Los Molles
A quiet coast village beside a blowhole that fires spray up a rock chimney on the right swell.
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Los Molles is a small village on the coast north of Papudo, and the reason to stop is the Puquen sanctuary just south of it: a stretch of rocky shore where the sea has undercut the rock and forced a vertical shaft through it, so that on the right swell the water is driven up and out as a spout - the bufadero. It works on swell and tide rather than on demand, so seeing it perform is luck. The sanctuary also protects coastal scrub with cacti and a stretch of shore used by sea otters and birds, with a marked path along the cliff.
What you actually see
- A blowhole in the rock - the sea forced up a vertical shaft.
- Working on swell and tide - not on any schedule.
- Coastal scrub and cacti - protected in the Puquen sanctuary.
- A cliff path - marked along the shore.
When to go
December to March; the blowhole is best on a big swell. Half a day.
Honest expectations
The blowhole may do nothing at all on a calm day. The cliff edges are unfenced and the rocks are dangerous when swell is running - people have been swept off comparable spots. Facilities are minimal.
Nearby
Papudo and Zapallar are south; Los Vilos is north.
What to pack for Los Molles
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.