India, April 18 -- With its glorious sands and million-dollar vacation homes, Zapallar is Chile's most exclusive coastal retreat. But the breezy, laid-back way of life is what keeps families coming back, year after year. By Pilar Guzman

Several years ago, my Chilean cousin Andrea and I were descending a steep path leading to the horseshoe-shaped, white-sand beach in Zapallar, a couple of hours northwest of Santiago. We paused at a tiny stucco house with exposed timber and a thatched roof about halfway down that, thanks to a micro-climate that shields the area from coastal winds, was empowered by an exuberant mix of palm, eucalyptus, cypress, and pine trees. It looked just like the family compound at the foot of the Andes my late father g...