Surfing along Peru’s Giant Coastline
Mancora
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Huanchaco
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1. Mancora: Despite the crowds, this is a really cool beach to hang out, get a tan or party at and also serves as a good base to explore the nearby beaches of Los Órganos and Punta Sal. If you want to escape the party scene, stay in Vichayito – a few kilometers away.
2. Chicama: Ride the world’s longest wave! Reaching nearly 1km in length and up to 4m in height this break is the world’s longest. Hang out here and ride the wave, or simply look on in awe. There are also many other beaches in this area suitable for all levels of experience.
3. Huanchaco: This beach just outside the city of Trujillo is definitely worth a visit! It’s great for surfing, but also it’s here where the locals use the caballitos de totora or reed boats (originally from the Moche period) to fish in and then surf the waves back to the beach. You can even get a ride on one for a few soles!
4. Punta Sal: Easily the prettiest beach on the north coast and great for relaxing at after a good day surfing.
5. Cabo Blanco: Panic Point here is one of the best breaks in Peru. Aside from this Cabo Blanco is also famous for being visited by Ernest Hemmingway.
6. Huacachina: Heading to the south of Peru and getting an urge to surf, but don’t like the cold water? Head to Huacachina to go sand boarding.
7. Punta Hermosa: The beach with the best facilities on the south coast near Lima, and with breaks suitable for all abilities (surf board hire available on the beach), this is our favourite beach in Lima.
TOP TIP!
Check out the latest copy of Tablista magazine while you are there. This Peruvian surfing magazine is the oldest in South America.
Money-saving Tips!
Last edition we looked at some of our best money-saving tips and we asked our readers to email us with any others that we had forgotten. Our favourite was from Mark Kennet from Silver Spring, MD, who wrote:
In your water-bottle tip, you didn’t mention that you can buy a backpacker’s filter – good for filtering any microbe – and have a continuous supply of fresh, clean water at zero cost (of course, these are a bit expensive, but worth it).
Thanks Mark, that is a great idea and it’s good for the environment too! Just the sort of thing that SAE members love – Ed.
April Competition Winners:
The winners of our April competition are Irmgard Bauer, Arnold Pachter, Chantal Ouellette, Richard Jenson and Felicia Kieselhorst. They will receive a copy of Along the River that Flows Uphill. Congratulations and thank you to everyone who entered.
*Don’t forget that you still have until the 27 September to enter our competition to win a copy of our new ‘hot-off-the-press’ North Coast Peru Information Packet. Don’t miss out!*
]]>Our eyes, hair and skin exposed our cultural differences as we faced each other for the first time. His black eyes pierced my blue; his black mullet contrasted my long, blondish-brown hippie hair. With an eager yet hesitant hola, I shifted awkwardly as my new Chilean hermano, Matias – with my four inches on him – stretched upwards for a kiss on my freckled, gringa cheek. My distinctly American hair blew across my markedly American face at exactly the wrong moment, causing even more stumbling and hesitation between our 19-year-old selves.
Moreover, I had just attempted the handshake even though I knew well enough that this gesture in South America looks as strange as seeing an alpaca wandering through New York City.
This initial encounter with my newly acquired, mullet-sporting hermano commenced my ‘summer’ Study Abroad in Chile (with mid-June comes winter, after all). For the next six weeks, I would live with – and be an honorary member of – Matias’ Mormon family in the alluring gem of a town, Viña del Mar. Scratching our heads, we wondered if communication would be an issue. Who knew if my high school Spanish would translate into real-world Chile? I sure didn’t. I had little time to dwell on that though, as he whipped out two bus tickets from his fanny pack that he strung casually and fashionably (so say Chileans) on his back right hip.
On the bus that transported us for two hours from Santiago to the coastal town of Viña, a tape of Cirque de Soliel flashed across the TV monitors, giving me my first glimpse of the American (or at least international) culture so overwhelmingly prominent in Chile.
As we sped northwest between the winding hills speckled by lush palm trees, time traveled surprisingly fast.
