Most ships dock at the Public Pier inside of Canal Tenglo. Very large ships, however, must tender to the same pier. Only a short walk to the center of town.

Printable map to take along.

Cruise calendar for this port.

Watch a destination video.

At the southern end of the Pan American highway in Chile, Puerto Montt is not only the end of the road, but the beginning of the fabled land of fjords, canals, islands, snow-capped volcanoes, fertile agricultural fields, green forested hills and the enchantment of Southern Chile. The Carratera Austral begins here on its rough route south through Patagonia. Likened to Seattle and Vancouver, but not as spectacularly scenic, Puerto Montt overlooks water, in this case the Bay and Estuary of Reloncavi. It is a good base point for trips around the area. Named for Manuel Montt, president when Puerto Montt was established in 1853, the port city is the capital of Region XX, Los Lagos.

As such, it is the center of commercial fishing, agriculture, tourism and is imbued with the culture and architecture of early German settlers.

The area along the beach near the bus station is pleasant for a walk with things along the way to entertain you. Walking east you'll get great views, especially at sunset, from the hills there.

Taxis are very inexpensive.

There is a tourist office kiosk near the tender pier and another one at the main square in town. There, you can learn of what's available and contact tour operators.

Head to Pelluco, the quaint oceanside beach village about 2 miles east of Puerto Montt. Take a scenic trip, through the Lake District, to Petrohue Falls about an hour outside of Puerto Montt. As you travel along the western shore of Lake Llanquihue, you can visit the upscale resort town of Puerto Varas, or the German colonial village of Frutillar. Petrohue Falls lies at the foot of Volcano Orsono in Vincente Perez Rosales National Park.

Less than a 5 minute walk, the Feria Artesanal (Crafts Market) is located to the right of the pier on Coast Road. This extensive craft market offers an excellent selection, as well as some of the very best prices in Chile.

Credit Card acceptance is considerably reduced in small towns and communities, for which reason when visiting these it is recommended you take with you cash in local currency: the Chilean peso. 1 USD = 520 CH or CLP. This will prevent any unpleasant surprises.

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Spanish is Chile's official language

Chile has so-called cyber-cafes, stores offering Internet access.

Ambulance service: 131 Fire Brigade: 132 Carabineros (Chilean police): 133 Drug Enforcement: 135 Andean Mountain Rescue Squad: 136 Sea Rescue: 137

Business and trade establishments in Chile are generally open to the public from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., with a 60 minute lunch break at 1 p.m. Saturday timetable is 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. In malls, the timetable is Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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