
To see the penguins, you take a tour boat out to the three islands where the sites are located the ride can sometimes be a little bumpy because of the waves but being able to see penguins in the wild is worth it.ĥ. This nationally protected area, Puñihuil National Monument, is also significant as being the only known shared breeding site for both species of penguin. There are penguins on Chiloe? Yes, indeed! There are several nesting sites along the coast but the most famous one is located near Ancud, where colonies of Humboldt and Magellanic penguins can be seen. Many of the palafitos are still lived in by locals, but several in Castro have been converted into charming boutique hotels. Palafitos used to be a much more common site around the island, but many of the coastal ones were destroyed in the 1960 earthquake and tsunami. The outsides are also covered in artfully stencil Chilote tiles made from the alerce tree. These multi-colored wooden houses are perched over the water on stilts and in the past fisherman would ride in and out with the tide from the porch of the house. Poised along the waterfronts of Castro are some of the most iconic sites on Chiloe: the palafitos. While all of them are a wonder to behold, the churches in Castro, Achao, Nercon, Dalcahue, Tenaun, and Chonchi are the most popular. The results were a collection of steepled, brightly painted, and thoroughly impressive altars to God, 16 of which were declared UNESCO monuments in 2000.

The churches were made with local wood and traditional methods, so no metal nails were used in the making: everything was pieced together through ingenuity and wooden spikes. One of Chiloe’s main claims to fame are its astonishing wooden churches, which were built under the supervision of Jesuit priests who came to the archipelago in the 18th and 19th centuries. A great time to visit and go kayaking is in the early morning as the sun is rising, as it’s the best time to look for animals and to enjoy this majestic place at its most peaceful. The area was formed when the 1960 earthquake – the biggest ever recorded – sunk the land and caused a tsunami. You can start by kayaking down the river to the open ocean where you’ll encounter the sunken forest, an eerily beautiful place of sunken trees poking out of the water. But arguably the best place to go kayaking is at Chepu, a tidal river and wetlands area located about an hour and a half from the island capital of Castro. With its many lakes, channels, and bays, Chiloe is prime territory for excellent kayaking, both for sport, to enjoy the landscape, and to look for local wildlife like birds and otters (known as “”chungungos”).

Here are ten reasons to visit Chiloe during your Chilean adventure! In addition to its unique culture, the natural environment is stunning and as such it’s a wonderful place for outdoor sports like hiking, kayaking, and bird-watching. Here there are legends about trolls and ghost ships there are nearly 300 kinds of potatoes and the locals (known as Chilotes) are so friendly they’ll invite strangers in for tea.

This chain of islands, which consists of the main island and many smaller ones scattered into the surrounding ocean, is only accessible from the mainland by boat, ferry, or plane, and its centuries of isolation has created a wholly unique culture and way of life.
#Artisan nails forest lake full#
Just off the coast of Chile’s verdant Lakes District can be found a magical place full of mystery and beauty: the archipelago of Chiloe.
