Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Puerto Chicama (Puerto Malabrigo)
044
The small fishing outpost of Puerto Chicama might not look like much, but it's the offshore
action that draws a dedicated following. Puerto Chicama, also known as Puerto Malabrigo,
lays claim to one of the longest left-hand point breaks in the world. Originally a busy port
for the sugar and cotton grown on nearby haciendas, Puerto Chicama now draws
adrenaline-seeking surfers who try their luck catching that rare, long ride. Peru's national
surfing championships are usually held here in April.
The lengthy break is caused by a shallow, flat beach and on the right wave on the right
day at the right time, it's possible to hitch a 3.2km ride here on a 2m wave! Good waves
can be found year-round, but the marathon breaks only come about when the conditions are
just so, usually between March and June. There is some gear available for hire at El
Hombre, though it's best to bring your own. The water is very cold for much of the year,
except for December through March.
The French-owned
El Inti
( 57-6138;
www.intisurfcamp.com
;
s/d S45/80, ste S150;
)
has a sea-view terrace restaurant where friendly owner Nicholas, a former
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc chef, churns out impressive gourmet meals year-round (S20 to
S35; call ahead in off season). There are a few garden bamboo bungalows here and an out-
standing new 2nd-floor suite that outclasses the town with amazing sea views from the
deep Jacuzzi tub. Next door,
El Hombre
( 57-6077; hospedaje-restaurant-el-
hombre@hotmail.com; s/d without bathroom S20/40, with bathroom S40/80)
is the original
surfers' hostel and is run by the daughter of local legend 'El Hombre,' a surfer guru who's
been at it for more than 40 years. Facing the ocean, the hostel has dead simple rooms, great
communal bathrooms, good simple meals (S10 to S14) and a communal TV often seen
flickering with surf videos.
Some surf shops in Huanchaco, including Un Lugar and The Wave (
Click here
)
, ar-
range surfing safaris to Puerto Chicama. The easiest independent route is catching an
El
Piérola 1070, Trujillo)
bus to Puerto Malabrigo (S6, two hours). A faster route is a
colect-
ivo
to the town of Paiján, 40km further north on the Panamericana (S7, 1½ hours). From
here you can catch
colectivos
for the 16km to Puerto Chicama (S2, 20 minutes).
