Chiloé
An island of wooden churches, stilt houses, myths and curanto. It is a place to visit without rushing, with rain gear.
The island and its own time
Chiloé runs on a different clock. The tides here are among the largest in Chile and they decide when you go out for shellfish, when you cross and when you wait; the weather does the same, with fine rain that can last for days and then clear in ten minutes. Come without a tight schedule.
The architecture tells the story better than any museum: stilt houses on piles in Castro, walls clad in hand-cut alerce shingles, churches raised by boat builders who applied to their temples the same craft they used on hulls, in jointed timber with no metal nails. And there is the minga, the custom of moving a whole house by oxen from one plot to another, with the community pushing and a curanto waiting at the end.
Wooden churches
- The island has more than 150 wooden churches and 16 are UNESCO World Heritage sites. They are built with local wood and wooden pegs, without metal nails.
- San Francisco, in Castro: yellow and violet facade.
- Nuestra Señora de Gracia, in Nercón: in a rural setting.
- Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, in Dalcahue: the ferries to Quinchao Island leave from there.
- Achao: the oldest in the archipelago, from the mid-18th century.
Castro and nature
- The stilt houses of the Gamboa and Pedro Montt neighborhoods, and the Municipal Market with local products and seafood.
- Chiloé National Park, in Cucao, and the Muelle de las Almas (Dock of Souls).
- The Puñihuil islets, near Ancud, where Magellanic and Humboldt penguins live together.
Myths and food
- Characters such as the Trauco, the Pincoya and the ghost ship Caleuche, and the myth of Tenten Vilu and Caicai Vilu.
- Curanto en hoyo, milcao and chapalele (potato dishes) and the Licor de Oro of Chonchi.
Getting there
- The traditional way is the Pargua to Chacao ferry, about 30 minutes.
- Mocopulli airport, near Castro, receives flights.
- Route 5 South links Ancud, Castro and Quellón.
Tips
- It is worth renting a car to reach remote places.
- Fuel is scarce in rural areas: fill up in the larger towns.
- Bring waterproof clothing, because it rains often.
- In February there are many folk festivals.