Puerto Saavedra is a destination with a strong connection to the water: the RĂo Imperial flows into the Pacific Ocean here, and the 2.8-kilometre-long Parque Costanera defines the town’s coastline. Other highlights include sweeping views from the municipal cemetery, traces of the history surrounding the 1960 earthquake and tsunami, and insights into crafts and fishing. For planning purposes, these can be divided into three main themes: waterside scenery, cultural history and activities in the park.
River Estuary and Scenery
The municipal cemetery in Puerto Saavedra offers sweeping views of the town, the RĂo Imperial floodplains and the Pacific coast. The town, river floodplains and coast can all be seen together. Saavedra’s landscape brings together rural areas, a river, a lake and the sea; the view from the cemetery brings the river and coast into focus within this broader landscape.
Recreation at Parque Costanera
Parque Costanera brings together children’s playgrounds, a skate park, sports facilities and a Ruca museum. This means that places for exercise and play sit alongside a cultural venue within the same park. Visitors can explore these different features according to their interests.
History, Crafts and Fishing
The Ruinas Duhalde are located next to the northern part of Parque Costanera; they survived the 1960 earthquake and tsunami. The Iglesia del Sagrado CorazĂłn de JesĂşs in Puerto Saavedra was built after the tsunami. These two historical references differ: the ruins speak to what survived the disaster, while the church reflects a later building history.
Casa del Telar in Puerto Saavedra sells high-quality Mapuche products. In the municipality of Saavedra, Museo Molino Lafkenche showcases the historical and heritage significance of an old mill that was converted into a museum. The cultural experience thus ranges from the sale of handcrafted products to the heritage of a mill at the municipal level.
At Puerto Saavedra beach, you can observe the traditional work of local artisanal fishers. This offers a different perspective from the museums and historic buildings: here, the focus is on the fishers’ work.
Getting There and Route Connections
When travelling from Temuco, the paved Route S-40 leads 85 kilometres to Puerto Saavedra and offers panoramic views of the RĂo Imperial. From the municipality of Teodoro Schmidt, Puerto Saavedra can be reached via Route S-282, which runs along the western shore of Lago Budi. Routes S-422 and S-46 connect Puerto Saavedra to Puerto DomĂnguez; the trip takes approximately 35 minutes. The approximate travel time to Puerto DomĂnguez and the distance from Temuco are different points of reference. Road conditions may vary.
Discover more destinations: Freire, Loncoche, Lautaro, Padre Las Casas
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