Matias and I quickly became engrossed in each other’s cultures, comparing food, music, educational systems, weather, religions – anything and everything that came to mind. He slowly and tolerantly chiseled away at the language barrier with his unending patience for my broken Spanish, teaching me Chilean slang and unwearyingly explaining himself over and over until I grasped a concept. “Cachai?” he would ask constantly – Chilean for “Got it?”
This is how our six weeks together would go and how our friendship would grow. He took me to local and tourist bars, rode the micro with me to school, and taught me the numerous national fútbol songs. In return, I taught him American slang, baked him brownies (he had never seen brownies or chocolate chip cookies before), and brought him Pirates of the Caribbean.
One night, Matias struck a deal with me. If I helped him apply to Brigham Young University, the Mormon university in Utah, he would show me the true essence of Chilean culture – local fútbol. His Uncle Pedro had already made it to the States and had graduated from BYU, and each of my hermanos had goals of following the same path.
Although Chile remains officially a Catholic country, 3.4 percent of the population is Mormon (nearly 555,000 people), according to the CIA World Factbook.
As the fastest growing religion in the world, Mormonism provides a comfortable community for families like the Avalos. Matias and I spent hours searching the website in an attempt to figure out the logistics of applying as an International Transfer student to BYU. He still needed to take a ‘Book of Mormon’ class and a ‘Doctrine and Covenents’ class to be eligible for applications, but his major in sociology fulfilled many of the other requirements.
His desires to leave Chile, or even the Vi a/Valparaíso area, are unusual in Chilean culture – universities have no dormitories so students generally attend schools nearby home. Many have no desire to leave their home towns at all. Matias seemed the exception, both as a Mormon and as a student wanting to travel away from home.
Fast forward to my last night in Viña when a highly anticipated fútbol rivalry flashed across the TV screen of every Chilean bar: Colo Colo versus La Universidad de Chile. Since Matias’ mom, Pamela, (Pah-MEH-luh) forbade us from attending the game due to the notorious fights between the rival fútbol gangs, Matias and I walked seven blocks to the local bars.
Each one brimmed with fanatics singing songs, beer in hand, fútbol in heart.
Four consecutive bouncers shrugged and shook their heads helplessly as they directed us to the next bar – the room might have exploded if they let any more people in.
Finally, we miraculously stumbled on a wee bit of standing room in the boondocks of a smoky local hotspot full of supporters. Matias’ friend, Belén, bought us all a round of beers as we held our now-sacred standing room which we vowed to protect for the rest of the night (a big feat!). As she handed me a Baltica, the entire bar – walls, chairs, people and everything – burst out in yet another song.
Very few sat and if people used chairs, it was only to stand on, never to sit. In the end, La Universidad de Chile prevailed for the first time in five years with a heart-wrenching goal. Immediately, the crowd poured out into the streets to begin the celebration. The road and sidewalk became impassible as the crowd rushed to the middle of the road. A giant blue flag with an owl appeared out of thin air and soon we were surrounded by a hundred people jumping, singing and celebrating under a patriotic canopy for La Universidad de Chile. Then things got rowdy.
The carabineros (armed police) showed up on their motorcycles to keep the crowd in check, but the fans’ adrenaline skyrocketed. Rebels began throwing bottles at the police and knocking over their motorcycles. Smoke bombs diffused the crowd and we all began to run. Meanwhile, Matias stuck by my side and calmly warned me to walk:
“Camine, camine. No corra (Walk, walk. Don’t run),” he advised. If we ran, he explained, we would look guilty; instead, walk and be left alone.
At that moment a carabinero bolted past us in pursuit of a vandal, helmet on and baton firmly in hand. We followed the singing that continued down the road until we came across a calmer crowd of fanatic fans, flying flags, and soaring pride.
As much as I desired to be an intricate part of it, my gringa-ness sold me out – my blonde hair floating amongst the sea of stylish brown mullets and dreadlocks proved I could not understand their passion. But, as Matias’ hermana I could be less of an outsider. They welcomed me, but I could never be one of them; they included me, but knew to me La Universidad was just another team to cheer for. To them, it was something to worship, something to fight for, a centerfold in life.
As for Matias, he will remain a brother in my heart. If there are three things I learned from my time with him, they are that communication has no limits; friendship has no language barrier; and distance cannot erase memories.
