THE TROPICAL BEACH TOWN OF PERU: MÁNCORA
I’ve had the opportunity to visit both the coast of Ecuador around Montañita and the coast of Northern Peru around Máncora during my South America journey in 2022. Although both places have a lot to offer, I definitely prefer Máncora and if you compare this post with my previous one on the coast of Ecuador you will understand why. This guide shall not only describe what you can do in Máncora but also give a fair comparison to the coastal region of Ecuador, which is close-by.
The Coast of Northern Peru
There are two things you immediately realize once you cross from Ecuador to Peru. The first thing is the absolute abundance of motor taxis, or as I call them TukTuks. They are everywhere and they offer considerably cheaper transport than a common cab. For some reason, they are simply non-existent in Ecuador. The second thing is that the coast of northern Peru is almost always sunny, and the climate is dry.
The reason I am referring to northern Peru specifically is firstly to give a fair alternative to the Ecuadorian coast and secondly because waters further south are much colder due to the Humboldt-Stream that brings cold water from the Antarctic to the shores of Chile and Peru. The place I am going to talk about is Máncora, which has tropical temperatures year-round similar to Ecuador (minus all the clouds and occasional rain), while the sea further south is not really suitable for a warm beach holiday.
Máncora is probably the most popular beach town in Peru and is yet far away from being overcrowded. The beach life in this area is more laid-back, and it’s a great destination for those looking for a more relaxed atmosphere. However, there are parties happening, among others in the “Wild Rover Hostel” or “The Point Hostel”, which are notorious party places. In my opinion Máncora is the perfect place for people who are looking for the best of both worlds. Personally, I kept Máncora in my memories as a pure paradise. Everyday sun, white sand beaches, crystal clear water, palms that give you shadow and stunning sunsets while surfing and having cocktails at the beach. It was a huge relief after the bad weather of the Ecuadorian Coast.
Activities in Máncora
Surfing
Just like at the Ecuadorian coast there is a great surf culture in Peru. I must admit that the waves aren’t as continuously good as in Ayampe but as a beginner it was actually even better for me to surf there than in Ayampe, though I would’ve wished for some bigger and more frequent waves at times. The prices are unbeatable, however. I paid a mere 40 PEN (10 $) for 1 ½ days of surfboard rental at “Inka-Warriors Surf School”, whereas I paid 36 $ for 2 days rental in Ecuador. I don’t remember exactly the prices for the bundles of lessons & rental at Inka-Warriors, but they were very cheap and no more than half the price of what you’d pay in Ecuador. What surprised me the most is the quality of the surfboards. While in Ecuador my surfboard was obviously quite old and had some damage to it already, they were brand new at Inka-Warriors and that for a third of the price. But maybe I was just a little bit unlucky with the place I rented my surfboard from in Ayampe, who knows.
I noticed a slight westward stream in the sea, but it hasn’t felt too dangerous, the sea is rather calm. The only real danger when surfing in Máncora are the rocks. The beach has some boulders in the water that you should always keep a great distance to.
Wind Surfing & Kite Surfing
This is a really advanced activity and needs a lot of time to learn, but there is a culture to these sports in Máncora. As soon as the winds start to blow, the sea is full of wind- and kite surfers. There are many schools right at the beach that offer kite surfing lessons. They are usually more expensive than the classic wave riding lessons due to the increased amount of required equipment. I didn’t try because I am pretty sure that my clumsy wave riding success will transform into a full-scale failure on a kite board 😂 But if you are one of those who already mastered the waves, go for it!
Whale Watching
Though there is no Isla de la Plata around here, whale watching here is just as good as in Ecuador, if not even more enjoyable due to the great weather. Keep in mind that the whale watching season is only from July to October and there are no tours outside the season. Furthermore, be careful which tour provider you choose, because there are some black sheep on the market that are not treating the whales with respect and get way too close to them, while having old boats and swimming vests. Though I didn’t do whale watching here (since I did it in Ecuador already), I know a great company that according to a friend of me (and according to google) does a great job. The operator is called “Pacifico Adventures” and they have actual marine biologists on board, hydrophones to listen to the whale sounds and not only aim to see the whales, but also dolphins and turtles. The price is 130 PEN (32.50 $) for a half day tour and includes a visit to their museum. Surely, this is not the cheapest price you can find, but keep in mind that this is a sustainable company with a good quality tour.
Visit the Local Market & Try Ceviche
If you want to buy cheap groceries or even have a really cheap local meal, visit the “Mercado Municipal”. It is not particularly beautiful or anything, but you can get all the local stuff here. While groceries are sold on the ground level, you can find local restaurants on the second floor. They serve many varieties of sea food with the most popular one being “Ceviche”. Ceviche is a dish that you can find all over Peru and especially in the coastal regions. It is basically raw fish “cooked” in lime juice and served with onions and some spices. Locals eat it with roasted corn kernels. It is safe to say that Ceviche is the national dish of Peru and if you eat it in a place like Máncora it is also safe to eat, because the fish is always fresh due to the proximity to the sea and the continuous demand from local people. Personally, I didn’t like it, but I know of many other fellow travelers who love it. Just try it yourself 😊
Drink Pisco Sour at the Beach
Pisco is the most popular spirit in Peru and Pisco Sour the most popular way to drink it. It’s a quite strong and sour cocktail that reminds one of whisky sour. Pisco is a spirit made from grapes and is quite similar to its Italian relative Grappa. Peruvians are very proud of their Pisco culture and drinking a Pisco Sour at the beach of Máncora during the sunset is a must-do you shouldn’t miss! There are several variations of Pisco Sour, where fruit juices are added, like passionfruit or mango, which shifts the very sour taste of the classic version to a sweeter spectrum.
