Isla Damas and Humboldt Penguin Reserve

About this place

Isla Damas is a small island in the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve on the Pacific coast of the Coquimbo Region, off the fishing village of Punta de Choros, about 77 km in a straight line north of La Serena. It is the only island in the reserve where visitors may go ashore. The reserve protects seabird colonies on the islands of Choros, Damas and nearby Chañaral, and its best-known residents are the threatened Humboldt penguins. The cold, rich waters of the Humboldt Current feed shoals of fish, which draw sea lions, dolphins, cormorants and pelicans. The island has beaches of white sand and clear turquoise water in a sheltered bay, framed by rocks and hills covered in scrub and cactus. A short trail leads to viewpoints over the coast and the neighbouring islands, and on the boat trip dolphins often come close and penguins can be seen on the rocks. The island is reached by paid boats from Punta de Choros, and trips stop when the sea is rough. Visitor numbers are limited in season, so go early, keep to the trails and stay away from the birds.