In a country that is so pervaded by American popular culture, Matias brought me beyond the globalization so that I was enriched with experiences that were purely Chileno.
Name : Karen Wightman
Age : 53
Nationality: British
Current Location: Peru
Profession : Healthcare Manager
Where were you before you arrived in South America?
I was living and working in Warwick, England, before deciding to give up my home and job. I donated most of my belongings to charity and set off on the next chapter of my life.
Why are in you travelling in South America?
I came to a crossroads in my life and decided that now is the time for me to take a different, more rewarding and purposeful direction. My hope is to be able to help and support the children of Peru, to learn to speak the beautiful, musical Spanish language, explore the beauty of this wonderful country and then write a book about my experiences to hopefully encourage others to follow their dream.
What are you planning to do on your trip?
I want to volunteer with the Makikita Foundation in Huancayo, which supports the street children’s project, orphans and mountain village families. I also want to explore the beauty of the country and its people, enrol in Spanish classes and begin to write my book.
Where is the best place you have travelled in South America so far?
It has to be Huancayo. The people have such warm, beautiful hearts and they welcomed me with open arms, inviting me into their homes and families. They also Invited me to join in with their local customs and traditions. The children, of course, who were amazing and very difficult to leave, I’ll miss them all so much.
What are you looking forward to most on your trip?
The children, new experinces, meeting and making new friends, exploring and the change of life style.
What has been the most challenging moment of your trip so far?
A really good friend passing away back home very suddenly, and not being able to say goodbye. I am continuing my journey… which was her last wish for me.
And when my camera being stolen in La Paz with four months worth of photos and no backup!
How did you hear about South American Explorers?
Lonely Planet
What positive effect has South American Explorers had on your trip in South America so far?
It is a great place to meet like-minded travellers. Chatting over coffee and sharing stories in the cosy lounge is a great way to gain knowledge, information and travel tips. The use of the computer for research was a real bonus for me.
Finally, but most importantly, why do you make the time to travel? Why is it important to you?
Travelling to me is like the blood running through my veins. As long as it keeps flowing, I will feel the need to explore this wonderful, beautiful world of ours. For me routine is very difficult, and being able to travel helps me to feel happy, healthy and alive.
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Rachel Campion
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Heather Morgan
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Name: Rachel Campion and Heather Morgan
Age: 22/ 27
Nationality: US (Minnesota/California)
Occupation: Student/ Professor and Counselor
I applied to work at SAE because….
Rachel: It was offered as an internship through my university.
Heather: I wanted to volunteer my time in a Latin American culture. I have a passion for learning about other cultures and I believed in South American Explorers mission. I particularly was drawn to the community building that South American Explorers puts efforts towards.
The best part of the job is…
Rachel: Interacting with different people from all parts of the world and gaining experience in event planning.
Heather: Meeting other travelers and hearing of their experiences. At South American Explorers you really can gain knowledge of all cultures.
The worst part of the job is…
Rachel: Not sure yet, too early to know!
Heather: Hmm… I don’t have an answer for this one yet.
I travel because…
Rachel: I enjoy experiencing other cultures and seeing new places.
Heather: I’m completely enthused by it. It is so exciting to me to see new things. To learn how other people in other parts of the world live is an honor and blessing. It humbles me, challenges me, and helps me grow as an individual.
My favorite destination in South America is
Rachel: Brazil because that was my first time out of the US and after my time there it inspired me to travel more and to change my major to Travel and Tourism.
Heather: To be decided (!) because there are so many wonderful things about each destination. I will say for the first time, I feel like I could live in Cusco for a while. This is because Cusco has an enchantment.Learning
Spanish, music, enjoying amazing food, volunteering, trekking, living on smalls means… all of these are possible in Cusco, Peru.
A travel tip for visiting South America would be…
Rachel: Know basic Spanish and if traveling to Brazil know basic Portuguese in order to communicate with the locals.
Heather: Be flexible and talk to the locals.
One thing that no one ever tells you about Cusco is…
Rachel: The amount of foreigners you will see and how difficult it is to leave here.
