[2] It lies at the mouth of Chaihuín River that flows from the Valdivian Coast Range to the Pacific Ocean.

Silt from the river combined with the prevailing coastal current have formed a barrier-bar across the cove creating an estuary.

[3][4] The administration and main entrance to the Valdivian Coastal Reserve lies in Chaihuín.

[5] During the early 1970s Chaihuín was considered a hot-bed of the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR), but with limited actual anti-government activity.

[1][9] The rural district of Chaihuín encompasses a larger area than the hamlet itself.