Despite Ushuaia's pretentions to the title, Isla Navarino's
PUERTO WILLIAMS really is the southernmost town in
the world - a tiny place lying on the Beagle Channel, and set
against a dramatic backdrop of the Dientes de Navarino
mountains. It owes its existence to the Chilean Navy, for which it
acts as a base, but though the first things you notice on your
approach are likely to be the navy's sinister black gunboats, the
town is an extremely relaxed, welcoming place. The small Museo
Martín Gusinde in the west of town (Tues-Fri 10am-1pm &
3-6pm, Sat & Sun 3-6pm; $2.25), has some fascinating
ethnographic and seafaring relics, and is the town's only real
tourist site. If you have the time, you could make the easy
two-kilometre stroll east to the hamlet community of UKIKA ,
where you can buy reed baskets and replica canoes from families of
Yámana descent (please do not intrude on family life, and ensure
you respect these people's right not to be photographed). There are
some excellent hikes on the island, such as the challenging
five-day trek around the Dientes (or Colmillos) de Navarino,
for which you'll need full outdoor gear.
The Tolkeyen catamaran Mariana I plies
between Ushuaia and Puerto Williams (mid-March to April & June
to mid-Oct Tues & Sat 9.30am; mid-Oct to mid-March Tues, Thurs
& Sat 9.30am; returning same days, approximately 3.30pm;
crossing time 2hr 15min-3hr; $40 one way, $60 return; tel
02901/422150 or 432920). Be prepared for a rough crossing, and
expect some customs delays. Return tickets are open, but if you
have got an important flight to catch, remember that departures can
be delayed by poor weather. Austral Broom runs a useful freight and
ferry service from Puerto Williams to Punta Arenas (tel
061/218100; Nov-March weekly; $150 with bunk, $120 seat only; 32hr,
but longer in high seas). For trekking information, ask at the
tourist office (near the museum on Calle Ibañez) or at
Turismo Sea and Ice and Mountains Adventures, which offers other
interesting tours around the island. Banco de Chile, Calle Yelcho,
gives cash advances on Visa and changes US dollars but not
Argentine pesos. To save time, day-trippers are advised to buy
their Chilean pesos in Ushuaia. For accommodation in Puerto
Williams, try the excellent Refugio Coirón , Maragaño 168
(tel & fax 061/621150), which has shared rooms with
bunks ($13 per person), a kitchen, and space for camping.
Restaurant Camblor , Via 2 (tel & fax 061/621033) offers
accommodation with private bathroom ($16 per person with good
breakfast; $33 full board) and is the best option for food
(huge meals for $7.50). Pensión Temuco , Piloto Pardo 224
(tel & fax 061/621113; $17.50 with breakfast) has decent rooms,
and private bathrooms for a little extra, plus a $1 charge for use
of the kitchen. The least expensive option is the Pensión Flor
Cañuñán , Lewaia 107 (tel 061/621163; $6.50), which has rooms
in a rather basic, warm hut, with the bathroom in the main house.
In the evening, head to the Club de Yates Micalvi , where
you can board an ex-navy supply ship and drink or snack in an
intimate, sociable bar, without worrying too much if your sea legs
hold up.