The Chiloé archipelago begins just across the narrow Chacao channel, about an hour’s drive south-west of Puerto Varas. The main island, Isla Grande de Chiloé, developed in relative isolation for centuries, and it shows: in its shingled wooden houses and churches, its potato-and-seafood cooking, and a rich folklore of ghost ships and forest spirits.
Its best-known sights are the colourful palafitos — houses on stilts over the tidal flats of Castro — and the wooden churches built by Jesuit missionaries and local carpenters, sixteen of which are listed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Top things to do at Chiloé
Castro and its palafitos
The island capital’s stilt houses along the Gamboa and Pedro Montt waterfronts are best seen from the opposite shore at high tide. The bright yellow and lilac Iglesia de San Francisco on the plaza is one of the UNESCO churches.
Dalcahue market and the churches
Dalcahue’s waterfront market sells wool, baskets and food on the weekends, and its church is another UNESCO site. A short ferry from here leads to Quinchao island and the oldest of the churches, at Achao.
Eat curanto
Chiloé’s signature dish is curanto — shellfish, meat, sausages and potato breads cooked together over hot stones, traditionally in a pit in the ground. Try it in Castro or at a market restaurant.
See penguins at Puñihuil
On the Pacific coast near Ancud, small boats visit islets where Magellanic and Humboldt penguins nest, roughly September to March. This needs its own day or a stay on the island.
How to get to Chiloé
- By tour: the easiest way to see Chiloé in a day; expect around 10 hours from Puerto Varas.
- By car or bus: drive or ride south on Ruta 5 to Pargua, cross the Chacao channel by car ferry (about 30 minutes), and continue to Ancud or Castro. Buses from Puerto Montt include the ferry.
- Time: allow roughly 3.5 hours each way to Castro from Puerto Varas.
Insider tips
- Chiloé in one day is a lot of driving. If you can, spend a night in Castro and see the island at its own pace.
- Pack for rain whatever the forecast; the island is even wetter than the mainland.
- Look out for dolphins and sea birds on the ferry across the Chacao channel.
Best tours for Chiloé
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Chiloé:
Day trip from US$72 From Puerto Varas: Chiloé Island Full-Day Tour
A long but rewarding day that crosses to the Chiloé archipelago for its stilt houses, shingled wooden churches and island food. The drive is a big part of the day — go knowing that, and pick a clear one if you can.
- Ferry across the Chacao channel
- Castro’s palafitos and its UNESCO-listed church
- The craft and food market at Dalcahue
Day trip from US$85 Traditional Chiloé: The Soul of the Archipelago
A newer small-group option for Chiloé with strong early reviews, focused on the island’s traditions — its churches, myths and food — rather than just ticking off Castro.
- Small-group day trip to Chiloé
- Wooden churches, palafitos and island villages
- Chilote food and folklore along the way
