The Ferry

From Puerto Montt, is navigated by sea to the island of Chiloe across the Chacao channel. A crossing safety pin that connects us with history and nature Chilota

From Puerto Montt, 60 km of road travel to Pargua, where you take the ferry to cross the Chacao channel toward the island.





Currently, two operating companies made the crossing to Chiloé. One is the Transmarchilay, which uses four ferries. They are the Camahueto, Fiura, Llacolén Cal and Cal. The other shipping company is the Southern Cross, which also operates four ferries, the Don Juan Alonso de Ercilla, Govt. Figueroa and Bertina.

The regular service begins crossing from 7 am until 23.30. The frequencies between each round between 15 and 20 minutes, crossing the entire route takes about half an hour. After 2330, there is a shuttle service every hour.



After waiting his turn, addresses a ferry that will take them to the island. Carelmapu The shuttle passes through a small village facing the channel, known for its celebration of the Virgen de la Candelaria, for his church, his brave and its beach cove.

The ferry is one of the most incredible things in chiloe because it is a journey with a beautiful view, and it's a new experience for people who have never touched one.

Huilliche Town

Pre-Columbian people of central Chile, lived between the river and the gulf or Toltén Reloncavi Bay. The huilliches or 'people of south shared with all cultural groups Araucanian Mapuche language or' Mapudungun '.

Moreover, economic activity was mainly based on agriculture of potato, corn and quinoa, and livestock from llamas (llama, alpaca, vicuna and guanaco), which gave them meat and wool. The pottery, basketry and wood till they facilitated the development of tools.

The social and political structure was based on the levo or tribe, which was characterized by patrilineal structure. The tribes closest to the lakes of southern Chile used the Dalcan, craft tables stitched with vines, which they used for their displacement in that region.

Chiloe Island Traditions

The night of San Juan:

It was common place in families of one or more persons named Juan or Juana. They revolved around performing in the celebrations that night in San Juan.

Gathered around the campfire relatives and friends to cook a pork roast, make apple beer or wine, to tell jokes, to prepare the trope with fat to emerge from the roast and plan and perform the traditional proofs of the night St. John (the proof of potatoes, needles, etc.)..

At 12 midnight on some occasions the brave men who participated in the celebration came in search of the coveted burials, which are believed to burning at this hour.

The outcome no one spoke, for its part the homeowner came after 12 pm to guasquear their fruit trees that have high volume production next season.

Ask for the hand:

The requested hand was a real ceremonial at the time. The groom had to face the girl's parents to apply. Those who decided after marriage in agreement with the groom determined the date on which it would conduct the requested hand. On this occasion, the groom arrived accompanied by his godparents, who formally requested the girl's hand.

After offering a lunch visit, the girl's parents were among his daughter's godparents, who had it in their power until the day of religious marriage. After this ceremony, the lady became the lawful wife and stayed tied for life to her husband.

The Warlock:

On a heap of straw was placed a person pretending to be dead. At the entrance of the door two men played the role of dogs who howled and barked incessantly. Meanwhile, one, two or three witch jumped around the house and every time the witches neglected mourners entered the house to try to remove the dead, who could not get.

It removes the dead and took place at the cemetery. There the priest carrying a hat with Horin blessed the deceased, who was buried under a pile of straw. The mourners stood in the cemetery, they fell asleep, to get beaten or kicked to the unfortunate deceased. The game ended with mourners wailing and howling of dogs who are unaware of the echo after the witches have gotten away with it.

The Minga:

It was a habit of highlighting tell the time, because it reflected the willingness of local men to help their peers at work, such as destonque, Deschamp, planting, earthing, etc..

The homeowner sought the help of several neighbors in a day for a particular job. The assistant was paid for with abundant food and wine, but also the days were changed, ie, should help each other. Exceptionally, when the Ming was destronque, the homeowner was preparing a dance for mingueros, as a way to finish the job and to thank their neighbors.

Fishing the petty and pens:

The first was with some frequency and the boat was hidden in a certain place to catch some fish with canvas favorites, especially the mountains. That was the favorite of the locals fish and most abundant at the time.

For its part, was fishing with corrals catch fish with walls of stone or wood, which enclosed a particular place on the beach. The stone fences were erected, generally, on the shores washed by the sea. By contrast, in the bay pens were built of sticks, which were supported by strong wooden bases metrenquen calls.

The kingfish, snook and sometimes saw the fish were most often caught in the stone corral as much of sticks. The fishery products became part of the villager food or sold for cash or exchanged for other products that were missing from the house.

The curantos:

Generally, once the activity of the shellfish, the families were preparing to preparing the traditional curanto cooking seafood in better shape extracted.

The homeowner came with your older children to make a hole in the ground or to clean the already done before. Then curanto loaded with wood and stones and set fire. an hour or more continuously burning firewood, until the rocks took on a reddish color. When that happened everything was ready to cook products. Once the stones scattered building a circle with arms around them. Subsequently placed stronger seafood such as clams, snails, then added the mussels, razor clams culen and well same potatoes, vegetables, fish, and chapaleles Milcao. All this he covered with pangas and champagne. Curanto was ready after an hour or a little cooking

Popular superstitions

Within the cultural wealth bequeathed to us by our ancestors, a number of beliefs that are based on supernatural causes or simply unknown, which adds a touch of mystery, magic and more charm to our Chiloé.

