The palafitos of Castro are stilt houses built directly over the water of Bahía de Castro, their brightly painted wooden facades reflected in the tidal fjord below. At high tide they appear to float; at low tide they rest above mud banks and the working boats of the fishing families who still occupy many of them. They are one of the most visually distinctive sights in all of Chile.
The best views are from the road that circles the bay or from the small footbridge near the neighbourhood of Gamboa. The area around Ruca Palafito is the most photogenic concentration of the old-style painted stilt houses. Many palafitos have been converted to guesthouses and restaurants, and staying in one — even as a visitor — gives a sense of the life the buildings were built for. The neighbourhood at night, when the lights reflect in the still water, is particularly beautiful.