18.01.26 Arrival in Puerto Montt (Chile)

Puerto Montt is Chile's gateway to Patagonia and a base for exploring the lake district. This small port city, located 1000 km south of the capital, stretches along a wide Pacific bay.

The center of Puerto Montt extends only a few blocks inland. Here, Chile's developed road connections to the south come to an end. The neglected railway line also has its southernmost station here. For most passengers and goods, travel continues by ship from here, whether to the legendary island of Chiloé, or further south into the Patagonian fjords on the way to Puerto Natales. On Puerto Montt's attractive waterfront, one can find a large market with regional handicrafts as well as fresh fish and seafood served at food stalls. However, caution should be exercised regarding the salmon, as it is produced here on an industrial scale in ecologically questionable and politically controversial aquaculture. NGOs raise awareness about the widespread consequences of this marine form of factory farming with campaigns such as “Sin Miedo contra la Corriente” (Fearless against the Current) by Oxfam and the Chilean environmental organization Terram.

Puerto Montt's most important promenade and traffic artery is the Costanera, the waterfront promenade that leads west to Caleta Angelmó.