Juan Fernández Islands

Juan Fernández Islands is a Pacific archipelago off the coast of Chile, formed by three volcanic islands rising from an underwater mountain ridge. The largest and inhabited island is named Robinson Crusoe, while the smaller ones are called Alejandro Selkirk and Santa Clara.

A Spanish navigator reached the islands in the 16th century and introduced animals that later provided food for shipwrecked sailors. Over the centuries, pirates and whalers used the archipelago as a stopover on their long Pacific voyages.

A sailor who spent years alone on one of these islands inspired a famous adventure novel written in the early 18th century. Visitors today can explore the small museum in San Juan Bautista and hear stories about seafarers who once sought refuge here.

Travelers reach the archipelago by plane or boat, though weather can interrupt connections for several days. Hiking trails on the main island cross steep slopes and thick forest, so sturdy footwear and a sense of direction are helpful.

More than half of the plants growing here exist nowhere else on Earth, including ferns and flowering species in the cloud forests of higher elevations. A small hummingbird with red plumage on its head also lives only here and visits the native blossoms.