Chiloé Island Tour

On the western edge of Chile's Lake District lies Chiloé, a relatively small island well known to Chileans but little visited by outsiders. It's a place steeped in myth and lore, defined by its rugged coastline and rolling green hills dotted with patches of rich Valdivian forest. To get there from Puerto Montt, on the mainland, requires crossing the Chacao Channel by ferry. On this journey, it's wise to keep an eye on the water because it's common to Chilean black dolphins (one of the world's smallest species) frolicking near the boat.

The first stop on this excursion to Chiloé is Caulín Bay, a fishing community that also farms oysters (there is, of course, some great seafood here). This includes a visit to Puñihuil, a nearby natural monument consisting of three islets home to a colony of penguins. It's a noteworthy spot, as this is the only place on earth where Humboldt and Magellanic penguins nest alongside each other. Following this is a tour of the coastal city of Ancud, which features stunning old churches built after the Spanish conquest when the native Huilliche people were converted to Catholicism. These buildings are a World Heritage Site. Also here is an impressive Spanish fort, a local market, and the Ancud Museum.