Chill out in Puerto Varas, Chilean Lake District

Puerto Varas is my favorite town to visit and linger awhile in the Chilean Lake District. It vies in importance with nearby Puerto Montt, the district capital and sea port located about 15 minutes bus ride away. Puerto Varas is a former lake port on the shores of the huge Lago Llanquihue (yankee-way), now devoted to local tourism, whereas Puerto Montt is more industrial being active in sea fishing, aquaculture, export of wood chips and servicing of cruise ships.

Which Puerto to stay at? The Puerto Montt air port is equi-distant to both. The overnight luxury bus from Santiago stops first at Puerto Varas and then continues on to Puerto Montt. My choice has always been to chill out in Puerto Varas and have day trips into Puerto Montt, or to catch a ferry southwards.

Puerto Varas has a good selection of tourist hotels and hospedajes for the budget traveler within a few blocks of the Plaza de Armas which fronts onto the lake shore and muelle, or stone jetty. In the evening one takes the promenade to admire the lake and the distant snowy cone of Volcán Osorno (2660 meters), in the gathering dusk as the moon rises. The local lads will be catching trout from the jetty end, and so could you. Drop into the adjacent Casino before going out to dinner or to bed.

Daytime walking excursions must include a visit to the Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón (1915) and further up hill to the lookout at Cerro Calvario which gives fine views of the lake and volcanoes Osorno and Calbuco. Other DIY excursions include venturing out by mini-bus or colectivo to lake shore attractions such as the Museo de la Colonizacion Alemania at Frutillar, the Museo El Colono at Puerto Octay, or to go for a riverside picnic and fish for trout on the Rio Maullin below the bridge on the road to the village of Nueva Braunau.

Also one can patronize the organized tours of Puerto Varas and around-the-lake attractions, including the spectacular Saltas del Petrohué, where the Petrohué River roars across a not so old lava flow from Volcán Osorno. The Petrohué Valley leads you on to Lago Todos Los Santos, which is hidden away in the Andes mountains, and considered to be the most beautiful lake in Chile. Day trips from Puerto Varas can be made to the lake and by catamaran across the lake to the Hotel Peulla for a lunch stop, then returning later in the day. This is the start of the fabulous Southern Lakes Crossing into Argentina, ending up in San Carlos de Bariloche, which is the tourist center of the Argentine Lake District.

I have done the trip four times and suggest that if you have the time, wait in Puerto Varas for a fine day! If it is raining you will see nothing. Check the weather report. The catamaran sailings always have a few vacancies. First fine day front up early in the morning at the tourist office in Puerto Varas and buy a ticket, otherwise enjoy yourself shopping in Puerto Montt and sampling the mariscos and vinos. Notice in local travel agent “Si hay sol disfrutelo; Si llueve esta en el sur”.

Puerto Varas is a very strategic place to stay. Your exit can be via the Southern Lakes Crossing to Argentina, or via Puerto Montt to explore the offshore Island of Chiloé, or to join a cruise southwards into the wilds of fiordland and visit the glaciers of Patagonia. Of course, you may have already done all this and be heading north to Santiago. So why not have a week’s rest in Puerto Varas? You deserve it.