San Pedro
San Pedro de Atacama is located on the north end of the Salar de Atacama, the large salt flat in the Atacama desert in northern Chile. This small mud brick town has become a tourist stop because of its proximity to the Salar and its various features, thousands of year old native ruins, and the simple fact that it is one of the only oasis for hundreds of miles in any direction.
The single story buildings made from stone or mud and straw bricks ooze charm and it is hard not to feel like you have stepped back in time as you wander the streets. There are numerous restaurants and bars that cater to the tourist crowd, but if you wander off the main drags you can find local haunts with simple cheaper menus.
Other than the restaurants the main business in town are the tour operators. There are at least three of these on each block and they all offer the basic tours. North to the geysers and hot springs, south to the Salar or longer tours to Bolivia. Prices don't vary too much so the main difference between the various companies are the quality of their guides. You can either learn a ton of information about the area, culture, history and current events or you can be stuck on a bumpy hours long bus ride from hell.
One easy way to see the town is to rent bikes and head out on one the dirt roads leading to caves, local ruins, geographic features and more. One of the highlights is the Cave of the Devil, named for the red light shining through cracks in the rock. If you head out to this spot bring a flashlight because the cave quickly becomes very dark. The entrance is marked with ancient carvings and a stone archway that give the experience a very Indiana Jones feel.
On the same route there is a pre-Incan ruined fortress.
Ultimately San Pedro is a must see spot in northern Chile.