Out on the eastern coast of Chiloé, where the island looks across a channel at the smaller islands of the inner sea and, on a clear day, the snowy volcanoes of the mainland, the village of Tenaún gathers around a wooden church that looks almost too bold for its setting. The façade is painted deep blue, scattered with white stars, and topped not with one but with three towers. It is one of the sixteen churches of Chiloé on the World Heritage list, masterpieces of a unique tradition of wooden architecture.
The churches were born from the encounter between Jesuit missionaries, who arrived in the seventeenth century, and the island's own people, Huilliche and mestizo, who were skilled boatbuilders and carpenters. Built entirely of local timber, with shingles of larch or cypress cladding the walls, they use joinery techniques borrowed from shipbuilding, and many interiors look like upturned hulls. The Franciscans later continued the mission, and the communities themselves have maintained the churches through the generations, often repairing them with their own hands.
Riding in Chiloé is a slow, rewarding experience. The main road runs down the island from the ferry at Chacao through Ancud and Castro to Quellón, paved and generally good. Side roads like the one to Tenaún are often gravel, with steep, short climbs, sharp bends and potholes, and they can be very slippery after rain, which is frequent. The weather is famously changeable, with mist, drizzle and wind sweeping in from the Pacific, so good rain gear is essential. Summer, from December to March, brings the best chance of sunshine.
The island has a strong identity, with its own myths and legends, including the Trauco, a forest creature blamed for unexplained pregnancies, and the Caleuche, a ghost ship that sails the channels. The landscape is green and rolling, with patches of native forest, small farms and fishing villages. Look out for black-necked swans, dolphins and sea lions along the coast.
Dalcahue, about twenty-three kilometres away, is the nearest town with fuel and services, and its Sunday market is great for woollen goods and seafood. Castro, the island's capital, is further south, known for its colourful palafitos, houses on stilts over the water. Try curanto, a feast of shellfish, meat and potatoes cooked in a pit with hot stones and nalca leaves.