Calbuco

Calbuco town sits on an island in the Reloncavi sound, joined to the mainland by a causeway, and it lives on the sea: mussel farming on lines in the sheltered water, fishing, and wooden boatbuilding of the kind that Chiloe and this coast share. It was founded in 1603 by Spanish settlers withdrawing from the south after the Mapuche uprising destroyed the cities below the Biobio. The volcano of the same name stands about forty kilometres inland and erupted without much warning in April 2015, sending an ash column many kilometres high, closing airspace and covering the region - including the town - in ash.

Background

The town grew out of Fuerte San Miguel de Calbuco, which Francisco Hernández Ortiz-Pizarro founded in 1603, and it later became an important fish market. The commune covers 590.8 square kilometres and takes in the archaeological site of Monte Verde. Besides Calbuco Island, which holds the town, it includes thirteen other islands, among them Huar, Puluqui, Chidhuapi, Tabón and Queullín. On Puluqui, the 800+ residents live clustered near the bay used by the daily barge. The commune is split into twenty districts, the largest being Río Tambor at 141.1 square kilometres. The 2002 census counted 31,070 inhabitants, of whom 39.2% lived in urban areas, and the population reached 36474 in 2024.

Source: Wikipedia, "Calbuco"

What to look for

• An island town on a causeway - in the Reloncavi sound.
• Mussel lines in the water - the local industry.
• Founded in 1603 - by settlers withdrawing from the destroyed southern cities.
• The 2015 eruption - the volcano inland covering the region in ash.

When to go

December to March. Half a day.

Things to know

The town is a working fishing and aquaculture place, not a resort. Salmon and mussel farming here have environmental consequences that are argued about locally. Rain is frequent. Services are modest.

Nearby

Puerto Montt is north-east; Chiloe is south across the channel.

Key facts