In steep contrast to the fertile wine regions, wetlands, lakes and glaciers, not to mention a long coastline, Chile is also home to the driest place on Earth. At its most beautiful at sunrise and sunset, the hostile environs of the Atacama Desert make for incredible stargazing across its barren plateaus. Vistas here are huge: literally as far as the eye can see. At sunset the sky and horizon appear to meld, glowing scarlet and gold before giving way to an inky blackness littered with so many stars it would be impossible to count before sunrise. When the sun is up you can explore the lunar landscape and its geysers and salt lakes in detail.