Accommodations and Food

Swiss-run La Suizandina (tel. 045/1973725 or 099/8849541, fax 045/1973724, www.suizandina.com) is a combination hostel, cabaña, and sparkling new guesthouse west of town on the north side of the highway. Rates are US$17–34 per person in the centrally heated cabaña, which has four four-bedded rooms, and US$22–46 per person in the comfortable, centrally heated guesthouse.

Multilingual Tom and Eva Buschor include a Swiss-style breakfast (Tom is a professional baker) and also serve Swiss specialties such as fondue and raclette for reasonably priced lunches or dinners, accompanied by fresh desserts and Chilean wines. While they no longer promote Suizandina as a campground, it’s still possible to camp here economically.

The Centro Termal Malalcahuello (Recabarren 03160, Temuco, tel. 045/1963541, www.malalcahuello.cl, US$180–310 s or d for hotel accommodations) is a hot-springs mega-project that fits surprisingly well into its natural setting, about two kilometers south of the highway via a dirt road. With state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor pools, spa treatments, and therapists, it also has a handful of cabañas (US$257 for up to four people, access to baths included) and a restaurant that’s still finding its way. Admission to the pools costs US$19 per adult, US$15 per child aged 3–12, and US$5.50 for those younger than age 3. Additional services include massages, mud baths, steam baths, and the like.

Information and Getting There

Conaf’s Malalcahuello ranger station is a good source for advice; speakers of English, German, French, and Italian can try the Buschors at La Suizandina.

Flota Erbuc buses between Temuco and Lonquimay go directly past the gates of La Suizandina and the Malalcahuello ranger station.

© Wayne Bernhardson from Moon Chile, 2nd edition