Destination of the month – Huanchaco & Chan Chan

huanchaco
Flickr/Geraint Rowland

Just down the coast from the northern Peruvian city of Trujillo is the town of Huanchaco. Once a small fishing village, it’s now grown to accommodate the travellers that come attracted by the beaches, surf and climate. In 2012 the town was designated a World Surfing Reserve, the first in South America. Not only are the waves consistently ideal for surfing but the caballito de totora (little reed horses), a type of reed surfing boat has been used here for over 3,000 years.

City of mud

If you can drag yourself away from the beach there are plenty of archaeological ruins to see nearby. Most impressive of these is Chan Chan, the ancient capital of the Chimus and the largest pre-Columbian city in the whole of South America. If you a visiting this region of Peru, you simply can’t not stop by. Its vast walls and statues are incredibly well preserved and offer a unique look at life over 1000 years ago. Why not try our Warrier of the Clouds tour to visit the site.

RELATED: The 20 Best UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Latin America

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"What a well balanced holiday. Thank you for all your hard work and input"

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"Riding the copper canyon was absolutely amazing"

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