Castaway Alexander Selkirk whittled away years on this craggy Pacific outpost. In spite of its literary fame, this island 670km off the coast of Valparaíso has maintained relative anonymity. Discovered in 1574, Archipiélago Juan Fernández sheltered sealers and pirates for over two centuries, including the British corsairs from whom Selkirk escaped. While Spain founded San Juan Bautista in 1750, the village had no permanent presence until 1877. It garnered world attention when the British Navy sank the Dresden in Cumberland Bay during WWI.
The jagged geography of this island (22km long and 7km wide) translates to erratic weather. Prepare for warm to cool temperatures (averaging 22°C) in the rainy season from April to September. A Unesco World Biosphere Reserve and national park since 1935, the island’s extraordinary vegetation has affinities ranging from Andean to Hawaiian. Endemic plants have paid dearly for the introduction of mainland species, including the goats that Selkirk supped on. Look for the Juan Fernández fur seal, nearly extinct a century ago, its population now around 9000. With luck you’ll glimpse the rare Juan Fernández hummingbird; the male is a garish red.
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