Heather: I don’t have an answer for this one …ha
My next destination is…
Rachel: Not sure yet. There are too many places to choose from.
Heather: Unknown…maybe Iceland?
The best service that SAE offers its members is…
Rachel: The discounts and travel information!
Heather: The community and resources.
To find out more about the Cusco clubhouse visit www.saexplorers.org/clubhouses/cusco
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Photographer: Todd Pellizzer
What:Laguna Colorado
Where:In the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Abaroa, Bolivia
When: March 7, 2010
Equipment Used: Canon SD 880 IS
Comments: An amazingly magical place!
Website/ Blog:
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Email us at magazine@saexplorers.org
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Know your discounts: There are many cards out there that will save you money, so you need to work out which will work for you. The most obvious is a South American Explorers card, which offers you literally thousands of discounts across the continent. Hostelling International will help you with HI hostels, and an International Student Card will get you a discount on transport, cafes and some tours. And don’t forget some countries, namely Argentina and Chile, offer tourist tax refunds, where if you spend over a certain amount you can claim the tax back at the airport when you leave.
Stay connected (the cheap way): Instead of travelling with your normal mobile, which will attract roaming fees and expensive rates, take your oldest phone (so you won’t cry if you lose it) and buy a local sim card in the country that you are travelling in. You’ll pay local fees for the phone calls you make and texts home will still be affordable. If you are travelling with a lap top, download skype and make long distance phone calls the ‘free’ way.
Stay connected (the slightly more expensive way): If you are keen to take your iphone or smart phone with you, you can still save some money by using the free WiFi in hostels and cafes (and SAE clubhouses) to check your emails, so you’ll avoid internet café fees. Another option is a Mobal phone – a phone that is usable in 170 countries, has no monthly fee (so if you don’t use it, you don’t get charged) and offers cheap international rates. They also offer a Global World sim card with the same benefits.
Ask the locals: To find out how to avoid paying tourist prices, ask the hostel staff, SAE staff or waiters for their suggestions on where to go and what to see. It’s always best to cross-check locations with other locals to make sure they agree, but you’ll end up finding the road less travelled.
Everybody loves neighbours: Sometimes the cheapest place to stay could be in a smaller town, just outside a big city. You’ll find less tourists, services will be cheaper and after a big day sight-seeing you can relax in a quieter part of the country. For example, instead of staying in Rio, which can be expensive, look at some of the pleasant coastal towns to the south.
Save money as you pack: Don’t buy a sleeping bag for South America unless you plan on a lot of camping. Most hostels don’t allowed sleeping bags to be used as they provide sheets free of charge. And if you are planning to hike the Torres del Paine, you can hire a sleeping bag nearby. Instead buy a silk sleeping bag liner, you can use it in hostels and in any hired sleeping bags. Also don’t buy several guidebooks for your journey. Buy one, then sell it to or exchange it with a fellow traveler or buy another one (or trade in your old one) at one of the SAE clubhouses.
Eat me, drink me: There are a couple of easy ways to save money on your meals. The most effective is to bring along a reusable water bottle. Not only will you be saving the environment by not buying hundreds of little bottles of water, but you will also save some dollars as you buy large bottles of water keep them at your hostel and fill up your water bottle when you need to. Water purifying water bottles also good, they sterilize your water as you go along. Zip Lock bags are also good for keeping leftover food or dried fruit as snacks.
Are there any other ways you can save money while travelling? Email us and let us know! Write to magazine@saexplorers.org
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The Rio Uruguay flowed quietly just meters away from the bus depot where I got off. The summer heat had evaporated it down to almost creek-depth and the jagged brown rocks lay exposed all its shore.
From a distance the water itself looked warmly blue and inviting, but a local riding the same bus as me said it really wasn’t any good for swimming these days as the beaches were too rocky.
This river was something that would play a big role in my discovery and ultimate appreciation of Federación.
My usual travelling mate had suggested I go to Federación as a change of scenery. I had already been to Patagonia two years ago and then to the tourist-ridden beaches of Mar de Ajo on the eastern coast the year before that. That was when I realized I truly preferred the snowy mountains of the end of the earth to the packed beaches of Argentina’s more popular locales. I just wasn’t a ‘sit-on-the-beach’ tourist type.
