What is "achao"

Achao is a town on the Chiloé Archipelago, in the south of Chile. The town is the capital of Quinchao commune on the island of the same name.

Lying on level ground, Achao has a shallow sandy beach and is surrounded by hills. Opposite the town are the islands of Llingua and Linlín. The surrounding hills have a number of lookouts, such as the Alto de la Paloma lookout.

Achao is the main Chiloé town off the main island of Chiloé and is therefore frequented by inhabitants of the smaller islands making up the archipelago, who go to Achao for school or commercial activities.

In the summer, Achao is host to the Chiloé folklore festival (Encuentro de las Islas del Archipiélago), celebrating traditional culture on the Chiloé archipelago with customs, music and food.

The architecture in Achao is known for the wide variety of larch tiling used on the roofs of its houses.