Top 10 Lighthouses in Chile
Chile's coastline extends nearly 6,500 kilometres in a straight line from the Peruvian border in the north to Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America — and several times that distance if the labyrinthine fjords, channels, and islands of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego are included. It is one of the most challenging stretches of navigable water in the world. The roaring forties and furious fifties that barrel across the South Pacific without obstruction collide with the fractured archipelagos of the Chilean channels, generating seas that have destroyed more vessels than any other coast outside the Cape of Good Hope approaches. The Chilean Navy's Servicio Hidrográfico y Oceanográfico (SHOA) maintains the navigational lights in these waters, a task requiring extraordinary logistical effort in a region where supply by helicopter or patrol vessel is often the only practical option.
1. Faro Evangelistas, Magallanes Region
The Faro Evangelistas stands on the Islas Evangelistas at the Pacific entrance to the Strait of Magellan, one of the most fearsome lighthouse positions in the world. The rock group lies fully exposed to the Pacific swell that has crossed 10,000 kilometres of open ocean; the construction of the lighthouse between 1896 and 1900 required the building of a temporary breakwater to allow work to proceed at all. The tower stands 52 metres on the island's highest point, showing a white flash every fifteen seconds with a range of approximately 22 nautical miles over the approaches to the Strait entrance. The lighthouse has been staffed continuously since its construction — one of the last staffed light stations in Chile — because the isolation and the severity of conditions on the rock make automated operation unreliable. Supply visits by Chilean Navy vessels are the only contact with the outside world for weeks at a time. The station cannot be visited.
2. Faro Punta Ángeles, Valparaíso
The Faro Punta Ángeles on the headland at the western end of Valparaíso Bay was established in 1837, making it one of the oldest lighthouses on the Chilean coast. The current structure, rebuilt in 1902, stands 10 metres on the cliff of Punta Ángeles and shows a flashing white light visible for 13 nautical miles over the approaches to Valparaíso, the principal port of Chile and one of the busiest on the South American Pacific coast. The lighthouse is maintained by the Chilean Navy and stands within the naval base; access is restricted but the light is visible from the Cerros of Valparaíso and from the bay. The broader setting includes the UNESCO World Heritage historic quarter of Valparaíso with its funicular railways and painted hillside houses.
3. Faro Bahía Félix, Magallanes Region
Faro Bahía Félix, on the western entrance to the Nelson Strait north of the Evangelistas, marks one of the alternative passages available to vessels navigating the Chilean channels between the Strait of Magellan and the Gulf of Penas. The lighthouse was completed in 1903 and the site was chosen to warn of the reef systems extending from the rocky headlands of the Archipiélago de los Chonos. The tower stands 30 metres and shows a white flash every ten seconds, range 16 nautical miles. Like Evangelistas, this is a remote staffed station; supply is by naval patrol vessel. The surrounding waters are part of a zone of extraordinary wildlife density, including breeding colonies of black-necked swans, steamer ducks, and Peale's dolphins.
4. Faro Punta Panul, Coquimbo Region
The Faro Punta Panul at La Serena in the Coquimbo Region marks the northern approach to Coquimbo Bay and the export facilities for copper from the Atacama desert mines. The lighthouse, completed in 1902, stands 14 metres on a low rocky promontory and shows a white flash every five seconds, range 20 nautical miles. The Coquimbo coast is an area of significant fishing activity; the lights of the fishing fleet are the dominant feature of the bay at night, and the lighthouse's steady character distinguishes it clearly from the random lights of the boats. The Punta Panul area is accessible by road from La Serena; the lighthouse is within a protected maritime area.
5. Faro Corona, Biobío Region
The Faro Corona on the Isla Santa María in the Gulf of Arauco, Biobío Region, marks an island that has repeatedly appeared in Chilean disaster history: the island was badly damaged in the 2010 earthquake and tsunami, and the surrounding waters were among the most affected by the event. The lighthouse, built in 1878, stands 18 metres on the island's southern headland and shows a white flash every six seconds with a range of 16 nautical miles. The channel between Isla Santa María and the mainland is one of the principal passages for vessels sailing between Valparaíso and Puerto Montt. The island community of fishermen and farmers maintains a precarious existence; the lighthouse is staffed.
