Gulls Feeding in Mancora

Here is a video clip I took from the balcony of our hotel in Mancora. It was a double room I hasten to add that was cheaper than the cost of two dorm beds in the hostel a mile down the beach, far from any bars or restaurants.

We met some interesting people sitting in thr cheap restaurants on the beach at the corner of the town. The places were basically big tents with tables and chairs. They served cold beer and cheap set meals. By early evening the clientele shifted from tourists eating to the 'getting pissed on the beach' crew of locals and visitors. We saw this all over South America, especially at the weekend - gangs of people boozing, shouting and listening to salsa music. I think the cheapest beach beer I found was $1 for a large beer in Equator.

Anyway, Mancora is in Peru. It seems unusual for Peru as it feels tropical - it is squeezed into the north west coast, an hour from the Ecuadorian border. It is a fun city for  Peru, and more fun for me than the dumb oasis town of Huacachina.

Mancora in Peru

Mancora was the best beach we visited in Peru. It is squeezed up in the north of the country near the Ecuadorian border and the Amazon forest. For backpackers doing Peru Mancora represents beach down time after trekking up Machu Picchu, seeing the desert in Huacachina and Nazca, sampling the colonial culture of Lima and just generally getting a belly full of culture. We went August to Peru. It was cold at times. I was longing for warm sea and sunny beaches.

We spent one night in a backpackers that catered too much for its prime market. The dorms were expensive, cooked meals too, the place was a long walk from shops and amenities and worst of all they hosted a ‘pirate party’ for our night there. Not in my honour I might add. It was a half-hearted affair with a couple of American lads taking on the rum drinks deal.

The next day we found a hotel room in the more central south part of the beach. It was less money with air-con and TV, just 1 minute from the beach. We divided our time between smoking and watching episodes of Two and a Half Men on TV with swimming and going down the market food stalls for cheap eats.

At night the market has a bit of life and local colour with the risks and temptations that brings. Better, if more potentially hazardous, than a pirate party.

It is a long beach with recognized breaks. Plenty of backpackers give surfing a go as it is a cheap activity. By this time I’ve already decided that surfing is too much effort. Floating in the sea and taking in the sight of thousands of gulls having a feeding frenzy was enough fun for me.

The town was a dusty street that held a photographic charm. It wasn’t a place full of cafes and bakeries designed to please tourists; rather one of those sleepy Peruvian towns.

Looking back: I quite miss Mancora.

A Few Places in Peru

Lima was awesome because of this fine local. A good friend that we knew from Japan. He put us up and showed us around. We went to karaoke, international volley ball matches and pyramids. Our only bit of couch surfing. Big up Augusto!

We splashed out $50 dollars each and did the Nazca lines fly over. Jose Carlos yanked the 6 seater plane 90 degrees left than 90 degrees right so everyone got photo ops and lurching stomachs.

Mancora was Peru`s best beach. The weather was great and the water warm enough to swim enjoyably. While we were staying a crazed mass of birds swarmed over the coastal waters dive bombing the waves for fish.



Huanchaco was our first beach of the trip. It a bit cloudy, but very chilled and cheap. There´s plenty of good waves to catch and it´s not flooded with twats doing the gringo trail. We had our room with cable TV and bathroom 5 minutews walk from the beach. Free internet and kitchen use. All for $7 a night.