North of Máncora travel guide

At Km 1182 is an enormous customs house for checking southbound traffic. Twenty-two kilometres north of Máncora, at Km 1187 (El Arco – or arch), is the turn-off for Punta Sal Grande, a posh resort town at the southern end of beautiful Playa Punta Sal, a 3-km-long sandy beach, with calm surf. Its clientèle is more upmarket than Máncora. Accommodation options are therefore mostly of a very high standard (with prices to match) and there is no town centre or services such as restaurants independent of hotels. It is very quiet in the low season; a good option for those who want complete tranquility, or are travelling with private transport. The beach offers kilometres of golden sand, relatively warm turquoise water, interesting sea-life in the rock pools and huge schools of whales passing on the distant horizon at dusk. A pleasant walk can be made along the beach to Punta Sal Chica, allow at least three hours for the round trip and take water.

The fishing village of Cancas has a few shops, restaurants and a gas station. From Punta Mero (Km 1204) north, the beach is used by larveros, extracting shrimp larvae from the ocean for use in the shrimp industry, and is no longer considered safe for camping. Several new resorts are being built between Punta Mero and Tumbes.

Zorritos, 27 km south of Tumbes (US$0.55 by combi), is an important fishing centre, with a good beach. Several new hotels and resorts have been built. At Caleta La Cruz is the only part of the Peruvian coast where the sea is warm all year. There are two good beaches near Tumbes, one is at Caleta La Cruz 16 km southwest, where Pizarro landed in 1532. The original Cruz de Conquista was taken to Lima. Regular colectivos run back and forth from Tumbes, US$0.30 each way.