Pucon is a small town, with a lot to offer especially for the adventure enthusiasts.
If I had not injured my ankle, I would probably have trekked up to Volcano Villarica (2,287m high), a trek which takes 7 hours. It is not an easy climb and I hear that some people give up halfway.
At the top, one can look into the crater with close-up view of the lava lake averaging 1,250 degrees celsius. In fact, just last night, I can see the peak of Volcano Villarica glowing from the town. Amazing sight!
Yes, it is a live volcano located 12 km from the city. Apparently the last time it erupted was in 1984. And before that was around 1971. No one is able to predict when the next eruption may take place. Early warning systems are prevalent in the town, something which will never be seen in Singapore(Strangely as I type this, news of Mount Hudson volcano eruption, located in the southern Patagonia of Chile about 500km away, is being broadcasted on the news.)!
Other than climbing up Mount Villarica, there are some beautiful treks, lagoons and lakes which are lovely to visit during the summer, as well as adventure sports such as white water rafting, canyoning, rock climbing and horse trekking. There are also about 10 thermal pools around the city which have been promoted for visiting.
As it was a cloudy day today, it was not a good idea for trekking since views will be blocked. So I took a nice walk around the town and got some amazing views of the lake and the sunset.
It is an extremely pleasant town and worth considering staying at least 3 days to really enjoy the things the town has to offer, and which is definitely much cheaper than doing the same in Argentina!
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