South
Comprising the regions of Bío - Bío, Araucanía and part of Los Lagos
(eighth, ninth and tenth regions), this area is one of the most heterogeneous
in terms of the landscape as well as the attractions you can find here.
With a climate which becomes increasingly more humid, the area is covered
with thick woods as well as lakes and lagoons.
The ski center Termas
de Chillan is located to the east of Chillan,
on the foothills of a volcano bearing the same name, and is the tourist focus
of the area. Further south, near the coast, is Concepcion, the
industrial
and timber center, the capital of the region and the second city of the country,
in size and importance.
The Salto del Laja
waterfall, which can be seen from the South 5 highway, is considered the entrance to
the south of Chile. Further to the east, towards the mountain range, in the Laguna del Laja National Park is the Antuco
Volcano another destination for ski lovers.
Temuco city, capital of the ninth
region and located in the middle of Araucanía, is one of the fastest-growing cities
on the
continent. Towards the north-east, and containing the Llaima
Volcano,
is the spectacular Conguillio
National Park, also called ‘Parque de los paraguas’ (Park of
the umbrellas) due to its araucaria woods which are hundreds
of years old. To the north, there is another protected zone, the Tolhuaca National Park.
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Towards the southeast are the tourist centers
of Villarrica and Pucon, along with Villarrica lake, both offer
plenty of possibilities for both rest and relaxation. The Villarrica-Pucon Ski Center is an excellent
choice for those who love winter sports.
This zone offers a range of diversions and
activities, from the Huerquehue National
Park, with its numerous lagoons and dense vegetation, as
well as more therapeutic experiences, at the Termas de Huife, for example,
with its thermal waters.
Further south, Valdivia is the door to
the remains of the Spanish fortresses in Niebla and Corral (towards
the mouth of the river), and the Riñihue, Ranco and Maihue lakes (the last one
located to the east).
Osorno
is, economically, the principal town of a predominantly agricultural
(cattle-based) area. It is also, however, the gateway to beautiful places
such as Rupanco Lake, Puyehue National Park or Antillanca Ski Center, located on the foothills of
the Casablanca volcano, inside the boundaries of the park.
Going southwards, we find the Frutillar and Puerto
Varas resorts on the shores of Llanquihue
Lake.
From here and to the east, is the Vicente
Perez Rosales National Park, whose biggest attractions are the Osorno
Volcano and Todos los Santos Lake.
The regional capital city, Puerto
Montt, is a few kilometers from Puerto Varas.
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