I needed a new sojourn to someplace – anyplace – that could reveal something new. Federación was promised to me as being something of a surprise. There were sunny, vacation things without the hordes of tourists, which is what my friend, a local of the Buenos Aires province, wanted. But I was also promised some insight into Northern Argentina that I never knew existed.
But then my mate couldn’t go. He had a family tragedy. I had already booked my time off and was kind of disappointed he couldn’t come. He was a great guide and traveling companion, but he told me to go it alone.
Believe me, he said, you will see things you’d never expect.
I did what I was told and caught the night bus and arrived to eight o’clock coffee and medialunas in the depot café. As I made my way to the cabañas where I was to stay the sun came up for its daily scorching.
Unlike much of the North American weather I was used to, the summer heat in Argentina was almost devoid of humidity and was capable of inducing a burn within an hour, all the while feeling warm and enticing. Seductive, deadly, and occasionally hallucinatory.
I had learned my lesson from the previous summers and to avoid anymore burnings, I wasted no time in dropping my bags on the dirt town road to cream up my face, arms, legs and feet.
After checking in and speaking to the owner, who gave me a pile of tourist pamphlets plus a map to get oriented, I headed out to scour the area. Despite the heat, the landscape itself was green and healthy looking. There were a few lumbering and fruit operations, and more than once a big diesel truck passed me carrying natural products of some kind.
The beaches by the river were another story: brown, stony and inaccessible from the water drop.
I followed it along an old concrete walkway for the rest of the day. It was a fun walk but I was still couldn’t see what the big deal was.
The next day I slept late, bogged down from the heat. By the time I got up, it was after lunch and siesta time. The hot spring pools across from the cabañas were closed till the late afternoon; the shops were closing down; nobody was out and about. I feared I had landed in just another summer holiday stop. I went and had a Quilmes cerveza at a roadside café.
As I looked through the stack of papers I had got at the cabaña, I found a yellow info guide about the local museum. Why not? I thought. So I finished my beer and left, hoping for something exciting.
The local museum was lodged in an old church near the river’s edge.
Courtesy Wiki Commons
Like any small town gallery, there were lots of antiques on display. Old gramophones, medical instruments and survey maps were laid out for the tourists to peer at. And it was hot in there. But then I went into the backroom where a TV played something odd. More precisely, it was a cheaply produced video of the Federación relocation in 1974.
Old reels of Super 8 film showed the old city of Federación being cleared and its residents collecting their belongings on trucks for the mass exodus to the new town site. It was during that year that the Rio Uruguay was finally dammed to build the Salto Grande Reservoir and the old Federación site was flooded.
I could barely make out the narration but did understand that even many years after the event, old remnants of the former city occasionally washed up on the shore of the Rio Uruguay. The old city wouldn’t be drowned.
Along the wall were old tombstones, farmers’ implements and even dolls that locals had donated after finding them on the river’s edge
The video played in rotation and the same images of an almost holy pilgrimage of farmers and worked played continuously. Some looked sad and perplexed on the move, no doubt due to the uprooting of their once stable existence. Then the images of the new river formation were shown, plus shots of the many items that had washed up on shore. The memory of the old civilization was impossible to forget.
You really could never know this sort of cryptic history existed in a place such as Federación. Quiet, working class and with a layout that could be found in almost any other Argentine small town, it almost seemed happily devoid of distinction. I stayed two more days and explored the area in the heat of the day.
The images from the museum had burned in my mind and combing the streets with sweat beading down my face felt slightly spiritual. Looking back, it was just a feeling and I didn’t get the opportunity to discover any washed up antiques or remnants of the old city myself. But the experience was worth it.
James Burt lives in the Junction area of Toronto. He has traveled and worked in various parts of China, Europe, North and South America. When not out on foot, he can be found planning another trip or looking for good Guinness taps.
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Name : Lew Herman
Age : Really? Old enough.
Nationality: USA
Current Location: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Profession : Librarian, Writer, Producer
Why are in you travelling in South America? For the hell of it, the music and because I like South America!
