WHERE TO GO IN CHILOé

Ancud:

It is the first major town of Chiloe when accessed by crossing the Chacao Channel. It is the second largest city on the island after Castro, and stands out for its cultural and historical heritage.

Its attractions include several National Monuments, such as Castillo de Ahui o Fuerte Agui, located 26 kilometers from Ancud, corresponding to remnants of the Spanish colonial fortresses of the time, like Fort San Antonio, and Fort Chaicura and the Fuerte y Polvorín de San Carlos.

In the Gulf of Ancud there are 18 stone fish weirs, which were built with stones or nailed sticks where at low tide you could catch lots of fish, crustaceans and molluscs.

The city has the Costanera Salvador Allende, a trip that allows you to see a beautiful view of the bay and in it are there are several forts and parks.

In Ancud there is also a colorful craft market where you can buy local products, such as woven and carved woodwork.

Castro:

It is the most important city in the Big Island of Chiloé, its capital and where most of the services, trade and Mocopulli airport are located, which allows direct connection to the mainland.

Here activities such as the Festival Costumbrista Chilote are performed in the Parque Municipal de Castro, with gourmet, artisanal, agricultural and folkloric samples.

In its surroundings, there are interesting places like Nercón, where the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de Gracia de Nercón is located, considered a World Heritage Site.

Also the Rilán Peninsula is located here, which separates the Quinchao Island of the area through the Chacao Channel. Here you can find nice resorts like Quento, Yutuy and Tongoy. In the village of Chelín we found the church Nuestra Señora del Rosario, which is a World Heritage Site.

In Castro we find buildings on palafittes, in the sectors of Gamboa and Pedro Montt.

Another attraction is a great craft fair that is located by the sea, where you can buy all kinds of products produced in the area such as carvings, weavings, sheep wool dyed with vegetable fiber, and other jewelry. Here you can find restaurants with typical food, to enjoy fish and seafood overlooking the port and the sea.

Curaco de Vélez:

This town is located on the island of Quinchao and features churches and museums with interesting collections and historical traditions of the area, plus shops and a craft fair.

Dalcahue:

This is another important city of the island, known for its craft fair and churches, all considered World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. These are the Church of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Dalcahue, the Church of San Juan and the Church of Tenaún.

The area between the Carretera Panamericana (Panamericana Highway) and the Pacific Ocean in Dalcahue belong to the Anay sector or south of the Chiloé National Park and has forests and natural areas.

Parque Nacional Chiloé: (Chiloe National Park)

This area is located on the west coast of the Big Island of Chiloe and comprising the sectors of Chepu, located in Ancud (northern area) and Anay (southern area), crossing the towns of Dalcahue, Castro and Chonchi. Most of the park is located in the Cordillera de Piuchén, but also has areas of Valdivian forests, dunes and peatlands.

To access the Anay sector you must enter through the entry of Cucao. In this area there are camping areas, nature trails and a museum. It is a place of beautiful beaches, surrounded by nature, rivers and lakes.

Besides this, in the same zone of Anay, near the Colecole River we find a myrtle forest of singular beauty, part of the Valdivian forest vegetation present in the area.

To get to the Chepu sector, there is an entry in Ancud, through Puerto Anguay where you must navigate through the Chepu River to reach the National Park.

Queilen:

This area is known for its beautiful beaches of Queilen and Lelbun, which are located in the Gulf of Corcovado. They are located on the east side of the island and besides spas you can be visit the Pio Pio Lagoon, the Acui Island and the Tranqui Island .

Quellón:

It is the last resort of the island and is located at kilometer 0 of the Carretera Panamericana (Panamericana Highway). It is a major port, with great shopping and fishing activities. Among its attractions are Llauquil Artisan Fair, InchinCuiviAnt Museum, the Austral Islands and the Chaiguao beach, among others.

Parque Tantauco:

Located on the southern end of the Island of Chiloe and is a private park open to the public. It has more than 118,000 acres of forests and natural areas, which is a wildlife habitat such as chilote foxes, seabirds and even manage to spot humpback whales from the coast.

It has trails for hiking and camping areas, but there is no food service or changing areas, so it is recommended to carry supplies and warm clothing.