3 Best Sights in The Lake District, Chile

Chile's volcanoes have endowed the area around Pucón with numerous natural hot springs. About a two-hour drive from Pucón, this is one of the best and most beautiful. Seventeen natural hot-spring pools, many of them secluded, dot the dense native forest. Each thermal bath has its own private bathrooms, lockers, and deck.

This series of four small waterfalls surrounded by Valdivian rain forest is a classic day trip from Pucón, just 11 mi (18 km) away. The water cascades into natural pools that are a mesmerizing shade of blue. In summer, it's an especially popular spot for swimming, picnics, and camping. A great way to arrive is by bike, which allows you to see the southern Chilean countryside up close.

Halfway up Volcán Villarrica, you find this cave right next to a very basic visitor center. It first opened up in 1968 for spelunkers to explore, but eventually tourism proved more lucrative. A short tour takes you deep into the electrically illuminated cave via wooden walkways that bring you close to the crystallized basalt formations. Your tour guide may make occasional hokey references to witches and pumas hiding in the rocks, but it's definitely worth a visit—especially if uncooperative weather prevents you from partaking of the region's other attractions and activities.