| Huanchaco | ||
 | ||
| State | Peru | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Northern coast | |
| Altitude | From 0 to 29 m a.s.l. | |
| Inhabitants | 80.456 (2019 estimate) | |
| Prefix tel | 51 44 | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 | |
| Patron | Valentine's day | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Huanchaco is a city of Peru, located on the north coast.
To know
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Huanchaco is a seaside resort, especially popular with surfers. It is also a fishing village who use traditional boats called caballitos de totora (rush horses), made of reeds according to a technique tested since pre-Inca times as documented by numerous archaeological finds.
All around Huanchaco are archaeological sites, part of the tourist circuit called "Ruta Moche" from the name of the pre-Inca people who inhabited the northern coast of Peru.
The city of Trujillo, with its interesting colonial architecture is just 10 km to the east while the international airport is right next to the town.
According to Andrés Tinoco Rondan, an academic researcher at the Ricardo Palma University, Huanchaco is the birthplace of the fish dish called ceviche. In fact, stories handed down orally suggest that the ceviche was originally prepared with lemons from Simbal, the nearby village in the Yunga area, chilli from the Moche river valley and seaweed.
In Huanchaco, ceviche is still served to tourists with the seaweed called cochayuyo or mococho that abounds on the seabed overlooking Huanchaco beach.
When to go
Summer (January-March) is the most suitable period for a stay considering that winter brings cloudy days and more pronounced diurnal temperature variations that force you to cover yourself well at night.
El Niño, a much studied but unpredictable cyclical climatic phenomenon, tends to appear between April and October and has devastating effects on the northern coast of PeruIn 2017 El Niño appeared on the north coast on February 3.
Background
The indigenous population of Huanchaco consisted of fishermen from the Moche tribe who worshiped the moon and a golden fish called Huaca Taska. Some accounts suggest that the name "Huanchaco" originates from "Gua-Kocha, a Quechua word meaning" beautiful lake. "Between AD 800 and 1400, at the time of the rule of the Chimú, who succeeded the Moche, Huanchaco was the port of Chan Chan, the city of which ruins remain 4 km away. The port maintained its importance in the time of the Incas as described by the chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega (1539–1616).
In 2011, the team of archaeologists led by Gabriel Prieto unearthed the skeletons of 140 children and over 200 lamas, sacrificed during one of the bloodiest mass sacrifices of the pre-Columbian period. According to the report drawn up by the researchers of the archaeological team, evident signs of a knife were found on the skeleton of the infants at the height of the sternum.
How to orient yourself
Huanchaco: full screen map.How to get
How to get around
What see
Events and parties
- .
February. The Huanchaco Carnival has acquired some fame because it takes place in the high season. Following the Venetian example, it includes regattas of caballitos de totora. 
- Feast of St. Peter. June. San Pedro is the patron saint of local fishermen, affectionately called "San Pedrito". On the occasion of his festival which takes place annually in June, a traditional is mounted on the beach Patacho, which is a huge reed structure depicting a horse.
February. The Huanchaco Carnival has acquired some fame because it takes place in the high season. Following the Venetian example, it includes regattas of caballitos de totora.
What to do
Shopping
How to have fun
Where to eat
Average prices
- 1 SunKella, Av la Ribera 199, ☎ 51 44 755197. Beach restaurant. Careful service.
High prices
- 2 Big Ben Huanchaco, Avenida Victor Larco Herrera 1184, ☎ 51 44 461869. The best restaurant in Huanchaco, although a little expensive by local standards. Good service, good fish dishes and ocean views.
Where stay
Moderate prices
- 1 Frogs Chillhouse Hostel, Calle El Pescador 308, ☎ 51 44 361177. Staff present only in the morning. Several rooms have ocean views. A bit far from the center but bicycles can be rented.
Average prices
- 2 Bracamonte hotels, ☎ 51 44 461162. 3 stars.
- 3 Caballito de Totora hotels, ☎ 51 44 462636. 3 stars.
- 4 El Sombrero hotel, ☎ 51 44 538919.
- Huankarute hotels. 3 stars.
