Chile (Lakes Region)
Puerto Montt

Puerto Montt, the capital of the Lakes region. Located at the end of continental Chile it offers everything: a gateway to Puerto Varas and the scenic lakes of the south; launching site for the fabulous boat tours that take tourists to the southern channels region it is also a busy port and center for the agriculture and timber trades. 

Highlights include a visit to the picturesque Angelmó cove, which has served as an inspiration for artists and intellectuals over the years and now houses an esteemed market, which features, besides fish and seafood, local arts and crafts. 

 wpe33.jpg (7717 bytes)

wpe35.jpg (12257 bytes)
From Angelmó, get a closer look at the bay and its old shipyards at two summer resorts: Pelluco and Chinquihue, the latter of which borders the Tenglo Channel.

The Chilean central valley ends in Puerto Montt, a city settled by German colonists in the mid-19th century, and one of southern Chile's most important cities. It features middle-European architecture, with shingles, high-pitched roofs and ornate balconies. The redwood cathedral on the city's plaza is the city's oldest building, dating from 1856. The city is the transport hub and access point to the southern Lake District, the island of Chiloé and Chilean Patagonia. 

This attractive port town and growing industrial center offers excellent handi-craft markets, seafood restaurants in Angelmo, and a long coastline with fine hotels, restaurants and a range of services; the city also serves as an excellent base for exploring the southern lake region. From here the gravel Carretera Austral leads to the forests and fjords of Aisen and continues to the heart of Patagonia.

You know those gigantic trout you hear about, well fisherman come to this area for great fly fishing. It is about 1,000 KM. south of Santiago. This is a truly great place for those that love the outdoors.

Puerto Montt is also the principal point of departure for maritime voyages to the southern fjords and canals. The luxury liner Skorpios offers trips to Laguna San Rafael, while the catamaran Patagonia Express, en route to this same destination, also stops at the spa-hotel Termas de Puyuhuapi, a site of extraordinary beauty. 

The Lakes Region
Southern Chile includes extended National Parks with crystalline lakes, which are surrounded by luxuriant forests. A great number of stately volcanoes, capped with eternal snow, impressively rise in the highs Andes .

This region is also known for some of the best freshwater fishing in the world, featuring record Trout and Salmon to challenge even the most experienced or delight the novice.

The region is also characterized by cities that show their history of large European immigration, specially German. Urban centers such as Valdivia, Osorno, Frutillar, Puerto Varas and Puerto Montt have incorporated features of this culture into their architecture and distinct local dishes.