Chile's Chiloé Island

Chiloé Island, the second-largest island in Chile, maintains a distinct culture shaped by isolation and maritime traditions. The island's 16 wooden churches, built without nails by Jesuit missionaries and local craftsmen, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Chiloé's temperate rainforest, mythology, and traditional practices create a unique cultural landscape. The island supports Humboldt and Magellanic penguin colonies, marine otters, and the endangered Darwin's fox found only here and on the mainland. Ancient alerce trees, some over 3,000 years old, grow in the island's forests. The surrounding waters host blue whales, dolphins, and important seabird colonies. Conservation efforts combine cultural preservation with natural heritage protection. Community-based tourism initiatives help maintain traditional practices like wooden boat building and textile weaving. The island's national parks protect remaining old-growth forests while marine areas safeguard penguin colonies. Chiloé demonstrates integration of cultural and natural conservation.

Water Features

Pacific Ocean, fjords, inland sea

Ecosystem

This destination features a tropical rainforest ecosystem.