Puerto Nativo

A young Chilean couple’s dream home on a remote bay on the island of Chiloé, offering a unique and very special insight into this unspoilt region

Tucked away on a hidden bay on what is already a fairly untrodden part of Chile, Puerto Nativo is definitely a destination with a difference. Carmen and Marco Ancaras chose this spot on the island of Chiloé in northern Patagonia especially to set up their dream home, and it isn’t difficult to see why. Overlooking one of the Estero Paildad - or ‘interior sea’ - bays, with a beach at the bottom of the garden and rolling green hills behind, they have built a beautiful, open-plan wooden house, very simply but tastefully furnished, that offers visitors a real home-from-home experience.

You will arrive as guests, and almost certainly leave as friends; and probably not just with Marco and Carmen. Aside from excursions to surrounding villages, including historic churches and craft markets, and to local national parks, plus lots of outdoor activities including hiking and fly-fishing, there is a unique opportunity for those who wish to to get involved with this remote local community; from teaching the school children to sharing a glass of chicha (local cider) with the locals.

Highs

• There's fantastic fly-fishing - it's Marco's passion. Beginners can learn how; experts will be in their element
• Carmen and Marco - a well-travelled lawyer and a former TV documentary maker - are two of the kindest people you're likely to meet
• Wandering through the local market at the little port, trying to choose between handmade rugs, jumpers and baskets, is a lot of fun
• Picnicking by one of the local waterfalls is a highlight
• You can lie in the hammock or lounge in the hot tub, soaking up the view
• There's an abundance of seafood and delicious home-cooked meals

Lows

• It's way off the beaten track and most excursions include about an hour on dirt road, before even reaching the highway
• With a climate reminiscent of the Isle of Wight, the weather is unpredictable and rain isn't unusual for much of the year...but then, just like the Isle of Wight, when the sun does shine it is glorious