Chepu has a population of approximately 250 and is located 38km to the south-west of Ancud on the Ruta 5 Sur highway on route to Castro. There are two different turn offs to Chepu, both on the right handside of the highway – the first at kilometre 14, after Puente Mechaico, and the second at kilometre 25, immediately after "Restaurant El Transportista". Following this latter route after Coipomó you come to a lookout point "el Mirador de Chepu".

Local buses go from Ancud to Chepu every 2 hours (6.30 am – 4 pm) and return to Ancud return every 2 hours (7.30 am – 5.30 pm). The buses pass by Puente Anguay.

The geographic conditions and the calm waters are ideal for fishing using cast nets. From the river’s estuary you can trek along the long beach which after a two hour walk takes you to Ahuenco where a colony of penguins lives (both Magellanic and Humboldt Penguins). Along the way you can also see pudus (a native miniature deer) and Chilote Foxes which are not commonly seen in other parts of Chiloé.

This area is part of the "Senderos de Chile" trail on the Mar Brava to the Metalqui River section which connects Chepu with Duhatao. The northern entrance to the Chiloé National Park is nearby.

A nearby visitor attraction is Coluco Lagoon, a natural sanctuary full of Black-necked Swans and a wide variety of other birdlife.

Another natural attraction is the Chepu Wetlands, between the Puntra and Butalcura rivers, where there is a forest of dead trees of which almost all died during the 1960 earthquake which affected a large part of southern Chile. This forest protects an innumerable amount of bird species which nest in the treetops.