If you are looking for a destination that combines paradise beaches, good food, and a warm climate all year round, Piura is one of the best options in northern Peru. Located on the northern coast, this region offers perfect settings to enjoy the sun and the sea in places like Máncora, Los Órganos, Vichayito, Colán, Cabo Blanco, and Lobitos, which are ideal for both relaxing and practicing surfing and other water sports.
But Piura is not just a beach: it also surprises with its mountains, valleys, and traditional towns, where you can feel the culture and hospitality. And, of course, its gastronomy is another of its great attractions. Dishes like ceviche, seco de chavelo, malarrabia, or seco de cabrito make the visit a complete experience.
About Piura: The City of Eternal Heat
Piura is considered the first city founded by the Spanish in South America, in 1532. Since then, it has become a region full of history, tradition, and modernity. Its colonial streets, churches, and plazas reflect a past full of culture, while its beaches and landscapes make it a very visited destination for national and international travelers.
In addition to its cultural and natural richness, Piura Peru is known for the warmth of its people and the joy of its festivities. Among the best known is the celebration of the Virgen de las Mercedes, patron saint of the region, whom they celebrate with processions, dances, and music.
Location
Piura is located on the northern coast of Peru, about 970 kilometers from Lima, the country's capital. It borders Tumbes to the north, Lambayeque to the south, Cajamarca to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Its location not only makes it a beach tourist destination, but also an important commercial and cultural connection point in northern Peru.
What you can enjoy in Piura
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Paradise beaches
The beaches of Piura are one of its main attractions, with sun almost all year round and perfect waters for both relaxing and surfing. Máncora, Los Órganos, Vichayito, and Cabo Blanco are some of the most visited by national and international tourists.
Cabo Blanco, in particular, holds a fascinating story: it was here that the American writer Ernest Hemingway fished the famous black marlin, the inspiration for scenes in the movie The Old Man and the Sea, based on his 1952 novel. -
Piura Highlands landscapes
The highlands of Piura are a treasure that is not very explored, but with unique attractions. The Lagunas de Las Huaringas, in Huancabamba, receive visitors attracted by their healing properties and esoteric rituals.
In this same province is Canchaque, known as "The Piura Switzerland" and the tourist capital of the region. Its attractions include the Chorro Blanco waterfall, Huayanay Hill, and the famous Mishahuaca cauldrons, natural rock formations that look like pools carved by erosion. -
Crafts and tradition in Piura
Craftsmanship is another of the great treasures of the region, standing out especially in Catacaos, located just 12 km from the city of Piura. There, the cotton weaves, gold and silver filigree, and the traditional toquilla straw hat stand out, all recognized as Cultural Heritage of Peru.
In Catacaos is also the Huaca de Narihualá, an imposing 40-meter-high mud construction, considered the main sanctuary of the Tallán culture and associated with the mystical deity Walac. According to tradition, this place is guarded by the viringo dog, considered the emblematic canine of Peru. -
Piura gastronomy
The cuisine of Piura is a true delight for the palate. Dishes such as ceviche de mero, seco de cabrito, and seco de chavelo are essential for any visitor. The seco de chavelo, in particular, stands out for its preparation with cooked and mashed bananas, mixed with seasoned meat, tomato, ají panca, and onion.
In addition, travelers can enjoy fresh seafood such as lobster and black shells, accompanied by the traditional chicha de jora, an ancestral drink made from fermented corn.
10 tourist places in Piura
1. Pocitas de Mancora
When thinking about Piura, the first thing that comes to mind are its beaches, and among them Máncora takes much of the spotlight. It is the favorite destination for tourists thanks to its sunny weather, wide beaches, and its atmosphere. However, very close to the main beach there is a different and charming place: Las Pocitas.
This special spot gets its name from the natural pools that the sea has formed among the rocks on the shore. There you can bathe as if you were in a private pool, while enjoying a calm setting and spectacular views. Therefore, if you are looking for things to do in Piura Peru, a visit to Las Pocitas cannot be missed, a perfect place to relax and enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets in northern Peru.
2. Sechura Desert
Did you know that the largest desert in Peru is in Piura? This is Sechura, located in the center of the department of Piura and with a wide variety of natural destinations to visit.
Here is the famous Médano Blanco dune, known as one of the most beautiful in Peru and where you can practice sandboarding, a sport that will put your adrenaline to the test.
In addition, in the coastal part of this desert are the Vice Mangroves, the Virrillá Estuary and the Illescas Reserved Zone, three places where a variety of fauna live, such as the beautiful flamingos or the endangered Peruvian tern.
