Máncora, leaving Peru on a high note

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We are heading further north along the coast and our last stop in Peru was Máncora, another fishing village turned surfer paradise. When we arrived in town after a shaky night-busride, we were picked up by the owner of our hostel in an old, white VW beetle. Our hostel "Kon Tiki Bungalows" sits enthroned on a hill over the city and we had a great view of all of Máncora and the surroundings.

Máncora is the prime vacation spot in Peru, not only for sunburnt backpackers but also for locals, so it is not surprising that the main street, "Avenida Piura", was packed with restaurants, hostels, bars, kiosks, surf shops, fruit-stands and craft-stalls where you can literally buy everything. The beachfront is lined with bars and restaurants that offer cocktails and fresh seafood. In high season, this city must be as crazy as European party places like Ibiza or Mallorca but luckily it is still low-season so we almost had the beach to ourselves, the restaurants were not as crowded and the music was on a decent volume.

The only downside to such a touristy place is the aggressive attitude of the people trying to get you into the bars and restaurants. Every couple steps we had a menue in our faces and were offered drinks, food, specials, happy hour, etc. A bit much to handle.

Nonetheless, we got sucked into the holiday-feeling at once. We were spending the day at the beach, swimming in the ocean and washing off the sand and salt and hitting the restaurants along "Piura" in the evening. We got really spoilt by the super good food, we had thai, mexican, sushi and austrian-peruvian vegetarian dishes, accompanied by 2 for 1 happy hour drinks. It felt like a deluxe vacation from our backpacker-budget vacation.

Even though Máncora is a surfer town, we did not dare to get on a bord again. The ocean was packed with hordes of surfers and when a good wave hit, 10 to 15 surfers tried to ride it which lead into them running each other over or so it seemed from the beach. It looked a bit harsh for absolute beginners like us, so we decided to just watch the surfers, boogie-boarders and kite-surfers from afar and enjoy empanadas, filled pastries, at the beach.

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Comments

[Markito, La mama chola]

I want a daquiri too!
Dear Soapie & Grimmie (teehee!) It sounds like Máncora is an absolute paradise (which reminds me: "I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me...") the wide variety of food and the mix of sun, sand, sea, sangria and sex....oh wait, that's more like Spain....but the eclectic cuisines you dined on sound divine! What a great view from the bungalow! And Sophie you look so cute sipping your daquiri! And Grim you look so cute in that mosquito net! Okay, I'm done. Where are you kids off to next? Besos!