1 Day on the Island of Chiloe, Chile

Colorful, magical, mythical Chiloe is in the Lakes Region of Chile. From its vividly-colored stilt houses, impressive wooden churches, and tasty curanto, to a backdrop of the Andes Mountains, this is one place in South America you absolutely must visit.

COVID TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR CHILE as of May, 2022: U.S. Citizens are permitted to enter Chile with restrictions. Check for updates and restrictions for travel to Chile here .

Castro, Chile (Chiloe Island)

The city of Castro was founded in 1567, and it’s the third oldest city in Chile. It has gone through quite a bit over those years… fires, earthquakes, and even a tidal wave that destroyed the city in 1960.

Castro is on the Island of Chiloe (“chill-oh-AY”), one of the small islands that make up the Chiloe Archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. It is an island of wilderness, swamps, mountains, pastures and cultivated fields. The western shores of the island is where you’ll find the towns and cities, including Castro.

The city of Castro is a good place to stay if you’re planning on seeing more of the Island of Chiloe. A couple of other places you’ll definitely want to hit while here are Curaco de Velez and Achao on Quinchao Island.

Things to See and Do on Chiloe Island

City of Castro

If you arrive by cruise ship, you’ll arrive in the port of Castro. A very scenic tender ride will take you to town. Upon arrival you’ll see people herding sheep, colorful old ships aground in the harbor, and homes on stilts over the water.

Although there really is not much to do in the city of Castro, you can take a quick walk through the town square, Plaza de Armas. There is a nice park that is surrounded by colorful shops, restaurants and bars. While in town, make sure to grab a Milcao from one of the cycling vendors. A Milcao is a traditional Chiloe dish that is sort of like a potato pancake made with raw potatoes and mashed potatoes and then fried.

Palafitos (Wooden Stilt Houses)

The city of Castro is famous for its 19th century Palafitos, which are very colorful traditional wooden houses that are built on stilts in the water. Some of these vibrant shingled homes have been preserved in a sheltered estuary named Fiordo de Castro in the nearby town of Gamboa.

A lot of these quaint homes have been turned into boutiques, restaurants and markets. If you want to just get beautiful views and photographs of the palafitos, the best place to view them is from the coastal highway leading out of town, called Avenida Pedro Montt. As for the best time to view them, check them out at low tide and when the tide is in for a different perspective each time.

Quinchao Island

I will never forget our visit to Quinchao Island. Not only is this laid-back island absolutely beautiful, the people are welcoming and the food is freaking amazing!

Achao & Playa Achao

The town of Achao on Quinchao Island has a beautiful sandy beach that is surrounded by hills. We spent quite a bit of time here just watching the locals fishing from their boats and picking up mussels and other goodies from the beach.

Church of Santa Maria de Loreto

While in Achao, be sure to get in a visit at the Church of Santa Maria de Loreto. This is the oldest wooden church in Chile, and is one of the 16 churches of Chiloe that have been declared National Monuments. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site as of November of 2000.

Alto de la Paloma Lookout

From the top of the hills surrounding Achao, the Alto de la Paloma lookout will provide you with some amazing views of the beach and surrounding area. There was a sweet woman up here selling her homemade baskets and other crafts that were really beautiful.

Curanto Lunch

The traditional food of Chiloe Archipelago is a meal consisting of seafood, meat, veggies and tons of different types of potatoes. Curanto is prepared in a hole in the ground that is about 1.5 yards deep. The hole is then covered in large stones, and the stones are heated like a bonfire until red and hot. Once they are hot enough, the food is put on top, and the food is then covered with leaves.

It was amazing to watch them pull all of this food out of the pit once it was finished because they actually pull this HOT food out with their bare hands and a small shovel! Once it was all out of the ground, we were invited inside a room to enjoy the fruits of their labor. We had mussels, clams, sausage, chicken, pork and potatoes, all served with their homemade bread and drinks.

Church of Quinchao

The Church of Quinchao is another one of the 16 old wooden church on Chiloe Island, this one on Quinchao right next to where we had our Curanto lunch. It’s one of the main stops on the pilgrimage path on Chiloe.

Ferry Back from Quinchao Island

On the ferry ride back over to Castro from Quinchao Island you’ll have a front row seat for the most amazing panoramic views of the snow-capped Andes Mountains.

Mussel and Salmon Farms

If you’ve arrived by cruise ship, you may have noticed what look like little buoys and boxes in the water. These buoys and boxes are actually mussel and salmon farms. Look closely, and you’ll get a glimpse of seals sunning themselves on top of the boxes.

Top Tours for Chiloe Island

See all Viator Tours for Chiloe and Castro.

Annual Festivals and Events

Plan a trip around one of Castro and Chiloe’s annual festivals and events.

Best Time to Visit

Although the town’s homes and buildings are cheerfully colored, the skies can be quite gloomy! It rains here almost 300 days per year! Thankfully, we got lucky and had a beautiful day in port. We enjoyed every second of this beautiful town and the Island of Chiloe in what are a couple of Chile’s summer months, January and February.

So, unless you’re coming to snow ski, you’ll want to travel to Chiloe during the months of December and March. However, make sure to bring a light jacket with you, as it can still get quite chilly.

Language & Currency

While English is widely spoken in the tourist areas of Chile, the official language of Chile is Spanish. Learn Spanish before your trip with Rosetta Stone.

The Euro and U.S. Dollar are not really accepted in Chile, so you’ll want to make sure to have the Chilean peso (CLP), which is the official currency of Chile. You can exchange your dollar or euro very easily at the airport, foreign exchange companies and ATM’s. The best exchange rates are currently at an ATM.

Finding & Booking Accommodations

Lodging is one of the most important aspects of planning a trip. You want to find the right place for the best price. Our favorite resources when making reservations for lodging are Booking.com and Agoda. They really seem to have the best deals on hotels, B&B’s and rental properties. Read more about finding and booking accommodations.

How to Get Here and Around

The closest international airport to Castro and Chiloe Island is the Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL) in Santiago. Once you arrive in Santiago, you can grab another flight straight into Castro Mocopulli Airport (MHC). However, do take note that there are limited flights to Castro… like only a few flights a week.

Once you arrive in Castro, take the airport shuttle at baggage claim to the center of Castro. Here you can have the driver drop you right at your accommodations if they’re in town, or rent a car to get you around while you’re here. You also have the option of renting a car right at the airport.

Now, if you miss one of those limited flights from Santiago, your next best option is to rent a car and drive the 13 hours to Castro from Santiago. It’s always good to have a car anyway. This way you can take road trips and do things on your schedule.

Cruise

Michael and I were on a Holland America cruise through South America, the Falkland Islands and Antarctica. Castro was one of our port stops. I know right now there aren’t many people anxious to get on a cruise ship, but once things get back to normal, this is the way to go! You only really need a day in most of the ports in South America, and cruising is always a lot of fun.

DON’T FORGET YOUR PASSPORT, and make sure your passport is up to date! Most countries will not permit you to enter unless your passport has more than six months remaining before it expires.

Do you need a Visa or Vaccinations to visit? Check current Travel Advisories here .

Share Your Travel Tips & Comments

As always, if you have any of your own travel tips to add to this post, any remarks on the article, or if my information needs an edit or addition, please leave your comments below. I value all of your input.

Thank you all for your continued support.

Although I receive a small commission from my affiliates, there is no extra cost to you.