6. Faro Punta Trucco, Los Lagos Region
The Faro Punta Trucco on the coast of Chiloé Island marks the northern entrance to the Canal de Chacao, the tidal strait separating Chiloé from the mainland of Los Lagos Region. The Chacao Channel is one of the most difficult passages in Chile for small vessels: tidal streams of up to seven knots flow through the channel and the overfalls in spring tides generate dangerous conditions even in good weather. The lighthouse, built in 1895, stands 14 metres on the point and shows a sector light covering the approach to the channel: white over safe water, red over the shoals. The Los Lagos Region lighthouse heritage is particularly rich; the islands of the Chiloé archipelago and the fjords to the east are dotted with navigational lights serving the ferry network and fishing fleets.
7. Faro Isla de Los Pingüinos, Magallanes Region
The lighthouse on Isla Pinguinos in the Strait of Magellan, completed in 1906, marks a small island that has given sanctuary to both navigators and wildlife for over a century. Magellanic penguins nest on the island in large numbers; the lighthouse and its associated keepers' buildings share the island with the colony. The tower stands 13 metres and shows a white flash every five seconds, range 14 nautical miles over the Strait channel. Organised tours from Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas visit the island during the penguin season (October to March); outside this period the island is accessible only by arrangement with the Navy.
8. Faro Quemchi, Los Lagos Region
The Faro Quemchi stands on the island of the same name in the inner channels of the Chiloé archipelago, serving the network of small vessels, ferries, and fishing boats that navigate the sheltered waterways between the many islands of this region. The lighthouse, built in 1906, stands 10 metres on a low headland and shows a white and red sector light visible for 12 nautical miles. Quemchi is a small fishing and farming community accessible by road from Castro, the main town of Chiloé. The lighthouse is one of dozens of minor stations in the archipelago; the overall density of navigational lights in the Los Lagos Region reflects the complexity of the channel network.
9. Faro Tres Cruces, Atacama Region
The Faro Tres Cruces on the coast of the Atacama Region north of Caldera marks the approach to the mineral export terminals of the northern mining coast. The lighthouse, completed in 1879, stands 21 metres on a rocky headland in one of the driest places on earth — the Atacama desert reaches to the edge of the sea here, and the annual rainfall near the coast is often zero. The maintenance challenges are therefore the opposite of those faced by the Patagonian lights: no storm damage, no icing, but extreme solar radiation, salt-laden coastal fog, and the difficulty of getting fresh water to the station. The light character is a white flash every five seconds, range 18 nautical miles.
10. Faro Punta Arenas (Punta Delgada), Magallanes
The lighthouse at Punta Delgada near Punta Arenas marks the First Narrows of the Strait of Magellan, the point where the Strait is at its narrowest and the tidal current strongest. The current tower, completed in 1935, stands 12 metres and shows a group of two white flashes every twelve seconds, range 14 nautical miles. The First Narrows are the main passage for all vessels transiting the Strait; the lighthouse at Punta Delgada is the lighthouse that Magellan's fleet would have passed in 1520. A nearby estancia operates a ferry crossing between the two shores of the Strait at this point, and the lighthouse can be seen from the ferry.
Visiting Chile's Lighthouses
Chile's lighthouse heritage divides naturally into accessible and remote. The lights of central Chile — Valparaíso, Coquimbo, the Biobío coast — are within range of standard travel. The channels of Los Lagos and the Chiloé archipelago reward explorers who travel by ferry or private vessel through the inland sea. The extreme south, from the Strait of Magellan to the Evangelistas, is accessible via Punta Arenas and Ushuaia; several cruise operators now offer voyages through the Patagonian channels that pass multiple lighthouse stations. The best months for southern Chile are December to February, when daylight is nearly continuous. Open the map for a full view of Chilean lighthouse positions along this extraordinary coast.