TimeMainland is GMT -4 (GMT -3 from October to March). Easter
Island is GMT -6 (GMT -5 from October to March). ElectricityElectrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. Round two-pin
plugs and round three-pin plugs (in-line) are used. LanguageThe official language is Spanish. HealthThere have been confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Chile, and
seven deaths. There are no vaccination requirements for entry to
Chile, but a typhoid vaccine is recommended for travellers other
than short term travellers who restrict their meals to major
restaurants, hotels or cruise ships. Dengue fever is on the
increase and visitors should take precautions against mosquito
bites. Water is generally safe in the cities, but should be treated
in the rural areas; bottled water is widely available for drinking.
Santiago is severely polluted and this could cause respiratory
problems or eye irritations, particularly from May to August.
Travellers visiting the Andes Mountains should be aware of altitude
sickness, and ascend slowly to allow the body to adjust. Healthcare
in urban areas is adequate, but hospitals and clinics are extremely
expensive and usually require payment in cash. Health insurance is
strongly recommended. TippingTips of 10% is expected in restaurants. It is not
customary to tip taxi drivers but it is usual to round up the fare
if they help with luggage. In general tipping small amounts is
customary for all services. SafetyChile is a politically stable country with very few threats
to the traveller. Incidences of pick-pocketing and mugging are on
the increase and travellers should take care of their belongings,
especially around tourist areas and bus stations, and avoid walking
alone late at night. Tourists should be particularly cautious in
the Lake District as theft is on the increase, and muggings are
becoming more common in popular walking areas such as Cerro San
Cristobal, Cerro Santa Lucia and Cerro Manquehue. There has been an
increase in reports regarding people receiving spiked drinks at
nightclubs and bars particularly in Santiago. Avoid any involvement
in demonstrations, which take place from time to time. Chile has a
landmine problem, mainly restricted to border areas adjacent to
Peru and Bolivia in regions I and II, and Argentina in region XII,
and also in wilderness areas in those regions. Visitors are advised
to stick to marked roads, obey all signs and seek the advise of
local authorities if travelling to the border areas of regions I,
II or XII. A powerful earthquake hit northern Chile on 14 November
2007 injuring hundreds. The Chaiten volcano erupted on 2 May 2008
resulting in major ash fall and the evacuation of residents in the
areas of Chaiten and Futaleufu. The exclusion zone has been reduced
to 15 miles (24km) surrounding the volcano, but it is still active
and visitors are warned that a threat still exits. CustomsBargaining is not practiced in street markets or stores.
It is considered polite for smokers to offer cigarettes to travel
companions before lighting up themselves. BusinessChilean business culture tends to be formal, and this
includes dress, which should also be conservative. In business,
Chileans should be addressed by their titles and surnames, unless
otherwise stated. Businesses are often family-run. Third party
introductions are indispensable when arranging a meeting, and
developing a personal relationship is key. Chileans stand very
close when conversing and it is impolite to pull away. Visitors are
also expected to re-confirm appointments before arriving at a
meeting. Foreigners should be on time for meetings, but it is not
unusual for the host to be 15-30 minutes late. On introduction, a
firm handshake and exchange of business cards is usual - cards
should be printed in both English and Spanish and care should be
taken to pay attention to the card before putting it away
carefully. Business hours are generally 9am to 5pm Monday to
Friday, with a two-hour siesta over lunch. CoummnicationThe international access code for Chile is +56. The
outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g.
0044 for the United Kingdom). The area code for Santiago is (0)2.
Internet cafes are available in the main towns. A number of
telephone companies offer different rates for national and
international calls, depending on the time of day. Public phones
are widely available and international call centres are available
in most shopping malls. Mobile phone companies have roaming
agreements with most international cell phone companies; otherwise
mobile phones can easily be rented. A GSM 1900 network is in
operation. Internet cafes are widespread, particularly in the big
cities.
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