Máncora

Máncora sits at the point where the cold Humboldt current is pushed offshore and the water finally turns warm, which is why the far north is the only part of the Peruvian coast where swimming is comfortable rather than bracing. The beach is a long sand strip with a consistent left-hand point break that made the town's reputation among surfers, and the road behind it has filled with hostels, board rentals and seafood places. Fishing boats still work from the southern end. Off the beach, day boats run to look for humpback whales in the southern winter months, and the dry scrub hills behind the town see almost no rain at all.

What you actually see

• The point break - the long left that draws surfers, best on a swell and busiest at dawn.
• Warm swimming water - the one stretch of the Peruvian coast where the sea is not cold.
• Humpback whale trips - day boats run in the southern winter months when the whales pass through.
• The fishing beach - working boats and the morning catch at the southern end of the sand.

When to go

December to March is the warmest and sunniest stretch and also the busiest, with Peruvian holidaymakers filling the town over New Year and Easter. From June to October the sky is often grey but the water stays swimmable and whale trips run. Surf is year-round, and the bigger swells arrive in the southern winter. Book ahead for holiday weeks.

Honest expectations

It is a party town as much as a beach, and the main strip is loud until late, with music carrying along the sand. Prices are the highest on the coast in high season. The beach narrows badly at high tide in places and erosion has taken chunks of it. Touts on the sand are persistent and the road behind is dusty.

Nearby

Los Órganos and El Ñuro are a short ride south, and Cabo Blanco lies further down the coast.