The appearance of this island is pretty well-described by its name, Sombrero Chino, or Chinese Hat. It is a very small island (<1km2) off the southeastern tip of Santiago. It is a fairly recent volcanic cone with a few small but intact lava tunnels.

The ambience created by the volcanic cone background, crashing waves along the rocky coast, and surrounding islets makes Sombrero Chino an exceedingly pleasant stop.

The 400-meter trail starts on a small, white-sand beach, where you can often see American oystercatchers and sea lions. From the beach you can swim in tranquil blue waters along the cove, playing with sea lions and spotting tropical fish.

The trail continues along the cove, passing marine iguanas, Sally Lightfoot crabs, and lava lizards. If you visit during the cold season (May/June-November/December), the island may have some small tide pools lined with green algae, which attract more marine iguanas.