Chile
Overview
Puerto Montt is a working port city, not a postcard. It's busy, often rainy, and the center is more functional than charming. But it's the gateway to Patagonia, Chiloé and the Carretera Austral, and the Angelmó waterfront, with its fishing boats, craft market and seafood kitchens, is worth a visit. Many travellers fly in here and sleep in Puerto Varas, 30 minutes away; even so, give Angelmó at least half a day.
The Huilliche people called the bay Melipulli ("four hills" in Mapudungun). On 12 February 1853 Vicente Pérez Rosales founded the town as the landing port for the German settlers who were coming to colonise Lake Llanquihue, and it was named after President Manuel Montt. On 22 May 1960 the Valdivia earthquake, magnitude 9.5 and the strongest ever recorded in the world, hit the region and destroyed much of the city and the port. Mexico donated the Casa del Arte Diego Rivera as part of the reconstruction. From the 1980s salmon farming turned Puerto Montt into one of the fastest-growing cities in Chile and the main port of the south.
How long to stay: 1 day.
Last updated: October 2026
Quick Facts
Location
On the Reloncaví Sound, at the northern edge of Chilean Patagonia, about 1,000 km south of Santiago. Puerto Varas is 20 km north, and the Chacao Channel crossing to Chiloé is about 1 hour southwest.
Budget
Per person, per day, in Chilean pesos (October 2026).
| Backpacker | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | CLP 18,000–25,000 | CLP 55,000–80,000 | CLP 120,000+ |
| Food | CLP 15,000 | CLP 30,000 | CLP 55,000+ |
| Transport | CLP 3,000 | CLP 10,000 | CLP 20,000 |
| Activities | CLP 3,000 | CLP 10,000 | CLP 40,000 |
| Daily total | about CLP 40,000 | about CLP 105,000 | about CLP 235,000 |
Things to Do
The fishing port 3 km west of the center, with a craft market selling wool sweaters, baskets and woodwork from Chiloé, and the Mercado de Angelmó, where small kitchens cook seafood straight from the boats. Sea lions and pelicans wait by the fish stalls.
Price: free to walk; lunch CLP 10,000–16,000 · Time needed: 2 to 3 hours · Tip: try curanto en olla, a huge pot of clams, mussels, sausage, chicken, pork and potato breads (milcao and chapalele) cooked together, or paila marina, a seafood soup.
A small island right in front of Angelmó, reached by little boats. A short walk up to the cross at the top gives the best view of the bay and the city. Costanera and "Sentados frente al mar" The waterfront promenade, with the sculpture of a couple sitting and kissing in front of the sea, the city's most famous photo. From here you can walk to Angelmó along the water.
Price: small fee for the boat each way · Time needed: 1.5 hours. · Price: free.
On the Plaza de Armas, built from 1856 of alerce wood, it is one of the oldest buildings in the city and survived the 1960 earthquake.
Price: free · Time needed: 15 minutes.
A cultural center donated by Mexico after the 1960 earthquake, with exhibitions, theatre and a café, a reminder of the help the city received after the disaster.
Price: usually free.
Buses from Puerto Montt (Cruz del Sur and others) cross the Chacao Channel by ferry to Ancud (about 2 hours) and Castro (about 3.5 hours). Chiloé has its own mythology, palafitos (houses on stilts) in Castro, and 16 wooden churches declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
Price: bus about CLP 8,000–10,000 each way to Castro · Tip: if you can, stay at least one night on the island.
Puerto Montt is where the Carretera Austral starts, and ferries go south through the fjords to Chaitén, Puerto Chacabuco and Puerto Natales (the Navimag trip to Natales takes about 4 days). Schedules change every season, so check before you plan.
Transit Tips
Affiliate link
By plane: El Tepual airport has many daily flights from Santiago (about 1 hour 45 minutes) with LATAM, Sky and JetSMART, plus flights south to Punta Arenas and Balmaceda. Shuttle buses go to the bus terminal in the center, or take an Uber.
By bus: overnight buses from Santiago (about 12 hours); buses to Bariloche, Argentina (about 7 hours via the Cardenal Samoré pass) and to Chiloé leave from the waterfront terminal.
Colectivos and micros: cheap and frequent, cash only.
Uber and DiDi: they work in the city and from the airport.
Minibuses to Puerto Varas: every few minutes from the bus terminal, about 30 minutes.
Keep in mind that it rains a lot, even in summer, so bring a waterproof jacket. The area around the bus terminal isn't nice at night; take a taxi or an app if you arrive late.
Helpful Words
A few basics in Spanish can make everyday conversations much easier.
Where to Stay
Plan & Book
Explore accommodation options and open hotel details directly from the map.
Affiliate link