Coihaique

Coyhaique is the capital city of the Aysen Region of Chile. Founded in 1929 by settlers, this is a relatively young city. Until the twentieth century, Chile never showed much interest at all in exploiting the hard-to-reach Aysén region. It was not until the second half of the twentieth century that the region's spectacular natural setting began to attract the attention of significant numbers from the outside world. The opening of the Carretera Austral in the 1980s helped put Coyhaique "on the map."

Note that Coyhaique is sometimes also spelled "Coihaique."

One of the most special things about this city is its town square, which is laid out in the shape of a pentagon in honor of the Carabineros, the national police force (a Carabinero general was one of the town's founders). Just off the main plaza is the Café Ricer, a popular gathering spot for locals and visitors, with some of the best coffee and pastries in the city.

The city serves as a regional service center and provides drugstores, supermarkets, gas stations, pubs, gyms, internet cafés, travel agencies, radio stations, a post office, a museum, automobile rental and repair services, hardware stores, book stores, medical support, construction and do-it-yourself stores, and many other similar activities.

Coyhaique has some of the most beautiful scenery in Patagonia. It is surrounded by rivers (Simpson river and Coyhaique river) and by mountains, which may be snow-covered throughout the year (Coyhaique is sometimes called the city of eternal snow). On some days, it is said, you can experience all four seasons in a single day: rain, snow, wind, and then bright and warm sunshine.

Of interest to many foreigners are the "fly fishing lodges" which are located next to rivers or lakes; their services are around USD 1000 - 2000. A full range of simpler lodging is available within the city itself and nearby, though for its location in a rather scenic region, there are comparatively few "deluxe" hotels.

Coyhaique has only one ski resort, called "El Fraile", which posseses 2 ski lifts and a couple of tracks. Lodging in this resort is not available, only private lodging in clubs, like CAE or the Army Lodge.

People who were raised around Coyhaique might seem a bit unsophisticated, but with the arrival of people from the north of the country and from countries like England, Israel, United States, and other countries, the social and cultural flavors in Coyhaique are evolving. It is now possible to find virtually every kind of people in the city, including North Americans, British, Spanish, Israelis, Chileans, Argentines (many of them from Argentine Patagonia) or native indians, locally referred to as "Indigenas". Most foreigners report that the people in Coyhaique are gracious and willing to help foreigners.

The best time to visit Coyhaique is during the months of November through April, when the temperatures are quite moderate. From May until October, temperatures can be comparatively cold, with the possibility of snowfall. Tourists arrive by a number of means, including by air through the local airport, by sea through ships that call on at Puerto Chacabuco (near Puerto Aysén, about 1 hour to the west of Coyhaique) and by road. There are two principal frontier crossing points near Coyhaique to allow entry into Argentina.

LAN has three daily flights from Santiago to Balmaceda Airport, located 40 km. far from Coyhaique. Other airlines also provide services. Connections from Balmaceda airport to points further south in Chile will often require a connection in Puerto Montt.

Coyhaique's incumbent major is Mr. David Sandoval Plaza (Union Democrata Independiente), who served for the 2000-2004 term, and reelected in 2004 for the 2004-2008 term.