What are you planning to do on your trip? Unfortunately, my trip just ended! I returned to US yesterday…
Where is the best place you have travelled in South America so far? Well, the most recent is always the best, so it’s Argentina. Iguazu, Humahuaca and Buenos Aires were all really great.
What did you enjoy most on your trip? The music, meeting new people and trying new drinks (such as fernet) and cumbia!
What has been the most challenging moment of your trip so far? Imperfect subjunctive in Spanish class. Argentine accents a close second.
How did you hear about South American Explorers? I have been a member before, plus they once sold my cassettes of a Belizean recording, which I made of a great boom and chime band. The Quito and Cuzco offices in the past were helpful and excellent.
What positive effect has South American Explorers had on your trip in South America so far? They are so freaking friendly and helpful, and will even get rum and cokes with you when you’re about to leave.
And finally, why do you make the time to travel? Why is it important to you? Travel and music is what I do, so I build my time around it. I always travel between jobs or find jobs with summers or long breaks off. Why? Because to me music is communication and travel is a way to break out and find new things and new people.
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Shot by: Roberta Jean
What: Jacaranda spring shower
Where: Plaza San Martin, Buenos Aires
When: November 2009
Equipment Used: Olympus D520
Comments: The day this photo was taken, a passerby commented on my ‘cool, retro’ camera!
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Name:
Peggy M. GoldmanOccupation: Tour Operator
Company: Friendly Planet Travel, Inc.
How long have you worked in the travel industry?
30 years.
What is your favorite destination? Why?
I have several “favorites”. I love Argentina and the area of Patagonia that spans both Argentina and Chile. I love the amazing contrasts between Iguazu Falls and the frozen glaciers of the south, like the Perito Moreno. This contrast frames the country for me, making Argentina a land where water as art can be appreciated. I love the friendly, carefree atmosphere of Buenos Aires and the amazing array of landscapes, flora and fauna.
What does your job entail?
I am partner and President of Friendly Planet Travel. I handle the sales and marketing for the company, and I contribute to product development as well as handling some of the administrative functions of running a company.
Do you prefer travelling by foot, car, bus, plane or train? Why?
I love to travel by train whenever it’s possible. It gives me a chance to get to know new people, enjoy a sense of how the locals travel in their own country, maybe meet locals and interact. Train travel somehow seems the most leisurely way to go long distances, where it’s possible to enjoy the countryside as it rolls by or read a book or doze, whatever suits my fancy. If I can’t travel by train, next best is comfortable car or motor coach.
The next ‘hot’ destination is…
Cuba which will probably be open for travel from the USA sometime in the next year probably less. A bill now in committee is due to pass the Congress soon, and President Obama has pledged to sign it if it passes. The pent up desire of Americans to visit Cuba is evident to us from a survey we have just conducted of our travelers. 5,000 people replied to our survey about travel to Cuba, and an overwhelming 90% said they would go there the moment it’s possible to visit.
What do you never travel without?
My camera, my iphone and a notebook to record thoughts.
Do you think the invention of GPS, international roaming and the internet has improved the travelling experience or spoilt it?
Absolutely, these items have improved everything about international travel. We have never had so abundant an array of information sources making even the most remote places accessible.
With the above technologies, what do you think the future of guidebooks and independent travel is? I personally love to ‘hold’ a guidebook in my hands, so for me, guidebooks will never become obsolete. Even if I’ve done plenty of research and I’m sure about where I’m going, I still love to have the guidebook to refer to as I tour. Who can remember everything noteworthy about a place, so referring to the handy little book from time to time is essential. I have a collection of guidebooks for a good part of the world, and I’m a tour operator with many, many sources of information at my disposal.
Why do you travel?
It is amazing to roam the world, meet people who look different from me, speak a different language, eat different foods, and yet, are basically the same as I am. I encounter this in every single destination I’ve explored.
People are essentially the same everywhere. If people could only be exposed more and more to different people, I believe the things that separate us and cause friction between people would cease to exist. Getting to know other cultures demystifies them, making it easier to refrain from fearing them.
On a simpler note, I love to experience new places, discover new foods and meet new friends. I love to travel, because it makes me a happier person to do so.
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