3. Humpback Whale Watching
Without a doubt, one of the most wonderful moments that the Peruvian coast lives is when the humpback whales go out to make their majestic leaps through the Pacific Ocean. Every August, around 2,000 whales arrive from Antarctica to the beaches of Punta Sal, Órganos and Cabo Blanco, to have their young and begin the journey back to the southern part of the planet with them.
These animals, which are 16 meters long and weigh more than 40 tons, have a very curious courtship ritual. In addition to emitting songs under the sea that reach up to 300 km away, the males perform these pirouettes in the air, reaching 20 meters in height. A wonderful show!
4. Swim with Turtles
Another of the tourist attractions in Piura is being able to swim with the giant green turtles. This activity is carried out in Caleta El Ñuro, where there is a center dedicated to the investigation of this species, where you can learn the details of this animal before taking a bath with them.
It is important to keep in mind that when you swim with the green turtles you are entering their natural habitat, so you should not touch or feed them, and it is also essential that you enter the water without sunscreen, as it can affect them.
5. Cabo Blanco Beach
Cabo Blanco Beach has a special charm quite apart from its landscapes. And it is that, according to what they say, Ernest Hemingway was inspired by this place to write his well-known novel The Old Man and the Sea. So when you go to visit Cabo Blanco do not forget to put this book in your backpack and read it with this background scenery.
The turquoise waters of this place also have perfect waves for surfing. And what better than accompanying a day at the beach with a delicious ceviche? In Cabo Blanco you will find various seafood restaurants with the best dishes of the Peruvian coast.
6. Chulucanas
But not everything is nature in this northern region. Just 64 kilometers from the city of Piura is Chulucanas, a town known for being true masters of ceramic work. This art comes from the ancient tallan culture, who lived in this area of Peru between 700 and 1500 after Christ.
Here you can visit the workshops of these artisans, where they will teach you how to make their items and, in addition, you can buy some of them to take home as a souvenir.
7. Caracucho Waterfall
In Piura you can also take a bath in freshwater areas. One of these places is the Caracucho Waterfall, a fall where you can free yourself from the sweltering heat that characterizes the department of Piura.
One of the entertaining points of this place is that to get there you have to hike for around two hours through the Piedra de Toro forest, characterized by its green vegetation and its curious animal-shaped stones.
8. Beach Route
Quite apart from Máncora, Piura has beaches that are less than an hour from the city, ideal for those who have little time to invest in this area of Peru.
Instead of spending a whole day on the same beach, you can take the opportunity to move from one to another and get to know several. In this case, we recommend you travel to Paita and from here move to Colán, to the north, and to Los Cangrejos and Caleta Yacila, to the south. These destinations are perfect for spending a day of sun and beach.
9. Amotape Hills National Park
Another of the tourist places in Piura that has no waste is the Cerros de Amotape National Park, where the tropical dry forest is mixed with the northern Peruvian mountain range and territory shared with the department of Tumbes.
This union creates a perfect habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna. Los Cerros de Amotape is one of those places where you have to walk with your eyes wide open, since you will be able to see animals as impressive as the Andean condor or the spectacled bear.
10. Mud Pools
A place to relax and take advantage of the medicinal properties of nature are the Pozas de Barro de Talara. This pool, with warm and sulphurous waters, has an infinite number of benefits for our skin.
This destination is ideal to enjoy a day with family or friends near Mancora and with a different plan from those offered by the rest of the region. When you leave here you will feel like a whole new person.
Best Tours in Peru
Many are the routes that take you to Machu Picchu, but none is like the Inca Trail Tours, the most famous pedestrian path in the Americas. After flying from the capital of Perú, Lima, you will arrive in Cusco to walk for four days along a path through forests and dense fog, millenary stone steps and discovering the ruins of ancient fortifications and Inca cities, and all the time enjoying majestic views.
- Salcantay Trek Peru
- Palcoyo Mountain Tour
- Cusco to Manu Tour
- Humantay Lake Day Trip
- Huchuy Qosqo Day Hike
- Half Day Cusco City Tour
- Llactapata Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
- Qoyllur Riti Festival
- Apurimac River Rafting
- Vilcabamba Trek to Machu Picchu
- Inti Raymi and Machu Picchu Tour
- Salkantay Inca Trail Combo
- Waqrapukara Peru Full Day Tour
If you want to visit Machu Picchu, we recommend you to book your Machu Picchu Ticketin advance, so you will enjoy your Vacation in Machu Picchuwithout any problem.
