Chile🇨🇱 | beachesPlaya CavanchaBreakwater cove, city promenade, sea lion rocks, dune paragliding | things to do and best time to go

The best area for backpackers is central Iquique, in the blocks between Plaza Prat and the Cavancha waterfront, where you can walk to the sand in 10 to 20 minutes. Dorm beds here typically run US$10 to 20 a night, and private rooms US$30 to 55, with prices rising in January and February.The streets around Plaza Prat and the pedestrian Baquedano street are the social heart. You get the old wooden Georgian-style buildings, cheap set-lunch spots, bars, and the colectivo and bus routes that reach the rest of the city. Hostels here tend to draw solo travelers and groups heading to or from Bolivia and … read more 👉

The best area for backpackers is central Iquique, in the blocks between Plaza Prat and the Cavancha waterfront, where you can walk to the sand in 10 to 20 minutes. Dorm beds here typically run US$10 to 20 a night, and private rooms US$30 to 55, with prices rising in January and February.The streets around Plaza Prat and the pedestrian Baquedano street are the social heart. You get the old wooden Georgian-style buildings, cheap set-lunch spots, bars, and the colectivo and bus routes that reach the rest of the city. Hostels here tend to draw solo travelers and groups heading to or from Bolivia and San Pedro de Atacama, so meeting people is easy.The Cavancha strip itself, along Avenida Arturo Prat and Los Rieles, has more apartment-style and mid-range stays. It is calmer at night and puts you beside the sand, restaurants, and the casino area, but dorms are fewer. If surfing or paragliding at Cerro Dragón is the plan, staying south of Cavancha toward Playa Brava cuts the commute. For most backpackers, the center wins on price and company, and a short colectivo or walk covers the rest.