ANTOFAGASTA
Antofagasta is truly one of the world's unique locations and is known as the Mining Capital of Chile. With 20 km (12 miles) of beachfront and ocean to the left and the desert and Andes Mountains to the right, this resort area offers year-round sunshine (average temperature of 17°C/64°F) in a dry climate. With the clearest skies in the world, with no more then 20 cloudy days in a year, this region of Chile is internationally recognized as an ideal location for astronomical observation. A number of national and international observatories and some of the world's largest telescopes are found here.
The area is surrounded by picturesque mountain villages, beautiful sites such as the Atacama Salt Flat and the Valle de la Luna, interesting fauna, and archaeological treasures. A tourist center of international renown, and Chile's “archaelogical capital ”, San Pedro de Atacama, is located 200 miles (320km) from Antofagasta. It is known for its natural attractions, rich historical heritage, archeological sites and Andean indigenous settlements.
COQUIMBO
The city of Coquimbo is located 290 miles (465 km) north of Santiago and houses the Guayacan Campus. This port city is known for its nearby beautiful beach resorts, and the main industries are agriculture, fishing, and mining. Placed on the northern coast of the bay known as La Herradura, the Guayacán Campus has a privileged position for the study of Marine Science. This region is also internationally recognized for its astronomical activity and has many observatories ,thanks to skies that are clear most of the year and very low light contamination.
The city of La Serena, a well known tourist center, is very close to Coquimbo. La Serena offers visitors a long and attractive seafront of fine sandy beaches, bays and temperate, unpolluted waters.