Located 660 miles south of Santiago, the island of Chiloé has a landscape of rolling sheep pastures punctuated by copses of eucalyptus and graceful lines of poplars. Between the island and the mainland, the coastline fragments into picturesque archipelagoes. Where it meets the Pacific Ocean, Chiloé terminates in a series of surf-pounded sea cliffs. Many towns have preserved their palafitos (colorful stilt houses built over the water), and 16 elegant wooden churches have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites. Markets contain stalls piled with seafood and produce, including some of the hundreds of varieties of potatoes indigenous to the island.

Join Andrew Harper today to continue reading our exclusive content.