Robinson Island

The island of Robinson Crusoe is part of a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean called the Juan Fernandez archipelago. This group of islands is located at a distance of 560 kilometers from the coast of Chile.

The archipelago itself was away from trade routes throughout the XVII century and was a haven for pirates. The very first involuntary hermit here was Juan Fernandez, after whom the islands were named later. He lived on the island for several years, breeding goats. Also in 1687, nine sailors were landed on the island for playing dice for money. It was only in 1703 that Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailor, appeared on the islands, having had a break with the captain of the galley on which he served, as a result of which he was landed on a desert island. He spent four years alone there. It was his story that inspired the writer Daniel Defoe, who wrote a wonderful book about Robinson Crusoe.

Nowadays, any tourist can try to live almost the same life as the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk. However, the small village on the island has everything for ordinary life: a school, a library, a maternity hospital and a great hospital. There is also a small hotel with all amenities, and there is regular communication with Santiago. But if you want to feel like a “robinson”, you can live in a special house on the beach or in a cave, similar to the grotto of Robinson Crusoe. The traveler will have to cook the food himself, the locals will supply you with the necessary vegetables, fruits, bread, and in the sea lobsters and various fish are abundant.

Every tourist will find a job here. You can explore local historical sights, go mountaineering, snorkeling or soak up on the excellent sandy beaches in good weather.