We only spent one night in Valdivia as we were keen to visit Isla Grande de Chiloe, the continent's second largest island, which we had heard was beautiful and unique. The island is home to a fiercely independent sea-faring population who developed culturally and historically in defiance of Santiago. There are more than 150 wooden churches and it is famous for its 'palafitos' (houses mounted on stilts along the water's edge). The island is a lush quilt of windswept, rolling-hill pastureland.

The attractive city of Castro, located centrally on the island's eastern shore, is the capital of Chiloe . The salmon boom over the last decade has helped the city's development, and we sampled the goods one lunchtime. One of the most striking features within Castro is the Iglesia San Francisco, a Unesco World Heritage Site, with its bright yellow and purple appearance and a stunning varnished-wood interior.

We spent one night in a 'palafito' along the famous Pedro Montt, and were able to appreciate the quirky architecture of the building. However, this street is over-priced due to its touristy nature, and so we spent our second night with a view over the bay rather than alongside it.

We took a bus out to Parque Nacional Chiloe where we were able to walk through the gorgeous, ever-green forests, backing on to rolling sand dunes which led to the thrashing Pacific Ocean. This park was well tended and included a welcoming lake-side cafe serving cafe and kuchen..mmm!

Onward bus to Puerto Montt, 4hours.