Muelle de las Almas
A wooden jetty running off a cliff into open air, built from a Chilote belief about where the dead wait.
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The Muelle de las Almas is a curved timber walkway built in 2005 by the sculptor Marcelo Orellana Rivera on a clifftop at Punta Pirulil on Chiloe's western coast, running out over the edge and stopping in mid-air above the Pacific. It refers to a Chilote belief: that the souls of the dead gather at this coast and call for the ferryman Tempilcahue to carry them across the water, and that those who cannot pay wait. The site is on private farmland and the walk in crosses fields with a charge collected by the owners. It has become one of the most photographed places in Chile.
What you actually see
- A jetty ending in mid-air - built in 2005 above the Pacific.
- A Chilote belief about the dead - souls waiting for the ferryman.
- A half hour walk across farmland - from the road end.
- A charge to the landowners - the site is private.
When to go
December to March; the path is mud the rest of the year. Half a day.
Honest expectations
The walk crosses open farmland with no shelter and is muddy in most conditions. Wind on the cliff is strong. Numbers on the structure are limited for safety and there can be a queue. It has been closed for repairs at times.
Nearby
Cucao and Chiloe national park are north; Castro is inland.
What to pack for Muelle de las Almas
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.