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Beach · Huanchaco, La Libertad
Playa de Huanchaco
Huanchaco beach, with the wooden pier, the boardwalk and the caballitos de totora standing on the sand, where fishermen still go out to sea in reed boats used since the Moche. It is a World Surf Reserve.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Playa de Huanchaco
Huanchaco beach lies in front of the old fishing port, 14 km from downtown Trujillo. In the time of the Moche and the Chimú, Huanchaco was the region's port and served Chan Chan; later, under the Spanish, it became Trujillo's port. The wooden pier that juts out over the sea was rebuilt at the end of the 19th century and became the beach's best-known spot.
On the sand stand the caballitos de totora, boats made from bundles of reed tied together, with the bow curved upward. Fishermen enter the sea seated or kneeling on them, using bamboo paddles, as coastal peoples have done for more than a thousand years. The use of the caballitos is a National Cultural Heritage of Peru.
The waves made Huanchaco one of the country's best-known surf beaches, recognized as a World Surf Reserve. There are schools and board rentals, and some fishermen take visitors on short caballito rides.
On the hill above the town stands the colonial church of the Virgen del Socorro, which overlooks the bay. The boardwalk has ceviche and daily fish restaurants, and the sunset over the Pacific gathers people on the pier.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 2 hours to half a day.
Best time
In the late afternoon, for the sunset and the fishermen's return. From December to April, for sun and swimming.
How to get there
From downtown Trujillo, take a taxi or city bus to the Huanchaco boardwalk, about half an hour, passing Chan Chan.
Tip
Ask the fishermen on the sand if there is a caballito de totora ride. For swimming, follow lifeguards' instructions: the water is cold and the waves are strong in some stretches.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Playa de Huanchaco
Can you ride a caballito de totora?
Some fishermen take visitors on a short ride. Ask on the sand, near the pier.
Since when have caballitos been used?
Since the pre-Inca northern coastal cultures, such as the Moche and the Chimú. Their use is a National Cultural Heritage of Peru.
What is the World Surf Reserve?
An international recognition given to beaches with waves and surf culture that deserve protection. Huanchaco was the first beach in Latin America to receive it.
What to see beyond the beach?
The wooden pier, the church of the Virgen del Socorro up on the hill, and the reedbeds north of the beach.