La Serena, the regional capital, is located at 470 km. north of Santiago.

It can be reached via air in regular national daily flights of LanChile, Ladeco and Avant Airlines. The flight duration is 50 minutes.

By land, it can be reached by buses leaving form Santiago every hour form the North Terminals of San Borjas and Los heroes. The trip?s duration is approximately 6 hours.

It has a transitional climate between the dessert and the more humid central zone. The coast area is characterized with high percentage of cloudy days, while the interior is free from the sea influence yet has a high atmosphere humidity but still has most of the days clear and stable temperatures. The average temperature in the coast is 14ºC and towards the interior 16ºC. In this coastal zone, there is a phenomenon called Camancahca, which is the appearance of red and low clouds.

According to the census of 1992, the population reached 504,387 habitants, of which 70% is urban and 30% rural.

At present, the distribution of the population is found near the urban areas of La Serena?Coquimbo.

The main economical activities of the region is the agriculture which has developed in the valleys of the river Elqui, Limari and Choapa which has favorable climatic conditions for the agricultural activities.

The coast of the Coquimbo region is rich with fish and seafood. There are many fishing and sea products companies such as fish fodder and conserved and frozen products. Moreover, there is the industry of the production Pisco, the national liquor of the country which is also exported to the USA, Europe and Asia.

The mining activities is constituted of the exploitation of Iron, Copper and Gold. Gold exploitation is located in El Indio mine, Copper is in El Romeral and Gold and Copper in El Andacollo.

Tourist activities are mainly located in the coast and transversal valleys. The Observatories La Silla and Las Campanas, which are near the Pachon Hill, are found in this region where the total of the south hemisphere can be observed.

La Serena standout as the region?s capital with its colonial architecture, the monumental Lighthouse, the beaches( Canto del Agua, La Marina Mansa, Blanca, Las Gaviotas among others), the archeological, mineralogical and the religious colonial art museums, the Cathedral of Santa Ines, La Recova Market, the house of Gonzalez Videla, the Abastoz Plaza, the mirador of the university of La Serena among others.

Coquimbo is the main port of the region and the place of legends of the adventures of pirates that came to this zone. Some of the attractions of the port are the municipal Casino, beaches like La Herradura, Las Mostazas, Guanaqueros, Totoralillo, Tongoy, Costanera Avenue, Guayacan church, plazas like Prat and Gabriela Mistral and finally the Hippodrome club.

The inland people conserve cultural attractions such as Vicuna, birth place of the poet Gabriela Mistral, Nobel price of literature 1945. Paihuano and Monte Grande where the tomb of Gabriela Mistral is found. Pisco Elqui which is an artesian and production center of Pico. Andacollo, a village dedicated to the extraction of Gold. Religious traditions such as the Feast in honor of the Virgin of Rosario.

Here the city of Ovalle standout as the provincial capital located at 88 kilometers south-east of La Serena. From there, one can acceed to visit different attractions such as The Valle del Encanto and the National Park Fray Jorge known with it abundant vegetation, Valdivain woods which are typical of the south zone of the country and a declared as biosphere reserve park. Combarbala: a mining village where artesian products are made of Combarbalita, a mineral similar to marble which takes the matices blanco marble, rose y distinct gamas of blue.

La Paloma basin which is used for irrigation. The Combarbala stone, named after the people in the zone, which is used for artisan . Sotaqui: a locality famous for its fishing production and for its religious festivals of the Niño Dios de Sotaqui.

Famous resorts are found here such as Los Vilos which has extended beaches ( Agua Dulce, Amarilla, Las Conchitas, Totoralillo) and Pichidanqui which is an exclusive resort with clear sands special for aquatic sports.

The cities of Illapel and Salamanca also stands out in this area where the main activity is al aurifera and where the surroundings are located within Las Chinchillas national Reserve. While Salamanca is considered a city rich in legends and folklore.