Bird Watching
Ok, comparing Máncora to Ecuador´s coast isn’t fair if we don’t take bird watching into account. Both the blue-footed boobie and the frigatebird also exist on the shores of northern Peru, or more specifically on Isla Lobos de Tierra among many sea lions. However, it is a solid 300 km south of Máncora and I have no idea how to get there. Your best chance is to just ask around in Máncora once you arrive there. If you are travelling south anyways, take a bus to Piura (You will have to cross this place anyways) which is the next major city and try to organize a visit from there. It is fair to say that if seeing these special birds is of extraordinary importance to you, your chances are considerably higher at Isla de la Plata in Ecuador where you can find these in abundance and tours are available every day, while it is unclear whether there are operators at all going to Lobos de Tierra.
How to get there
If you are coming from Ecuador, there are several cities that offer direct bus connections to Máncora like Guayaquil, Cuenca and Machala. You don’t have to worry about the border crossing, the bus will wait until all passengers have gone through immigration. However, many bus companies only offer a connection to Tumbes instead of Máncora because they are taking a different route to Piura. Connections to Tumbes are much more frequent than directly to Máncora, which is why this can be a preferable option. It is not a problem though, because there are many minibuses that operate transport between Tumbes and Máncora. The drive takes about 2 h and costs 20 PEN (5 $) though there are cheaper options if you don’t arrive as late in Tumbes as I did. A bus ride from Guayaquil to Tumbes is 14 $ and takes 5 h, plus 1 h – 3 h at immigration.
If you are coming from the south there are direct bus connections to Máncora that head to Tumbes, even from as far south as Lima. Literally all the cities along the Peruvian coastline between Tumbes and Lima can be reached with a direct connection, though the driving time is quite insane. Taking a bus between Máncora and Lima takes a whopping 20 h and covers a distance of 1,200 km. If you are coming from Lima, you might also consider flying. There are connections between Lima and Talara (Airport Code TYL) for a mere 45 $ which is not too far away from the price of a (premium) bus ride (30 $). The distance between TYL and Máncora is only 80 km, and the drive takes 1 ½ h. Alternatively, you can fly to Tumbes (Airport Code TBP). If you decide for the bus, which I always do, only use the premium buses with at least 160° seats, because a bus ride of 20 hours in a cheap, shitty bus is absolutely unbearable.
Where to Stay
I stayed at the AquamarInn Hotel, which was cheap, quiet, and nice, but the location was quite suboptimal. If you aim for something quiet and cheap right at the beach, go for the “Misfit Hostel”. It is located on the Playa del Amor (Love Beach), which is great for chilling and there are little people around. Getting to the actual surfing beach, which is much more crowded but also resembles the “center” of Máncora takes around 20 min by foot or 8 min with a motor taxi / cab. Also located around Playa del Amor is the “Wild Rover Hostel”, which is a 100 % party hostel, which might mean lack of sleep sometimes. If you want to stay closer to the central beach the prices are higher, but the hostel “The Point” is a good location vs. price compromise. Be aware however that this is also a party hostel.
Other Coastal Places in Northern Peru
Another popular surf town in northern Peru is Huanchaco near the city of Trujillo, though it is not as far north as you might think. Actually, it’s halfway down between Máncora and Lima and it will take 10 h and 600 km to get there from Máncora. As you might have thought already based on its location, Huanchaco is definitely not as warm as Máncora and actually it’s also not very sunny. However, you can find the well preserved ancient ruins “Huaca Del Sol Y La Luna” around there that you can visit on a daytrip. For me there was not enough interest neither into these ruins nor into Huanchaco to stop there, which is why I skipped it, but do your own research, maybe it is of interest to you!
Conclusion
Máncora is a pure paradise for budget backpackers! The place offers a lot of activities to engage in like all kinds of surfing (wave, kite, wind) or whale watching during the season from July – October. It is blessed with year-round sun and has beautiful beaches where you can watch the sun setting in the Pacific Ocean while enjoying a good classic Pisco Sour. Whether you prefer to party or just enjoy the sea in peace, in Máncora everyone gets their fair share. Personally, I think Máncora is the best place to be along the pacific coast anywhere between Lima and Ecuador. Usually, I always give day-to-day itineraries for places, but that doesn’t make any sense here. Just stay here as long as your heart craves and account for one day of whale watching. I think 7 days is a pretty good amount of time for Máncora which I would spend with one day whale watching, 5 days of attending surf lessons while attempting to learn surfing independently in between, which leaves plenty of time to just relax. The one extra day I would just hang around the beach and enjoy the vibe without doing any activities.
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