Bahia Inglesa

Bahia Inglesa sits south of Caldera on a sheltered bay where the sand is unusually white and the water, being shallow and calm behind rock points, reads turquoise - a combination that made it the best known beach resort of the northern coast. The name comes from the English and Dutch privateers who used the bay in the seventeenth century when it was a convenient anchorage away from Spanish attention. The water is cold - this is the Humboldt current - but noticeably less brutal than beaches further south, and the rock pools and calm sections make it usable for families. Development along the front has grown considerably.

What you actually see

• White sand and turquoise shallows - sheltered behind rock points.
• A privateers' anchorage - the origin of the name.
• Cold but bearable water - the Humboldt current, moderated by the bay.
• A built-up front - the resort has grown a great deal.

When to go

Year round; January and February are crowded with Chilean holidaymakers. Half a day.

Honest expectations

It is developed and busy in the summer months, with prices to match. The water is still cold by most standards. Shade is limited. Outside the season much of the front is closed.

Nearby

Caldera and its railway history are north; Playa La Virgen is south.