A little while ago we spent a glorious weekend on Pichilemu beach. A cool surf vibe, cute holidays cabanas, a relaxed holiday feel and beautiful stretches of sandy dunes… it’s well worth the three hours drive from Santiago.
Check out the views from our cabana driveway…
Things to do
Yes, there’s a cultural centre, fishing villages, adventure sports galore, horse riding, great restaurants… not to mention the surfing. Or if you’re like us and only have a few days the beach is fun enough.
Pichilemu is known as a surfer town and there’s good reason for it. It’s so windy! Perfect kite weather too.
There are also lots of little play areas dotted among the cafes and restaurants, including this one just next to our lodge.
Where to stay
We stayed in a really lovely, modern style cabana right on Playa de Lobos beach. My husband or I could pop out with one, two or all three of the kids, while the other held the fort. Or drank tea.
What to wear
You can take the boys out of Britain, but you can’t take Britain out of the boys. It was winter and the locals were wrapped up with scarves, hats and mittens. Meanwhile mine insisted on swimwear even when the sun wasn’t shining.
Chilly in Chile
As soon as the sun went down it got really chilly. And then Sebastian fell in the sea fully clothed. Oops.
Hey ho… a perfect excuse for toasting marshmallows on the barbecue.
… and warming up over hot chocolate by the log fire.
Our cabana
There were two sets of bunk beds for the kids, but somehow every morning this happened…
Winter beach weekends get a bit of a bad rep, but we’ll back to Pichilemu… come rain or shine.
Need to know:
Where to stay
We stayed in a beautiful little lodge, right on the beach. It was a lovely, clean, cute holiday home complete with a log fire burner. We loved it! The only issue we had was the water which was rather cold. Assuming the water heater is now working I’d definitely recommend it, with the exception of families with toddlers (there is a rather slippy wooden staircase).
What to do
Pichilemu’s cultural centre and its municipal park get great reviews, although most people come here for a quiet place to stay with kids, or for the surfing. There are lots of surfing and adventure companies spread around.
When to stay
We visited in August and it was empty! All the shops and restaurants were open (even on the public holiday), but there were no crowds. Bliss! I hear that it can get very, very busy in the height of summer, however.
What to pack
It can get very cold in winter time, especially when the sun goes down. Pack warm clothes, an extra blanket (or higher tog sleeping bag) for your baby and waterproof jackets. Wellies and Crocs came in handy for the beach too.
I packed enough food for the apocalypse, but it turns out that Pichilemu has loads of great, casual restaurants and more chic options too. There are also lots of independent stores selling everything including barbecue meats, souvenirs and groceries. But do pack a kite (and surf wear, if that’s what you’re into).
