When travelling there are many places you feel you should visit or maybe are recommended in guidebooks and by friends. The islands of Chiloe however, are a place where I felt compelled to go. Everything I read and heard about the place was fascinating and enchanting. A region of contradictions; whilst only thirty minutes from mainland Chile, the islands feel like an isolated wilderness and despite the history of the Jesuit Missions and Catholicism on the islands, folklore and legend are foremost.
Getting There
Chiloe is an archipelago that lies very close to the coast of southern Chile. Chile is divided into twelve regions (usually referred to in Roman numerals from I to XII), and Chiloe can be found in Region X,
Getting There
Chiloe is an archipelago that lies very close to the coast of southern Chile. Chile is divided into twelve regions (usually referred to in Roman numerals from I to XII), and Chiloe can be found in Region X,
Visiting the Islands of Chiloe
known as Region de Los Lagos, the Lake Distrinct. This is one of the most popular regions for visitors to Chile, due to the wealth of stunning scenery.
We had been spending longer than planned in Peru and Bolivia, that featured at the beginning of our itinerary, which meant we had less time than we hoped for southern Chile. We found ourselves in Santiago with two weeks before our return flight home from the city, and still with a lot of ground we wanted to cover to the south.
We had been spending longer than planned in Peru and Bolivia, that featured at the beginning of our itinerary, which meant we had less time than we hoped for southern Chile. We found ourselves in Santiago with two weeks before our return flight home from the city, and still with a lot of ground we wanted to cover to the south.
It was April and we figured the weather would be getting colder as the southern hemisphere winter approached, so decided to fly south and then to work our way overland back to Santiago. We flew with TAN air to Puerto Montt, the capital of Region X, and the following day we took a combination of bus and ferry over to Chiloe. The ferry crossing is only half an hour, and arrives in the Chiloe’s largest settlement of Ancud, in the north of the island. Chiloe is actually an Archipelago and the main island we were set to explore is called Isla Grande de Chiloe.
Famous Folklore
The rain that had met us in Puerto Montt, was almost ever-present during our time on Chiloe. We had decided we could spend two nights on the island, and having arrived early, we had a full day to explore.
Famous Folklore
The rain that had met us in Puerto Montt, was almost ever-present during our time on Chiloe. We had decided we could spend two nights on the island, and having arrived early, we had a full day to explore.
Chiloe National Park
You can take a bus from Castro to the national park, but we decided to hire the services of a guide. Once the cost was split between the three of us it worked out very good value for the day. We arranged it through the guesthouse we were staying at in Castro. The guide was friendly and immediately took over where the museum in Ancud left off, and amused us with a story of the infamous troll, known as a trauco. The trauco hid in the undergrowth at night, and was held responsible for all out-of-wedlock pregnancies on the island. Although we all spoke Spanish, he insisted on using as much English as he could, which would have been plenty for those who don’t speak Spanish.
You can take a bus from Castro to the national park, but we decided to hire the services of a guide. Once the cost was split between the three of us it worked out very good value for the day. We arranged it through the guesthouse we were staying at in Castro. The guide was friendly and immediately took over where the museum in Ancud left off, and amused us with a story of the infamous troll, known as a trauco. The trauco hid in the undergrowth at night, and was held responsible for all out-of-wedlock pregnancies on the island. Although we all spoke Spanish, he insisted on using as much English as he could, which would have been plenty for those who don’t speak Spanish.
We headed west to the National Park and across to the far western coast of the island. The park has an entrance fee of 1,000 Chilean Pesos, which works out at a very reasonable $2 US. Our knowledgeable guide took us around the main areas of interest, and whilst we weren’t lucky enough to see some of the more rare wildlife, like the small pudu deer and the chilote fox, we were certainly not disappointed with the scenery. The coastal dunes and Pacific Ocean would have been a lot more inviting under a different sky, but were beautiful none-the-less.
In the afternoon we hired horses; this is probably the best way to get around, as there is a lot of ground to cover and not really any roads to speak of. I say ‘probably’ as none of us were that comfortable in the saddle, although the horses were quite placid and easy enough to handle for beginners like us. We had a great day exploring as much of the park as we could, before heading back to our guest house in Castro, satisfied and exhausted. That evening was I first try of the local licor de oro (Golden Liquor) It originates from the town of Chonchi, only 16 miles (23km) away from Castro, and despite is clear, golden colour, one of it’s main ingredients is milk.
Given more time, we would like to have headed further south. The majority of the islanders live in the northern half of the main island, and the main town in the south is Quellon. We were also tempted to try to squeeze in a visit to some of the small islands that make up Chiloe, such as Quinchao, but time was simply not on our side. All we really had time for on our way back up to Ancud, was a quick side trip to Dalcahue on the east coast of the island. Dalcahue is an important town in the archipelago as it acts as a gateway to many of the smaller islands that can be found between Chiloe and mainland Chile.
