Located at the southern end of Chiloé Island, Quellon is a bustling port city in Chile’s Los Lagos Region. It’s an important hub for aquaculture and fishing, with several seafood processing plants also located within the city. Quellon is the traditional homeland of the Huilliche people, many of whom still live in the area today.
Things to do in Quellón
Don’t miss the Museo Inchin Cuivi Anti, which explores the cultural heritage of the Huilliche people. It exhibits objects and artefacts belonging to the ethnic group, as well as a machine for grinding apples and an antique Chiloé boat. While exploring the museum, you can learn about Huilliche life in times gone by and the impact of colonisation.
The history of Quellon is detailed at the Museo de Quellon Amador Cardenas, which is named after the former mayor and musician who created the museum. On display are archaeological findings discovered in the surrounding area, together with objects of cultural significance. The Museo de Quellon Amador Cardenas lies alongside Parque Botanico and the Plaza de Armas where you can watch the local comings and goings.
Quellon makes a good base for exploring Parque Tantauco, a protected nature reserve at the southern tip of Chiloé Island. It encompasses more than 110,000 hectares of temperate rainforest that is traversed by around 150 kilometres of hiking trails. Aside from providing a habitat for endangered Huillin otters and Chilote foxes, blue whales are sometimes seen migrating along the coastline.
Getting around Quellón
Quellon is around 4.5 hours’ drive from Puerto Montt and El Tepual International Airport, which has flights to destinations across Chile. Mocopulli Airport is 1.5 hours away and has regular flights to Santiago de Chile. Long-distance buses connect to Quellon while local services travel throughout the city.