Huanchaco es un pequeño pueble acogedor..
Huanchaco is a cute little town with plenty of charm.
A little bay protected from the waves brought the fishermen here thousands of years ago and is still the most iconic image to witness when visiting. A wooden pier runs into the sea and the sun sets right behind it every night.
Along the bay the fishermen boats called ‘Caballito de Totora‘ are lined up to create magical photos for many tourists that visit. These little reed boats made Huanchaco famous around the world and has to be granted the title of its most important feature.
Caballito de Totora
The caballito de totora is a little boat made of reed and has been in use for over 3000 years as has been proven by archaeological findings. It truly is astonishing to know that up to this day Huanchaco’s fishermen keep using them actively on a daily basis. Every morning around 7am the fishermen come back from the sea to bring in the fish that has been caught in the webs out at sea. This is Huanchaco’s most impressive feature and the tradition is valued highly by its locals and Peru as a country.
Also in daytime as much as 5 to 10 fishermen could be paddling around checking their nets and literally share the waves coming back in with the surfers in the bay.
Totorales de Huanchaco
The reed to make the caballito de totora comes from a small reserve just outside Huanchaco called ‘los Totorales‘. These wetlands are now considered ecological reserve and can be reached easily by foot from the village. The ancient Mochica people developed the cultivation technique and the fishermen still extract the reed to make their boats from there.
Church and view over town
The church ‘Santuario Virgen del Socorro’ is built on the hill overlooking Huanchaco. It’s visible from everywhere and a small climb up easily brings you there. From the church you can see the whole of Huanchaco, appreciating the interesting, curving coastline and its waves. The spot also makes a great place to enjoy the sunset.
The church is declared a historical monument of Peru and has been built over an ancient Chimu temple in 1540. The church is considered as the second Christian church in Peru!
Watching surfers (at sunset)
Huanchaco is one of the most popular surf destinations in Peru and local surfers are part of the best of Peru. The level of surfing in Huanchaco is literally world class and some of them perform some very advanced tricks.
By tradition most of the locals surf around 4 to 6PM and can create a nice show to enjoy.
At the beach are some places to enjoy a beer or a drink and you could enjoy watching the surfers do their tricks till sunset. To know more about surfing in Huanchaco, look here.
