Family Trip Expert

The natural beauty of Chiloé

Islands with colorful wooden houses; this is Chiloé, in the Los Lagos Region of Chile, a veritable and almost untouched refuge

By Claudine Blanco

One of the things I love the most about my work is creating new itineraries for families. After so long with borders being closed due to Covid, I really missed traveling around the world and providing updates. So, with my bags packed, I left excited and happy for this new beginning.

Sometimes an itinerary is very obvious and so it’s easy to convince parents to include it on the family wish list. However, there are others that are not so simple…even almost unimaginable with children! These are my favorites, because I need to look at what almost nobody has yet seen. They are challenging because I need to get to know about them in depth and sometimes even transform them but, of course, without losing their essence because they are full of authentic potential!

This time, the challenge was in Chile, where I started my trip through Chiloé, which is a remote archipelago in the south of the country. It is easily accessible from Santiago with flights to Castro (2 hours), which is the main town of the island. Separated from the mainland by the Chacao Channel, an inland sea is formed creating several islets that make up the archipelago and its enchanting landscape, which includes rivers, lakes, waterfalls, an abundant fauna and flora, as well as many myths and legends. An extremely hospitable people and a typically organic gastronomy, produced locally and sprinkled with seafood, which is one of the main means of survival of the population, make this destination a simply magical place.

The purpose of the trip was to get to know the destination through the Hotel Tierra Chiloé, which is one of the best luxury hotels in Chile with a differentiated service. The hotel includes in its daily rate, as well as food and drinks, a whole menu of personalized and exclusive excursions to explore the different landscapes and attractions of the island.

The journey from the airport to the hotel passes through villages on very bucolic roads, from where we can already see on all sides the small wooden houses, which are typical of the region. Some are on stilts and others have sheep grazing in the yard. This is also another means of livelihood for the population, with many clothes and souvenirs being made from the practically raw wool.

It seems like a landscape from an old movie: everything is very simple, rustic and friendly, but surrounded by an almost untouched and impressive nature.

The hotel is spectacular! Small, intimate and located in front of a bay protected by several islands that make the sea appear like a large lake. Wherever you look, the view is panoramic, whether from the bedroom window, the living room or the restaurant; what you see is always constant beauty and a feeling of peace and tranquility.

This is a destination for the family that wants to slow down. In addition to the swimming pools, spa and haute cuisine, the hotel has a selection of tours that will take the family to explore the island in different ways: from panoramic car or boat trips and cultural tours, visiting the various towns of the archipelago, to some serious trekking. Many families believe that the choice of destination or hotel depends on the attractions that they offer specifically for children. However, if there is something good that has come out of this difficult time spent housebound with our kids, it was to show that more than attractions, having quality time and playing together in the simplest possible ways with your children and being able to enjoy nature surpasses this idea on all levels.

And this place is totally conducive to strengthening bonds and to having quality time together in grand style.

Everything here revolves around the sea; it has shellfish and salmon everywhere. The shipbuilders still produce their wooden boats by hand. At the time of colonization, it was these workers who built the wooden churches that have roofs in the shape of boats and rounded pillars painted as if they were made of marble. Today, they are part of the UNESCO Cultural Heritage, preserving their originality and peculiarity and placing the island in the spotlight as a tourist destination.

On the boat trips we can see many animals, birds of various species, sea lions and cold water dolphins (black, similar to mini killer whales). And how about a kayak tour with the kids?

By land, there are several walks through woods, magical forests with giant trees, waterfalls, visits to local communities and trekking to the other side of the island, in the Pacific Ocean. Each tour has a different degree of difficulty that needs to be chosen and adapted for each family profile.

Horse rides and hunting for shellfish are part of the having fun with your kids! Not to mention that the Chilote people have many legends of fairies, witches, animals and a beautiful love story of parents for their enchanted child. Myths and superstitions can be found everywhere, such as La Pincoya, a mermaid who blesses the locals with fish in abundance. In the small stores and local markets spread across several small islands, you can find books about these legends and all kinds of handicrafts produced with sheep wool, which are very typical and cute and will delight the kids.

In the region it is also possible to see many species of birds. However, it is the mammals, such as the pudu, the smallest deer in Patagonia, which will attract the attention of those lucky enough to see them.

Photographer: Martín Cárdenas

Chiloé is a holiday resort for Chilean families and a place for those looking to reconnect, who want to learn more about the history of the local people and experience magical moments in the midst of a bucolic nature. It is a perfect and different itinerary to be combined with the region of the Andean Lakes, because you can also access Chiloé (4 hours by car) from the regions of Porto Montt and Puerto Varas. This is a special itinerary that the agencies Viajar com Crianças (Traveling with Children) and Viajar com Adolescentes (Traveling with Teenagers) can organize for your family.

Our columnist Claudine Blanco is the founder of the travel agencies Viajar com Crianças (Traveling with Children) and Viajar com Adolescentes (Traveling with Teenagers). She is also the founding partner of the Family Trip Magazine and the mother of Pedro and Marina. She writes the specialized travel column for the platform and shares her knowledge, passion and ideas about family travel.