During the long holiday week of Chile’s National Day, a group of five adventurers arrived in Puerto Montt at 6:30 AM on the 18th, having journeyed from Santiago. After picking up our rental car, we set off for the Pargua dock in Puerto Montt. The dock is bustling with numerous ferries that depart frequently, so waiting times are usually short.
We only had to wait about ten minutes before boarding. The Trauco company’s ferry is impressively large; the ticket for an SUV costs 165,000 pesos. The second floor is entirely a restaurant where you can enjoy a quick breakfast, but you need to eat swiftly as the boat reaches Chiloé Island’s Chacao dock in the time it takes to have a meal.
After disembarking, we first made our way to the northern town of Ancud, taking a brief detour, and then drove along the picturesque coast to Quemchi and finally to Castro, the capital of Chiloé. We booked a charming wooden cabin homestay, located just three kilometers from Castro, costing a little over 20,000 pesos per person per night.
Nestled in a grassy field with stunning views, the cabin lacked central heating, and instead, everyone here uses stoves. The landlord gave us a lesson, and I must say, starting a fire is truly an art. On the second night, we struggled to get the fire going ourselves. After settling in, we ventured out to see the iconic stilt houses (palafitos) of Chiloé.
Unfortunately, the lack of sunlight dulled the vibrant colors of the wooden houses, making them less impressive than expected.
On our second day in Chiloé, we set out early for the Muelle de las Almas (Soul’s Pier). The entrance fee for the pier is 3,000 pesos, which supposedly includes parking, but we never found the free parking lot, so we ended up paying another 3,000 pesos for a private one. Then we began our hike. Recent rains on the island had made the forest paths particularly challenging, not just muddy but also very hilly.
If any friends plan to visit during this season, please ensure you wear proper hiking gear—hiking shoes, waterproof jackets, and warm layers are essential. Locals claim the hike takes 40 minutes, but we found it took much longer. Despite the difficult terrain, we walked around 15,000 steps back and forth, and the scenery was breathtaking, making the effort worthwhile.
The area is incredibly pristine, which adds to its charm.
After the Soul’s Pier, we headed to the nearby town of Cucao for lunch. The Swan Restaurant served food at a snail’s pace, and I couldn’t help but express my frustration. It had been raining since we left the pier, so we skipped the national park, which is primarily for hiking, and instead drove south to Quellón at the end of Route 5, the southernmost town on Chiloé Island. The beach here is teeming with sea snails, their deep purple shells a beautiful sight.
On the second night, unable to start the stove and returning late, we didn’t bother the landlord, and with the rain still pouring, everyone slept cold. To be honest, I hardly slept all night, shivering and unable to find comfort… My hands and feet were cold all night.
The rain persisted throughout the night, and on the morning of the third day, we all packed our bags and set off through the drizzle. We drove to Chacao, then boarded a ferry to Puerto Montt, before continuing on to our next destination, Puerto Varas.
During our two days and two nights in Chiloé, there were countless places we didn’t have time to explore and many local delicacies we never got to savor.
Yet, these unfulfilled experiences only add to the richness of our journey, as a touch of regret often deepens the meaning of travel.
