Beaches in Peru

21-02-2012

Five off-the-beaten-path beaches in Peru

By: Nick Rosen

Peru has nearly 2,500 kilometers of coastline, and yet in the height of the summer beach season, it seems that most of Peru’s population crowds onto just a few kilometers of it. While Máncora, Punta Sal, Punta Hermosa, Asia and alike have plenty to offer, there are plenty of equally-compelling beaches that receive fewer visitors. Here are five of them.

1) El Ñuro, Piura
Just 25 kilometers from Máncora, El Ñuro could not be more different from the party capital of the north coast. A sleepy town that still has more fishermen than tour operators, El Ñuro is also one of the best places on the coast to see sea turtles (read our story here). While accommodation options are thin on the ground in El Ñuro, there are plenty of places to sleep in neighboring Los Órganos.

2) Puerto Inca, Arequipa
There are lots of places in Peru to combine a beach vacation with a visit to some archeological ruins; Huanchaco is less than a kilometer from Chan Chan, while the beaches of Barranca or Supe can easily be combined with a visit to the city of Caral. There are few places, however, where you can look up and see Inca ruins as you swim. The small bay at Puerto Inca is one such place. The Inca built a communications post here, and today visitors can explore the ruins before dipping into the sea.

3) Pacasmayo, La Libertad
Once upon a time, Pacasmayo was a major port and a major beach destination. Now, while its prominence has faded, much of the beautiful architecture from the nineteenth-and- early-twentieth centuries remains intact. It’s a great place to laze around, but its breaks also appeal to surfers.

4) Tortugas, Ancash
Located between Casma and Chimbote, Tortugas is one of the favorite beach destinations for Ancash residents. The sea here is calmer, clearer and a touch warmer than at most beaches on the Peruvian coast, which makes it particularly appealing for families. Tortugas might be most famous, however, for the ceviches served up by the small restaurants around the bay. They have won wide recognition, including the approval of one Gaston Acurio.

5) Eco Truly Park, Lima
And now for something completely different. Eco Truly Park is a Hare Krishna community located near the Chacra y Mar beach, just north of the cliffs at Pasamayo. When you look down from the highway and see what looks like a sixteenth-century South Asian village, you have hit the right place. For those interested in visiting, the community offers a program offering volunteer work, organic farming and yoga, all right by the sea. It’s only a few miles from the hubbub of Ancón, but in atmosphere, it is a world apart.

 SOURCE: peruthisweek.com

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