1 . Its capital has a buzzing culinary and cultural scene. For years Santiago was seen by many travellers as merely a place for flight connections. Now, the city has bloomed into one of the continent’s most modern and vibrant capitals. Awakening from a slumber, Santiago’s dining scene is proving that the food alone merits stopping by, with contemporary Chilean dining spearheaded by Boragó, the fifth best restaurant in South America.

2 . The National Parks are amazing. Patagonia and its spectacular wind-scarred lands are held in veneration by many hikers – and for good reason. 2018 is when the focus will shift from the glacier and granite-riddled Parque Nacional Torres del Paine to the newly created Route of Parks, a string of seventeen national parks that runs from Tierra del Fuego in the south to the tip of the Carretera Austral in the north.

3 . Sample top-notch tipples. Argentina has long been crowned South America’s finest wine producing country, but across the Andes, its neighbour has spent the past few years quietly pocketing prestigious wine awards. What’s more, many of the best producers are practically within spitting distance of Santiago.

4. I want to experience the clearest night skies in the world. Thanks to a fortuitous mix of high altitude, aridity and low light pollution, Chile’s Atacama Desert has two-hundred cloudless nights a year and stellar conditions for stargazing. San Pedro de Atacama is a popular starting point, with agencies transporting me out into the desert for an astronomy tour and crash course in the southern skies, where powerful telescopes magnify even the faintest glint of light.

5. I can’t possibly be disappointed! Awarded in 2017 the accolade of the world’s leading adventure tourism destination for the second year running, Chile looks set to continue offering once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences. One of the best thrills is an ascent of one of Chile’s 3000 or so volcanoes – many of which are still active. Volcán Villarrica near Pucón is easily the most popular, with a lava-filled crater and slopes thick with snow. To take things up a notch (well, 300m to be precise), shun the crowds and pitch a tent on the deserted summit of Volcán Llaima, Chile’s most active stratovolcano, where panoramic views span landscapes of black lava flows and ancient, umbrella-shaped araucaría trees in Parque Nacional Conguillío. To escape even further, fly to tiny Easter Island – one of the most remote places on Earth – where solemn stone maoi line its picturesque coasts and have also been discovered on the seabed at Las Áncoras reef. Take to the crystalline waters with a scuba-diving tour for a glimpse of these statues, as well as to catch snatches of song from migrating blue and humpback whales.