, the city of Concepción, and the ocean. Prices start at $96,000 for 1,070 square feet. For more information contact Roxana Jara, e-mail: RJara@gyl.cl.

I also saw an apartment with a view of the main square in the city. The property is 1,450 square feet with three bedrooms and a maid’s quarters. Price: $84,200. Tel. (56)41-246- 511.

There’s a large house for sale in the wooded residential Andalue district of San Pedro—a suburb of Concepción. It’s almost 2,700 square feet with four bedrooms and a nice yard. Price: $178,000. For more information, contact the owner at: tel. (56)41-391-502.

In the rental market, there’s a small furnished apartment centered on the Plaza de Armas, renting for $543 per month. A few blocks further away from the square, a similar apartment is $300 a month. Both are available through Yus Propiedades, tel. (56)41-231 -279.

Don’t come just for the beaches

If you glance at a map, it will appear that Concepción is on the coast. It’s actually several miles inland and there are no beaches to speak of unless you drive a few miles either north or south of the city.

Going south, the first decent beach I found was 45 minutes away at Chivilingo, which was on a quiet cove surrounded by mountains covered with pine and eucalyptus trees. Going north, head to Tome—about a half hour from Concepción. It is nestled in a wide, sweeping cove. The area was surrounded by wooded hills and the town looked more Spanish Colonial than typical Chilean. 

Personally, I would not move to Concepción just for the beaches; there are much better places in Chile to go if you’re looking for a seaside destination. I think of it an alternative to Santiago, even though Santiago is more than 10 times its size. It has all the essentials—including a rich cultural life and an airport—along with a more vibrant, young-at-heart feel. Yes, it lacks Santiago’s huge variety of amenities; but it also lacks Santiago’s traffic congestion and renowned smog. 

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