From Ancud, we were back on the ferry to Puerto Montt, before heading to the bus terminal and making our way north. We were faced with the prospect of seeing as much of the 1000km of wonderful scenery between Puerto Montt and Santiago as possible. Chiloe offers a charming, isolated wilderness. Given the frontier feel, it is actually easy and cost effective to get to. So if you are looking to experience island life in Chile, and can’t afford the time and expense of Easter Island, Chiloe offers a fantastic alternative, or better still visit both!
Al Bridgeman - 21st January 2007
In the afternoon we hired horses; this is probably the best way to get around, as there is a lot of ground to cover and not really any roads to speak of. I say ‘probably’ as none of us were that comfortable in the saddle, although the horses were quite placid and easy enough to handle for beginners like us. We had a great day exploring as much of the park as we could, before heading back to our guest house in Castro, satisfied and exhausted. That evening was I first try of the local licor de oro (Golden Liquor) It originates from the town of Chonchi, only 16 miles (23km) away from Castro, and despite is clear, golden colour, one of it’s main ingredients is milk.
Given more time, we would like to have headed further south. The majority of the islanders live in the northern half of the main island, and the main town in the south is Quellon. We were also tempted to try to squeeze in a visit to some of the small islands that make up Chiloe, such as Quinchao, but time was simply not on our side. All we really had time for on our way back up to Ancud, was a quick side trip to Dalcahue on the east coast of the island. Dalcahue is an important town in the archipelago as it acts as a gateway to many of the smaller islands that can be found between Chiloe and mainland Chile.
From Ancud, we were back on the ferry to Puerto Montt, before heading to the bus terminal and making our way north. We were faced with the prospect of seeing as much of the 1000km of wonderful scenery between Puerto Montt and Santiago as possible. Chiloe offers a charming, isolated wilderness. Given the frontier feel, it is actually easy and cost effective to get to. So if you are looking to experience island life in Chile, and can’t afford the time and expense of Easter Island, Chiloe offers a fantastic alternative, or better still visit both!
Al Bridgeman - 21st January 2007
The first place we were keen to visit was the museum in Ancud, as this gives you a feel for the natural history and folklore that Chiloe is well known for. The native inhabitants on the island are made up of the Chonos, Cunco and Mapuche Indians. Like many places in South America the beliefs of the people are a combination of Catholic teachings and local mythology and legends, and in Chiloe these are magnified by its relative isolation. The mythology of Chiloe reminded me of some of the stories from places like Iceland and parts of Scandinavian. Locals refer to a treasure of mythical creatures such as trolls, mermaids, sorcerers, and my personal favourite, Pincoya the goddess of the Chiloean seas. The museum goes as far as having small figures of many of these creatures on display. The sea plays a central role in many aspects of life for the islanders, as well as for the folklore stories. So it was no surprise when our lunch was a delicious seafood broth, which both warmed and energized.
Castro
We weren’t planning to stay in Ancud that night, so we took a bus due south to Castro, which is the best base for exploring the island. On the bus journey down to Castro you get a chance to take in some of the scenery of the island. Also dotted along the route are interesting houses made of shingle, and the imagine of them set in the green forests fueled the imagination, and brought to life the models of trolls, elves and witches we had just seen.
We checked into a guesthouse in Castro and went to have a look round the town. Whilst most on the island make their living from either fishing or farming, many are turning to tourism for either a full or part time income, and as a result finding accommodation and tour guides is easy enough. We gave the Castro museum a miss, in favour of a leisurely stroll around the town. The most striking building is the double-spire Cathedral, which was painted in an interesting combination of soft yellow and pastel blue. That evening we again ate very well, this time local salmon was on the menu.
Castro
We weren’t planning to stay in Ancud that night, so we took a bus due south to Castro, which is the best base for exploring the island. On the bus journey down to Castro you get a chance to take in some of the scenery of the island. Also dotted along the route are interesting houses made of shingle, and the imagine of them set in the green forests fueled the imagination, and brought to life the models of trolls, elves and witches we had just seen.
We checked into a guesthouse in Castro and went to have a look round the town. Whilst most on the island make their living from either fishing or farming, many are turning to tourism for either a full or part time income, and as a result finding accommodation and tour guides is easy enough. We gave the Castro museum a miss, in favour of a leisurely stroll around the town. The most striking building is the double-spire Cathedral, which was painted in an interesting combination of soft yellow and pastel blue. That evening we again ate very well, this time local salmon was on the menu.
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