Chile: Curanipe

Map of Curanipe


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Curanipe (in mapudungun: "plum tree that grows in the rock") is a town and seat of the municipality of Pelluhue, Province of Cauquenes, in VII Maule Region of Chile. Although Curanipe is the municipal seat, Pelluhue has a greater population, both permanent and seasonal.

Both towns, Pelluhue and Curanipe, are nowadays popular coastal resorts. Pelluhue evolved from a humble fishermen's cove to a crowded summer resort in less than 50 years. Curanipe has a more "patrician" past, having been already a well-known and secluded coastal resort for the Cauquenes elite and a proud "minor port", in the mid- and late 19th century and early 20th century.

A popular and charming coastal resort, Curanipe used to be a well-known and secluded hangout for the Cauquenes elite and a proud regional "minor port", during the mid- and late 19th century. The town has a quaint architecture that echoes the colonial rural architecture of Chile.

The Curanipe parish church of Santo Toribio, is a beautifully preserved religious building overlooking the town.

The beaches around Curanipe are very popular for his long waves that can carry on for almost 1 kilometer. The Pullay beach has waves up to 4 meter high, where tubes are very common. The place is one of the most popular surfing spots in Chile. Note: However Pichilemu is the No 1 surfing spot in Chile.

On 27 February, 2010 at 06:34:14 GMT (03:34:14 AM local time), a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck the seafloor 5 miles (8 km) west of Curanipe