Huanchaco, Peru

Back on the Pacific!

After our incredible 5 day Salkantay Trek to Machu Pichu, we took the train out of Aguas Calientes, and grabbed a combi back to Cuzco. We spent one night recovering at our hostel and took a night bus to Lima the next evening. We were so exhausted, we thought we'd rest and recover on the trip to the coast. Wrong. The bus ride to Lima was absolutely brutal. It was about 23 hours of slaloming down the mountains to the Pacific. We arrived in Lima the following late afternoon dizzy and groggy and had a mere couple hours until our next overnight bus up the coast to Trujillo. We arrived soon after the sunrise and plurged for a taxi for a 10 minute ride to the beach and Huanchaco. At this point, we were feeling nauseous and weak and beginning to wonder if we'd have the strength to make it to the hostel before we lost it.

We pulled up at My Friend Hostel and arranged for a private room for 10 soles each ($8 total a night for the two of us). We barely made it up the stairs and threw our things on the floor of our room. We were a mess. The good news was we had a private bathroom. The bad news was that the door to this bathroom was like that of a saloon in the wild west that hardly provided us with any privacy from each other during our most ill moments in South America. It was a "bonding experience." Gross. I don't know if it was the rather expensive chicken restaurant we ate at in lima, the bus station meat I ate in Cuzco, the exhaustion and weakness from our 5 day trek, the bobble-headed journey through the mountains with off and on sleep or just the fact that we spent 32 of the last 34 hours on a bus, but we were in rough shape.

It was a solid 2-3 days before we really even left our room for anything other than soup from the kitchen downstairs. When we final emerged to explore our quaint little beach town that recently entered its off-season, we found massive waves and an empty beach.

Fishing is the way of life in Huanchaco. It is known as the birthplace of Ceviche. 

Fisherman in Huanchaco have been using reed boats and nets  for over 3,000 years. On the way back to shore, they would "surf" the waves. Locals claim this makes Huanchaco the birthplace of surfing. 

A fisherman giving a boy some fish

Stormy waters brought massive jellyfish to the beaches. This was the day we were going to take our first surf lesson. No thank you! We postponed a day and waited for the waters to clear. Dozens of these jellyfish were easily visible in the water from the pier. 

Once we had gotten our strength back and there was no sign of jellyfish monsters, we took a surf lesson  at Muchik Surf School. We had heard it was one of the oldest and best surf schools in Huanchaco so we gave it a go. The instructors were great. They took the time to teach us what we needed to know ahead of time and gave us feedback on our form. Once we were out there, they guided us into the waves, told us which waves to take and when to paddle. Alex did great!

Sweet form brah! 

The sun is shinning and the weather is sweet… for surfing

2nd oldest church in Peru!

Waves of Huanchaco

One of the best treats we found in a bakery in all of South America

Cremoladas! Our hostel was known for being the best cremoladas in Peru and we can attest to that. We watched the staff of the hostel make these fresh daily with real fresh fruit, ice and a little sugar. The doorbell of our hostel was ringing non-stop with locals buying cremoladas. 

Best cremoladas ever. Frozen blended fruit snack for 2 soles (80 cents). Notice the massive waves in the background. 

Our amazing hostel by the ocean in Huanchaco. If you find yourself anywhere near Trujillo, Peru, spend a few days at Hospedaje Oceano. Awesome staff, clean room, great prices, fast wifi and did I mention the cremoladas?