Chelín Island, Island in the Chiloé Archipelago, Los Lagos Region, Chile.
Chelín Island covers about 7.5 square miles (12 square kilometers) and reaches a maximum elevation of 98 feet (30 meters), featuring gentle slopes, coastal contours, and small forested areas that support local flora and fauna.
Records from 1734 mention Chelín as a community with a chapel serving indigenous populations, and the island's population peaked around 1907 with approximately 1,200 inhabitants before declining due to economic shifts and migration.
The island is home to the Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chelín church, built in 1888 and recognized by UNESCO as part of Chile's World Heritage for its wooden ecclesiastical architecture and cultural significance.
Access to Chelín Island relies on a daily subsidized ferry service from Quehui, passing through Chelín en route to Castro, with travelers advised to verify schedules in advance and bring essential supplies due to limited amenities.
Chelín Island had a recorded population of just 242 residents in 2017, predominantly engaged in subsistence agriculture and small-scale fishing, making it one of the quieter and less developed islands in the Chiloé Archipelago.
Location: Castro
Elevation above the sea: 30 m
GPS coordinates: -42.57580,-73.51660
Latest update: December 2, 2025 11:45
Chile stretches over 2,670 miles (4,300 kilometers) from north to south, crossing some of South America's most varied landscapes. The north features the Atacama Desert with its salt flats, geysers at El Tatio, and astronomical observatories such as Paranal. The coastal city of Valparaíso displays colonial architecture on steep hillsides, while the abandoned nitrate mining towns of Humberstone and Sewell recall the country's industrial past. The Andean region includes active volcanoes like Villarrica and Osorno, and Lauca National Park with Lake Chungará at over 14,760 feet (4,500 meters) elevation. The Lake District and Patagonia offer extensive forests, glaciers, and fjords. Torres del Paine National Park attracts hikers with its granite peaks and Grey Glacier. Lake General Carrera on the Argentine border shows turquoise waters, while Queulat and Bernardo O'Higgins national parks preserve remote wilderness. Chiloé Island is known for its wooden churches and traditional architecture. Further south, Puerto Williams on Navarino Island marks one of the world's southernmost settlements. Easter Island sits 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) west of the coast in the Pacific, displaying over 900 moai statues from its Polynesian past. The Juan Fernández Archipelago, also in the Pacific, offers endemic flora and fauna. In central Chile, ski resorts like Valle Nevado provide winter sports in the Andes, while the Elqui Valley is recognized for pisco production and clear night skies. Santiago, the capital, sits in an Andean valley and serves as a starting point for trips to surrounding national parks such as La Campana.
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Church of Aldachildo
7.9 km
Church of Chelín
2.8 km
Muelle de los Brujos
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Santuario de la Naturaleza Humedal Bahía Curaco de Vélez
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Molino Curaco de Velez
16.3 km
Columpio de Luzbel
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Museo Arqueológico y Etnográfico de Achao
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Piedra Achao
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Reliquias bomberiles del Cuerpo de Bomberos de Curaco de Vélez
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Villa Quinchao
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Alto La Paloma
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Scenic viewpoint
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Playa Guiñae
14.2 km
Parque Costumbrista La Molienda
16.4 km
Cisne
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Mirador
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Curaco de Velez
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Animita Manuel Mansilla
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Scenic viewpoint
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Scenic viewpoint
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Mirador Peumayén
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Scenic viewpoint
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Scenic viewpoint
16.7 km
Scenic viewpoint
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Scenic viewpoint
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Waterfall
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