Chiloe Islands
The Island of Chiloe is part of Chile's Lake District, though it's separated from the mainland by the Chacao Strait to the north, and the Gulfs of Ancud and Corcovado to the east. The Island's revolving door is the town of Chacao, where ferries carrying passengers and vehicles to and from Pargua, 40 miles south of Puerto Montt, arrive and depart every half hour. The 30 minute ferry ride from Puerto Montt costs $2 per passenger or $12 per vehicle, but the cost is included in the bus fare if you've boarded at the Puerto Montt bus station.
Owing in part to its isolation, Chiloe has a rich local culture, unique architecture, and plenty of historic folklore. Several mythological creatures are said to inhabit the island, with stories of mermaids, trolls, witches and ghost ships abound. Chiloe is known for its handicrafts, which reflect the vibrant culture of its inhabitants through tapestries, wood carvings, woven figures and more.
The unique architecture includes over 150 simple wooden churches, built beginning in the 1600's by Jesuit missionaries. Chiloe's residents, called Chilotes, still practice a unique blend of Catholicism and pagan religious beliefs. The island's churches have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in order to preserve their historic value.
Most of the 150,000 residents live on the east side of the mountains that run up the island's spine, where the fishing and agricultural centers are well developed. The Parque Nacional de Chiloe, or Chiloé National Park, occupies the western half of the island where the endangered alerce tree thrives among other indigenous flora in the temperate rainforest.
Chiloe's island status and extensive history have been important to its cuisine. It has an incredibly wide variety of fresh fish and seafood, and hundreds of years of practice in preparing rich, savory meals that are perfect during the island's cooler months-all but December through February. But even then, the humid, cool, humid climate means that toting along an umbrella is a must.
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© 2007 AR Tourism, LLC
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