- Ship
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Chiloé Island is home to an amazing collection of 150 Jesuit-built wooden churches, houses raised up on poles out of the water, and more than 400 native plant varieties. From Castro, head north to the picturesque village of Dalcahue and take a brief ferry ride to the island of Quinchao, passing through Curaco de Velez. This tiny village of approximately 500 inhabitants had its best times around 1850. Today, beautiful houses remain as a testament to those earlier days. Black-necked swans can sometimes be seen near the here. Then head for Achao, which was founded by the Jesuits in 1743. Achao is a lively town with boats arriving every day from all the surrounding islands.
Visit the Jesuit’s Achao Church, the oldest wooden structure in Chiloé and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Constructed in 1730, it contains beautiful baroque imagery. Afterwards, take the ferry back to Dalcahue. Here you can visit the well-preserved Dalcahue Church with its galvanized iron roof. The details and precision of the imagery carved by Jesuits from locally grown Patagonian cypress, larch, and luma trees are amazing - it was declared a World Heritage site in 2000. For lunch head to Rilan, where a traditional “Pulmay” is served. This is a meal typical of Chiloe, consisting of shellfish, potatoes, chicken and smoked meats cooked together in a pot (sometimes in an underground oven).There is a traditional folkloric presentation and a local fashion show of typical dresses and materials.
Alternatively, visit three of the 16 UNESCO World Heritage Site churches on the island of Chiloé in Vilupulli, Chonchi, and Castro. Apart from the churches, the Museum of Traditions can be visited in Chonchi. This small museum houses artifacts and photos relating to Chiloe and Chonchi and recreates the feeling of Chonchi in the early 20th century. The excursion ends with a visit to Castro’s handicraft market.