Sea and sand. Breeze, enticing sunlight, balmy moonlit nights. Chiloe is an inspiring place that begs to be explored, a rosary of enchanting islands that will become an unforgettable experience for the traveler that reaches this remote corner of Chile.

When visiting the Chiloe, bear in mind the following sites:

-ANCUD
Is well-known for its wooden houses and churches, boasting their magnificence all around the main square. Seven Spanish colonial towers surround a replica of the Ancud schooner, a "Chilotan" vessel which took possession of the Straits of Magellan in 1843.
The promenade is also of great interest to tourists, since from it one can obtain interesting views of Quetalmahue Gulf and its beautiful inlets as well as Lacuy Peninsula.
Ancud is located at the northern tip of Grande Island and has a population of 23,854. It was founded on August 20th, 1768 by the Spanish brigadier Carlos Berenguer. It is currently the area of Chiloe most in contact with continental Chile. It is 1109 kilometers from Santiago and 30 kilometers from Puerto Montt.

-CASTRO
Stands alone among the other cities in Chiloe for its "houses on stilts": wooden columns are fixed to the island's foundation rock to prevent houses from flooding when the tide rises. It is located on the shore of the Grande Island, on the estuary of the Gamboa river.
Other points of interest are the "Plaza de Armas" (Main Square), the Regional Museum, the Museum of Modern Art of Chiloe and the San Francisco Church, which was declared a World Cultural Heritage item by UNESCO. At the same time, Castro is the main starting point for tourist excursions. The city, founded in 1567 by Maño Ruiz de Gamboa, is the capital of the province of Chiloe. It is located 175 kilometers from Puerto Montt and 1187 kilometers from Santiago. Tourism and fishing are the population's main activities.

-DALCAHUE
Dalcahue Channel is an important sea link between Grande Island and Quinchao. On its rocky beaches, one can find numerous mollusks and crustaceans, these being one of the main sources of income in the region and providing raw material for the rich local gastronomy.

-CHONCHI
Is also called the "city of the three floors", because of the cypress wood used in its constructions. The Regional Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Llau-Llau, Vilopullí, Rilan and San Francisco Churches, the Quilquico Chapel, Mt Millantue and Castro Municipal Park are all a must. It is possible to access Lemuy Island in just 15 minutes on a ferry leaving from Chonchi. This is a picturesque destination due to the beauty of Ichuac Church, Puchilco Lagoon, and the villages of Puqueldon, Aldachico and Defif, which are surrounded by channels, tiny-island archipelagos and dreamy beaches. Chonchi is located in the central area of Grande Island, 23 kilometers south of Castro.

-QUELLON
Is a city of charm affording a beautiful view of Corcovado Volcano and the nearby islands. This site is home to the only indigenous communities in Chiloe: Compu, Chadmo Central and Hauipulli. The city -located 75 kilometers south of Chonchi and 92 from Castro- was founded in 1906 by the "Destilatorio Quellon" company, which manufactured acetone, methyl alcohol and charcoal until the mid-20th century. In spite of the disappearance of this local industry, the population still has a healthy commercial-industrial interchange by sea with the Chilean continental towns of Chaitén and Aisén.

CHILOE NATIONAL PARK,
Which covers 43,957 hectares, is a wild-life redoubt, a bastion of nature buried deep in the heart of Great Island. Tours to the park leave from Castro, heading south, skirting the Huillinco and Cucao lakes and arriving in Cucao village, the main access to the park. This protected area features heavenly beaches and a rich variety of flora and fauna species. Among the main flora species, we can mention the coihue, the "olivillo canelo", the "ulmo", the "cifre", the "arrayán", the hazel and the "luma". It is also possible to find mammals such as wolves, otters, Chiloe foxes, Chiloe "monitos de monte", Chiloe red mouse, "pudu" or Chilean deer and Chiloe "diuca". Among the birds the Patagonian woodpecker, the kelp goose, the flightless steamer duck, flamingoes and several penguin species are present.