Visit Patagonia Costa - Los Lagos Travel

Day 1: Puerto Montt

Puerto Montt is the capital of the Los Lagos Region, a city that annually receives international cruise ships and that is also the starting point of the Green Patagonia (Austral Highway) and the destination Patagonia Verde (Green Patagonia). From its port, boats also leave for Chiloé Island, Chaitén, the Aysén Region, and also Magallanes.

Puerto Montt existed long before it was founded by Vicente Pérez Rosales in 1853. It was originally known as Astilleros de Melipulli (Meli: four, Pulli: hill) and was inhabited by Chilotes who extracted larch trees to sell them. There was even an established business owned by the Olavarría family with a two-floor house where the Club Alemán (German Club) is today.

In the morning, you can visit and have lunch in the main attraction in the city, the Angelmó cove, a market where you can enjoy the delicious Chilean, Chiloé, and southern gastronomy. Of course, this cove is rich in seafood and craftsmanship, with many locals offering the necessities for domestic and foreign tourists. The eateries and restaurants serve with kindness and also adapt their products for each one of their clients. This place has a view of Tenglo Island and Calbuco volcano. We recommend you have breakfast or lunch in this excellent place, undoubtedly one of the must-see destinations if you are in Puerto Montt.

A little more than 1 km from Angelmó in the direction of the city center, you will find the Pueblito Melipulli, which is a group of craft shops where you can find mainly wool, wood, and leather works.

Continuing along the city's boardwalk, you will find Sentados Frente al Mar (Sitting by the Sea) or Estatua de los Enamorados (Statue of Lovers), which portrays a couple hugging each other while looking at the Reloncaví Sound. It is the most famous icon in Puerto Montt 6-meters high and it was inspired by a ballad by the Uruguayan group Los Iracundos.

Once on the Austral Highway, you can visit different localities such as Chamiza, Quillaipe, Lenca, or Caleta La Arena, the last point you can reach by land before crossing by sea to Hornopirén. All along this route, you can see beautiful scenery and archaeological sites known as fishing weirs, an ancient form of construction that acted like a fish trap by being submerged during high tides and preventing fish from escaping at low tides.

If you need accommodation in Puerto Montt, visit our tourist services search engine.

To enjoy the afternoon, there is a place full of nature, especially for those who love photography. It is to go and relax during the afternoon at Chapo Lake, surrounded in the north by the Llanquihue National Reserve and in the south by the Alerce Andino National Park, two valuable Protected Wilderness Areas. Both are part of the Bosques Templados LLuviosos de los Andes Australes (Temperate Rain forests of the Austral Andes) Biosphere Reserve with an area of approximately 73,000 ha.

Another option is the Alerce Andino National Park, which has 3 entrances: Correntoso, Sargazo, and Chaicas. In each of them, you will find different trails where you will find 3000-year-old larch trees, waterfalls, and beautiful lagoons.

Here are a few recommendations if you want to book a tour.

Day 2:

During the morning, it is very nice to cross to Tenglo Island, there are boatmen in the Angelmó cove who perform this service. On the approximately 20-minute route, you can see the cove with its palafittes, where the restaurants are located, as well as the boardwalk of Puerto Montt.

Once on the island, it is possible to see different native tree species such as the larch tree, mañío, ulmo, and ciruelillo. This place is mostly inhabited by fishermen and has legends such as the Pincoya. Traditional festivals are abundant, and there is also the adoration of the Virgin of Lourdes.

It is possible to take a hike in order to reach the immense cross that can be seen here. On a slightly steep path, you can reach the top of this hill with a beautiful view of the Osorno, Puntiagudo and Calbuco volcanoes, and also a panoramic view of the city of Puerto Montt.

When returning to land at Angelmó cove, you need to head towards Pelluco beach, a place with very calm waves, suitable for bathing, but with a lot of caution. The gastronomy present in the surroundings of this beach is also very good, and in summer it is very popular thanks to the particular characteristic that when the tide is low, and the beach gets bigger thanks to the little slope that exists here.

Day 3: Maullín

Maullín is a district located 70 km southwest of Puerto Montt, approximately 1 hour by car. This place is one of the oldest in the south of Chile. Its origin dates back to the 17th century and it has an important architectural heritage such as the Candelaria Church, inspired by the architecture from Chiloé. It is a very religious district, where every year the locality of Carelmapu celebrates a festivity in honor of the Virgin of Candelaria. The church in Carelmapu was built in 1913 and was declared a National Monument in 1993.

Here, I can recommend a large part of the day to visit and admire the beautiful Maullín River, the main tourist attraction in the area. On its northern bank, there are several villages from where it is crossed by rafts or directly from Puerto Montt. This river has great biodiversity and wildlife, and its wetlands are considered a priority area worldwide for being declared an area of ecological protection. Here are 53% of the bird species that exist and travel from the north to the south of Chile. It is spectacular for those who love photography and who enjoy capturing with their lenses each of its birds.

In Maullín there are many beaches. Pangal beach is the main one, which is located between the mouths of the rivers San Pedro Amortajado and Maullín River. Its white sands are very attractive, with a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean, and every summer it is crowded with hundreds of people who come to do sport fishing looking for different specimens. On each of these beaches you can also go hiking, horseback riding, harvest shellfish, take photographs and rest deeply surrounded by nature in the south of Chile.

In the area of Quenuir Bajo, there is a real paradise to see flamingos and black-necked swans. Few people know that these birds are found here, and it is worth visiting, admiring, and, above all, taking care of them in order to avoid harming them.

If you are looking for a tour in Maullín, check our search engine for registered companies.

Nicolás Faúndez Alegría

Estudiante de TNS en Turismo, cursando actualmente el último semestre de la carrera. Amante de la naturaleza, viajes, fotografía y la música, guitarrista hace años y formando grupos musicales de distintos estilos. Con conocimientos en áreas de medio ambiente (No Deje Rastro y reciclaje). Motivado a desarrollar un completo desempeño en Turismo y compartir mis conocimientos con otras personas y lograr la concientización del cuidado y protección de los espacios naturales de nuestro país. Con interés en el turismo vitivinícola, ecoturismo, hotelería y el rescate del patrimonio cultural.

Are you thinking about visiting the districts of Puerto Montt and Maullín? Then you have come to the right place. Here is an amazing itinerary to help you visit this beautiful place we call Patagonia Costa.