The Humboldt Current is a river of cold water that flows northwards along Chile's coast from Antarctica. It is packed with nutrients that feed billions of tiny creatures, which in turn feed fish, sea lions, penguins and seabirds. Chile is one of the world's biggest fishing nations because the cold current keeps the coastal waters so full of life.
Along the northern coast, wide sandy beaches meet calm, sunny weather almost all year round. Pelicans stand on rocks like patient statues, and sea lions laze on jetties. Further south, the coastline becomes wilder - deep fjords cut into the land, sea otters float on their backs eating shellfish, and Humboldt penguins nest in burrows in the cliffs.
Chilean fishermen have gone out to sea in small wooden boats for thousands of years. Today, fishing villages still sell freshly caught fish from open stalls on the docks. One of the most famous Chilean seafoods is the giant 'loco' sea snail - a large shellfish prized by chefs and protected by strict fishing rules so there are always enough left.
The port city of Valparaíso on Chile's central coast is famous for its colourful houses stacked up steep hills. Funicular tram-cars called 'ascensores' carry people up and down the slopes. From the top of the hills, you can see the Pacific stretching all the way to the horizon - reminding you just how enormous that ocean truly is.