MÁNCORA

Máncora’s big claim to fame is that there is always something to surf. From January to March, a Pacific swell creates large, relatively safe waves. But its long stretch of white sand enjoys some kind of surfable break year-round.

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Entertainment
Bars come and go in Máncora, and many are closed down outside summer. A reliable bet, however, is the upscale Punto G (Piura 344, tel. 073/85-8386, 7 p.m.–2 a.m. Tues.–Sun., $7), which serves cocktails and gourmet appetizers like ensalada caprese and tuna tartare in a sleek atmosphere. Artsy pornography hangs on the walls of this bar.

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Information and Services
The most up-to-date information on virtually any service can be found at the bulletin board at grocery store Roviluz (Piura 509), or the website www.vivamancora.com. Stop by the Escuela de Surf (Piura 202) for surfing lessons in Spanish or English. We recommend surfing instructor Roberto (073/983-0425, robbymunoz@hotmail.com). Botica San José (Piura 520, tel. 073/85-8009, 24 hours) has a good collection of medicine and will deliver. Travelers can change money at Banco de la Nación (Piura 527, 8 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Mon.–Fri.), and the best ATM is at Piura 518. Internet is slow in Máncora but available at Cibernet (Paita 149, 9:30 a.m.–11 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 10 a.m.–11:30 p.m. Sat.–Sun.) and at a few other places on the main drag. There is an excellent next-day laundry service at Piura 263, which charges $1 per kilo.

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Getting There
The best buses from Lima to Máncora are operated by Cruz del Sur, which leaves Lima at 4:30 p.m. and arrives the next morning after a 17-hour journey. These buses cost $29 for normal, or $37 for VIP, but buy the former because the attendants don’t mind if you sneak yourself an upgrade along the way. Other Lima companies that have buses to Máncora include Cial, Civa, and Flores.

The closest airport to Máncora is Tumbes, reachable by a $138 flight that leaves Lima every day at 6:45 a.m. and arrives in Piura at 9 a.m. Taxis can then be rented for $29 for the 1.5-hour, 127 km-journey to Máncora. Or you can take a $2 taxi into Tumbes to Transportes Carrucho, at the intersection of Tumbes and Piura, where $2 buses leave every half hour for Máncora and nearby beaches. Once dropped in Máncora, it is a short walk or motocar ride to the cluster of hotels at the south end of town.