Pacific Coast Gardens

Puquén Bio-Park is located in the shoreline from the north side of Los Molles in Valparaiso Region until Pichidangui in Coquimbo Region.

The park represents a unique scenic beauty thanks to its endemic flora and great biodiversity. Here, visitors can admire the flora represented by steppe shrub and by abundant flowers that paint the landscape with a wide palette of colours. At the park we can also observe multiple geological formations that comprise the place.

Among the main attractions, we will find a blowhole called Puquén, which in Molle language means “whale blow”. It consists of a sea cave produced by water erosion that when the tide is high the water passes landwards through a vertical shaft resulting in blasts of water and wind reaching amazing heights.

Close to Puquén, we can admire the Lobera: an island where a huge colony of South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) live. This is a perfect place to watch their activities and listen to their loud shouts. There is also another island where we can see a population of Peruvians boobies (Sula variegata) during their reproductive period (from November to February).

If the ocean conditions allow us, we can stop to enjoy a refreshing swim in a natural pool. This pool is a body of stagnant water about 4m (13ft) deep fed by the direct presence of big waves that gradually fill it.

We can also find a paleontological interest zone near the shore line, where we will see a giant rock with fossil records of plants from the Triassic period.