Chile is one of the longest countries and the world, and is certainly one of the skinniest. But packed into a lithe frame that stretches from 17 degrees south to 56 degrees south are the types of places that offer travellers rich and awe-inspiring experiences. Add to that a travel time of less than 14 hours on a LAN direct flight between Sydney and Santiago, and you have a South American holiday that is manageable for a few weeks of leave.

THE HOT TIP: THE NORTH AND THE ATACAMA DESERT

The average temperature in the northern part of the country is 20 degrees, not dissimilar to a Mediterranean climate. The Atacama Desert is a record holder. While you would think the Sahara or the Nevada would take the title of the driest desert in the world, it is instead this desert in Chile which is the most arid. Once every four or five years, however, the desert blooms into life. Carpets of pastel flowers blossom, commandeering hundreds of kilometres of red sand. This phenomenon is hard to predict but if it does happen it will occur between September and November. This region is typified by the glorious mirages of shimmering salt plains next to lush green oases. Geysers spout from the parched land while beaches offer the water views that make the scenery so confounding. The climate of the region has preserved one of the most important finds in archaeology – that mummification was practiced long before the ancient Egyptians – instead it was in Chile with the indigenous Chinchorro people. The dry conditions have also preserved ancient rock engravings.

THE CITY: SANTIAGO AND CENTRAL ZONE

Santiago was founded in 1541 and with seven million inhabitants it is the most populous city in Chile and is also the capital. In Santiago it is possible to spend the morning in a ski resort to the east of the city and then to head west and spend the afternoon baking in the sand of the city's beaches. The bohemian quarter of Bellavista will remind you of Parisian flea markets. They specialise in artisan crafts and antique products with historic buildings that have charmed the city's artists and intellectuals for decades. Boutiques sit beside art galleries and theatres stand next to buzzing restaurants that spill onto the pavement. For more of a bohemian fix, head northwest of the city to the port town of Valparaiso. It is a two hour drive that will take you through the vineyards and valleys of Casablanca. Valparaiso is one of the oldest cities in Chile and is home to 44 hills. Local residents take century-old cable car elevators to get to and from their houses. The colourful houses complement the sea and it is reminiscent of a Latin San Francisco – it more than competes in terms of steep inclines.

THE WILDERNESS: LAKES, RIVERS, VOLCANOES

If this region could be compared to any other it would have to be New Zealand's south. On similar latitudes, perhaps it is not such a coincidence that the two areas both have alpine meltwater lakes that then form rushing rivers. Villarica, located in southern Chile, on the western shore of Villarrica Lake in the Province of Cautín, is one of the oldest towns in the Araucanía Region, despite the fact that it is overshadowed by an active volcano. It has erupted to fatal effect on four occasions, most recently in 1971, and to this day it thrusts lava, ash and smoke into the area. There are also plenty of hot springs in this region, testament to the grumbling underworld. One of the best places to take a steaming dunk is in Conaripe.

For a double-take, head to Puerto Varas, a waterfront city that has taken its style cues from Germany. With Bavarian architecture, steins of lager, sausages and German pastries, it's just a tad surreal to find it in Chile. Back in the 1800s, German expatriates settled the surrounding lands and effectively recreated their culture. Most of the houses here are made of wood and its rose plaza has earned the city the moniker "the city of roses".

THE COLD BASE: PATAGONIA AND THE EXTREME SOUTH

Patagonia is an adventurer's dreamscape as the southernmost zone of Chile extends all the way to Antarctica. With sharp peaks, ice fields, fjords and albino blue lakes, the terrain is always a challenge and always breathtaking. If you don't fancy trekking or climbing take the Southern Highway for one of the greatest road trips of all time. It's unlikely that you will pass many cars from day to day. You will need a 4WD, however, as while it's called a highway, it is unpaved. If you would rather take to the sea, a cruise boat offers a great perspective of the ancient fjords. A succession of canals and channels ensures an ever-changing view is provided. From here cruises often go further south to Antarctica but Patagonia provides a sneak peak of what life is like in the deep Arctic. Of course, the crowning glory of Patagonia is Torres Del Paine, a cathedral-like collection of rocky peaks that range from grey limestone rock to the reflective white snow on top. As a whole Patagonia is renowned for being pollution-free and is the ultimate eco escape. The animals are just as unique as the scenery, with pumas, guanacos (a Chilean version of a llama), condors and foxes.

THE NEVER-NEVER REGIONS: THE ISLANDS

Chile is considered tri-continental thanks to its island territories as well as its land in Antarctica. The islands of Chile include Rapa Nui, Robinson Crusoe and Chiloe. Rapa Nui island means "the navel of the earth" in the local dialect. As the world's most remote populated island it is known to westerners as Easter Island and its former culture is the subject of a historical mystery. The iconic emblems of the island are the moai, massive face sculptures that are scattered throughout, a little weathered but nonetheless standing after centuries. There are 600 moais that rise from five metres to 12 metres tall – clearly the place deserves the title of the largest open air museum in the world. Anthropolgists hypothesise that the sculptures were built to worship the Polynesian inhabitants' ancestors. Robinson Crusoe Island is about as exotic as it sounds, with species found only here and most at a grand age of two million years. As for its name – a man was marooned here in the 1700s and provided the inspiration for Daniel Defoe to write Robinson Crusoe. And if it's nature's largest creature you wish to see, the waters off Chiloe Island are home to the largest concentration of blue whales in the southern hemisphere.