Puerto Aguirre is a picturesque fishing village located in the heart of the Guaitecas Archipelago, on the Huichas Islands, named after an early Huilliche settlement (an Indigenous people descended from the Mapuche). It was also one of the privileged sites of the Chono people, who used it as a base. Founded in 1940, its first houses were built along narrow streets where automobiles were once unthinkable. Today, the village has basic services, a school, and a rural health post, with a population of approximately 1,800 inhabitants, most of whom make their living from fishing.
Among its attractions are its charming, narrow streets—now paved with concrete cobblestones—a scenic lookout with panoramic views, and a southern forest trail managed by the National Forest Corporation (CONAF), ideal for enjoying nature and its lush greenery.
Puerto Aguirre bears its name in honour of former Chilean president Pedro Aguirre Cerda, who during his term established a maritime authority office here to oversee and manage local fishing activities.
