Termas del Sol

"Owner Samuel del Sol searched far and wide across Chile for an entire year to find the natural hot water that now makes up one of southern Chile’s best soaks at Termas del Sol in Río Puelo, a hot springs destination about a 90-minute drive south from Lago Llanquihue’s southeastern corner. His perfectionism and chosen location – under the nose of the 2187m Volcán Yates – is the good fortune of all that ails you. Dropping CH$32,000 to visit a hot spring might seem pretty splashy, but as you meander along the pinewood walkways through splendid vegetation to reach these magnificent pools of fury, the price becomes a distant memory. Some 3000 native plants, including nalca (rhubarb-like plant), calle calle (Chilean-iris), coigüe trees and armies of costilla de vaca (Chilean hard fern), envelope the 10 pools, which are framed by Piedra Laja stone from Coñaripe (it’s perhaps no coincidence that del Sol’s uncle, Germán del Sol, founded one of Chile’s other jaw-dropping hot springs, Termas Geométricas, in Coñaripe). The hot pools range in temperature between 36°C and 45°C, but all you need to know is that one is a cool 24°C, and bouncing between it and its 45°C neighbor is therapeutic nirvana. Once you’ve had your fill, the restaurant, open to hot spring guests only, is Puelo’s best outside of the luxury fishing lodges. Chase excellent pizza – try the one with morchella (true morels) – pulled pork and stewed beef sandwiches with craft beer from Llanada Grande. Dip. Eat. Drink. Repeat."