Light Enough To Travel: New Years in Pichilemú

As New Years Day approached plans were made to travel to Pichilemú, a small beach town about 4 hours south of Santiago best known for its surfing and super-casual vibe. Our destination was Hostal Verde, an eco-conscious hostel a short taxi ride out of the main city center (if you can call the main dirt road and small number of shops a city center).

When we arrived we were greeted by Rodgrigo (aka Pete, pronounced "Peh-teh"), the young hostal owner and his dog Flaite (see caption). We soon learned that Pete was known for his cooking skills and the large breakfast that he served every morning (b'fast included in the price -- nice!). We made the decision to stay at the hostal for the New Year's celebrations, after seeing the large bonfire and spread of food for the guests.

As the Friday evening went on we sat around the campfire, passing around meat, fish and other good food cooked by Pete and others and chatting with guests from Chile and Belgium. Just before midnight most of the group made their way to the main beach to watch the fireworks show. Some of the group stayed behind to enjoy the starry sky and fireworks show from the large hostal balcony.

The next day included a hike along the coast toward the main beach, followed by a surf lesson and surfing for the afternoon. We ate some bad pizza later in the afternoon, and spent a relaxing evening on the hostal hammocks, taking in the dark night sky filled with stars.

View from Hostal Verde front porch/balcony. You can see and hear the crashing waves in the distance, and the patio made for a decent view of the New Year's Eve fireworks off in the distance.

Hostal lounge area. Very comfy.

Campfire circle. Good food and good times were had around the flames.


The hostal dog Flaite (a common Chilean word for "shady one" most-typically used to describe young thugs who linger at night in large cities). Flaite was a gentle, but ferocius dog, who could differentiate a hostal guest from a crook with his nose.