Blogs from Punta Sal, Tumbes, Peru, South America

Taking a break from Tumbes, we caught a minibus down to Mancora for two nights and three days. Mancora is a popular beach holiday town with a huge number of resorts and hostels and a large tourist turnover. Arriving, we caught a mototaxi towards our nominal destination, but the driver convinced us there were better places to go, as the one we had selected was too far removed from the beach. After checking out a couple of resorts that charged way too much, we arrived at El Refugio (the refuge) where the rate was more reasonable due to off season discounting, though still expensive by general Peru rates. So, for US$80 per day we got a bungalow next to the pool and beach, including breakfast and lunch. Best of all though, because we were here during ... read more

Von Huanchao aus fahren wir zur archelogischen Staette Chan-Chan. Dies war einst die groesste Lehmzielgelstadt Suedamerikas (event. sogar der Welt) und wurde um 1300 gebaut. 1460 eroberten die Inkas das Chima-Reich. Die Stadt wurde jedoch erst durch die goldbesessenen Spanier zerstoert. Am Nachmittag gings dann weiter zu den Las Huacas del Sol y de la Luna (Tempel der Sonne und des Mondes). Dies ist Perus groesstes praekolumbianisches Bauwerk. Es wurden dafuer ueber 140 Millionen Adobezielgel verwendet. Die Pyramide de la luna hat viele Fresken. Der Brauch der Chima, alte Tempel unter neuen zu begraben hat zu ihrem Erhalt beigetragen. Bei den Pyramiden hat es auch noch haarlose Hunde (wie in Aegypten). Die Hunde haben eine viel hoehere Koerpertemperatur als normal Hunde. Sie wurden in der tranditionellen Medizin als Koerperwaermer bei Arthritis benutzt! Gestern fuhren wir dann ... read more

So after travelling for 6 months thru the caribbean, we decided to check out the beaches on the north side of the coast of our own country. We were born here in Piura, but never really lived there except for very often visits to our aunts and cousins during summers while growing up. We had a great time once we arrived to Punta Sal in Tumbes, this beach is just a few minutes away from the famous Máncora, but during the high season,the summer months from Dec. to Mar there is a great difference. No kids beggin, no risk of food poisoning (and I was born with a tough stomach!) and not having to freak out at the barbarity of ppl throwing plastic to the sand and water.... We stayed at a hostel very much like ... read more

Up early this morning for Steve, Ross and myself to go out on a fishing trip with one of the locals. The sea was so rough though that we all thought we might capsize at any time. Once we got further out though, it calmed down and we got down to business. From memory, I think Ross caught 3 big ones and a small one, Steve caught 3 small ones, and I caught just the one medium sized one. However, I did catch possibly the biggest fish in the world at one point, but it bit the line in 2 and escaped before I could get it aboard. Ross also caught an eel, which the fisherman then proceeded to beat with a big stick on the basis that they have sharp teeth. So did David Bowie ... read more

On the way to Punta Sal we stopped at the Sapin museum. It contained all the artifacts found at an intact tomb. Grave robbers had already got to others in the same area. It was a fairly good museum in terms of content. Great pottery and gold and displays of how they were found in the grave, but nothing in english and it was really dark which made us feel dizzy and headachy. Not that fantastic. We arrived quite late in Punta Sal. While the others put up the tents on the beach with the crabs we upgraded to a second floor room overlooking the beach. The restaurant was on the sand. It was lovely to eat and drink lots of beer with your bare feet buried in the sand. Only the occasional crab tickled ... read more