- Continental Chile's official time zone is GMT -5 hours in winter and GMT -3 hours in summer. Time changes are made on the second Saturdays in October (clocks are set forward one hour) and March (clocks are set back one hour), whereas the respective time zones of Easter Island are GMT -7, and GMT -6.

- Due to provisions in the Chilean constitution, new buildings and most of Santiago's sidewalks, especially those in the higher areas, have all been designed with special facilities for the disabled. This is also true of the malls, whose reserved parking slots, restrooms, telephones and taxi services have all been suitably conditioned.

- If you are a person who likes to do touring behind the wheel of your own car, you should know that requirements for renting vehicles include: being over 21, possessing an international driving license or one from your country of origin, as well as a passport and a credit card. Remember that maximum permitted speed in built-up areas is 60 km/hr and on the highway 120 km/hr.

- The Chilean mail service is very efficient. The Central Post Office is on Santiago's Plaza de Armas, and there are branches all over the country. Its timetable is Monday through Saturday from 8.30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

- In Chile the following ones are national non-working days:

January 1 New Year's Day
March/April, Holy Week
May 1, Local Labor Day
May 21, "Gloria Navales"
Mayo or June, Corpus Christi (varying dates)
August 15, Assumption of the Virgin
September 18, Independence Day
September 19, "Dia de las Glorias del Ejercito"
October 12, Columbus Day
November 1, All Saints
December 8, the Immaculate Conception
December 25, Christmas

- Any further information may be obtained from the "Servicio Nacional de Turismo de Chile - SERNATUR" (Chilean National Tourism Service), a government entity with branches all over the country. The headquarters are in Santiago, at 1550 Providencia street, Manuel Montt subway station, and there is a branch at the Santiago International Airport (tel. 00-56-2-6019320). Timetable: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.