Superstitions auspicious (good luck or welfare)

When a cock crows at midnight, there's good news.

Planting vegetables in St. Bartholomew's Day, gives very good production.

When a lady curls wool (or wool wraps tie) and makes it tight, I will touch a working husband.

When two people weave and clash sticks, will be gossips.

When itchy feet plant, is a sign that's going to get new shoes.

When your right hand itches, you salute and when the left hand itches, it means he will receive money.

When sparks from a furnace, is a sign of receiving money.

When you bring a snake leather wallet, no money missing.

When it is launched a horseshoe brings good luck

Superstitions of bad luck (bad luck)

When a child sits in a bushel (drawer which measures the amount of cereals), does not grow.

When a rooster crows at sunset nine times, someone in the house will die, because the nine songs mean a novena.

When the coast is a sign of approaching bad weather.

When the vultures (carrion bird) stand at the cross of the church, someone is going to die.

When a fall wedding rigged together to a graveyard, a sign of a struggle.

When dogs cry is a sign of misfortune.
When two brothers marry the same year, bad luck for the former.

When an unmarried woman placed an engagement ring, do not ever marry.
When a woman gets wet while washing lack, you will play a drunken husband.

When you kill a cat, seven years of doom.

When broken glasses at a wedding, the marriage will have problems.

When a lady curls loose wool and makes him touch a lazy husband.


When it is launched a horseshoe brings good luck

Chiloe National Park

It comprises 43,057 hectares and is located on the western slopes of the Cordillera de la Costa, where it owns Piuchén name. It is divided into three areas: Chepu, islet Metalqui and Anay.

In general the climate is humid and temperate oceanic, with mean annual temperatures of 10 ° C. The hydrography is characterized by the presence of small rivers that empty into the ocean. Among them Abtao Cole Cole, Cypress Grove Sanctuary.

The flora is characterized by evergreen forest. The species that stand out are the Tepa, Myrtle, Olivillo, Luma, Tepú, Larch and Coigüe. The fauna consists of several species of birds and mammals such as fox chilote, pudú and mountain monkey.

The Palafitos

The palafitos are building on stilts in the water that were adopted in Ancud, Quemchi, Castro, Chonchi and other ports for more efficient use of the bank's strong commercial growth during the nineteenth century.

The house develops its domains in depth and concentrated. Share two fronts: to the city street, which relates directly to a bridge into the canal, in which there are two levels: an upper terrace that serves as a courtyard, and a lower level - which is governed by the rate of six hours of tides - where are shipping household chores.

The islanders are in their shelter for moisture and at the same time, the vital closeness to the sea. Thus, in the city of Castro, the edges of the streets marine Montt and Pedro Aguirre Cerda, the stilt houses and wear heavy wooden piles, which represent the world's southernmost manifestation of architecture ashore.

The typical food

One of the staple foods in the diet of Chiloe is the consumption of potatoes, with meat and sea products extracted, consumption of which was inherited from their ancestors.
Among the foods are consumed by the causée chilotes and barbecue, ribs, marshals and the famous curanto in pot called Pulmay, Chilota Casserole containing lamb and pork fat, or Chapaleles, masses of wheat flour commonly accompany Curanto.

Salmon consumption began only in early 90's along with the installation of this industry in the area and came to be in the top of the above preferences of tourists, mostly Americans and Europeans.

The porridge
Is made from flour mixed with raw or cooked gooseberries or apples to which they added a little water and sugar. In some cases, instead of flour, wheat stood roasted, ground stone hand.

The broth and potatoes May
For breakfast you prepare a spicy stew made on the basis of water, fish, dried seafood, chili and onions. To accompany preparations for a May potatoes (potatoes cooked in salt water).

Roasted seasoned flour
The plate of toast with butter, flour and hot water was a type of traditional food that the ancient inhabitants of the town prepared for their breakfast.

The milcao Colao
Once washed the potatoes came from the same scratch, work with a stone that had one side flat and harsh, calling line. The pope stood ground with a basket of reed called chaigüe, through which passed only the starch. This extract is put in a tub of larch where it lay for several hours, until it accumulated at the bottom, forming a layer of potato flour or uncle. With this product the locals made the milcao Colao, mixing with boiled potatoes. His cooking was done in hot water for consumption and were wrapped with honey. The milcao Cola also could be fried, but in this case is mixed with lard and cracklings.

The paragon
With the potato meal, dehydrated remnants of the casting is made a medium-sized boulders that the ancient inhabitants of the town hung to dry in the smoke. In summer, after cleaning the product, mixed with wheat subsequently taken to the mill where it turned into flour. With this flour housewives preparing the chapaleles (thin pieces of dough boiled in water).

The baeme
Was named the boiled milcao been exclusively based on potato flour. It is often prepared for maden. All these and similar foods were preferred by locals at the time covered by our work, because according to them only such power gave him strength to face their work and what is more, assured him good health.