The North Coast of Peru is a little visited region of the country but contains some incredible sights. This area north of Lima is coastal desert, with sand dunes and fishing villages dotting the coast. The fishing industry in Peru is huge and the North Coast is at the heart of the industry. The waters and beaches along the North Coast also attract surfers.
This region is known for its pre-Inca archeological sites. While the most visited sites are the Inca ruins in the south of the country, the north is full of some of the oldest sites in Peru, from the Huaca Prieta, Chavín, Moche and Chimú cultures.
Despite these treasures found along the North Coast, this area sees very little tourism. Consequently, visitors will often find they have these fantastic sights almost all to themselves.
Casma is a small port town along the North Coast. Most visitors to the town come to see the nearby Sechín ruins. The Sechín site dates to about 1600 BC, making it among the oldest in Peru. There are two main buildings at Sechín, one made of adobe and one made of stone. The outside walls contain some grisly bas relief carvings.
Also on the site is a small museum with information on Sechín and a model of the ruins. Not much is known about who built these ruins. The site was excavated in 1937 by J. C. Tello, a well known Peruvian archeologist.
Huancabamba is a unique destination in northern Peru. Set up in the mountains, a little more than 200km / 120mi east of Piura. Huancabamba is a remote and little visited small town. Just getting to the town is a bit of a journey and involves driving down a rough dirt road, and is approximately 8 hours by bus from Piura.
The town is a major center for "brujería", which is somewhere in the realm of witchcraft, and involves spiritual and alternative forms of medicinal healing. Herbs, hallucinogens, and other concoctions combined with spiritual ceremonies are used to heal illnesses, cast spells, lift hexes, induce feels of love on the object of one's affections, bring prosperity, cure infertility, and more. Also incorporated into this practice are the nearby Lagunas de las Huaringas, lakes which are said to have mystical powers.
Máncora is a small fishing village and beach area southwest of Tumbes. It has a nice climate with sunny skies year round and low humidity levels. Máncora is a popular beach destination for both Peruvians and Ecuadorians, but almost undiscovered by tourists. Surfing is a major post time here, with large Pacific swells from January to March. The beach here is white sand with rock formations.
Máncora has a small nightlife scene, with some local bars. There are also a fair number of restaurants and a range of hotel accommodations. By taxi, the journey from Tumbes to Máncora takes about 1.5 hours.
The historic town of Paita is the main port and chief town in the Department of Paita, and a major fishing center. Located about 50km / 30mi west of Piura, Paita has had an interesting past. This Spanish colonial port, first discovered by Pizarro in 1527, was the frequent target of pirates. Paita has been the victim of aggression by such figures as Francis Drake and George Anson. One famous icon from this era is the wooden statue of Our Lady of Mercy with a slashed neck, housed in the church of La Merced.
Paita was also the home of Manuela Sáenz, the mistress of Simón Bolívar, in her later years. Following Bolívars death she settled here in a home, which is now privately owned but marked by a commemorative plaque.
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Chan Chan, Trujillo
Trujillo
Chan Chan, Trujillo
Trujillo
Chan Chan, Trujillo
Trujillo
