Chañaral

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Chañaral is a coastal town in the Atacama Region, Chile. It is located at around 29°1′60″S, 71°25′60″W. This colourful town is largely forgotten by tourists, who generally head straight for towns such as San Pedro de Atacama and Pucon. Because of this, the town is somewhat unspoilt, with the benefit of having absolutely no high rise buildings. On the arid hills nearby is a lighthouse which cast a beam over the town during the night. Throughout the day and night, there is a lively, bustling atmosphere on the narrow streets. Despite it being coastal, it is by no means a typical seaside resort, partly because of the fact that the ocean is contaminated from industry. Situated a short distance to the north is the Pan de Azúcar National Park.