Late last week, LAN Airlines became the first airline to regularly service Chiloé Island off the coast of Chile. Four weekly flights are now available to the island from Santiago via Puerto Montt. Previously, the island was only accessible by ferry.

Chiloé Island, the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, evolved independently from mainland Chile after the Spanish came to country. Mostly isolated until the mid-19th century, the island has its own history and culture. It's known for its stilted houses (pictured above), fish and shellfish dishes, and its collection of more than 150 wooden churches, 16 of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

"Today is a very special day for us, a solid step forward in our challenge of contributing toward the development of Chile and its regions," said Enrique Elsaca, LAN CEO for Chile, in a press release.

Gadling's own Laurel Miller visited the islands not long ago. To read about her experience and get a recipe from a local family, click here.

[Photo Credit: Flickr user MiguelVleira]

Filed under: South America, Chile