Máncora

This is what I had hoped Montanita to be like. Chilled, but with a vibe going on, a relaxed surf town which is yet to be over developed. It’s still got a bit of a night scene, but his involves either a big cheesey hostel called Loki, which is horrible, or the 6 or so bars on the beach, which turn there sound systems up at night and compete. In low season, for very few people! This would be my first taste of Peru and it was great!
The place we choose to stay had 4 person private rooms for cheap, so we did that, which was perfect, especially since we arrived at 6:45am. It was hot and breezy during the day, but at night, the temperature was ideal for sleeping, barely any mozzies too!
The sunset on the first night was unreal. We watched whales breaching across the horizon and the colour the sky went after sundown was amazing! Glad we got to take some photos. We also got chatting to three Aussies, who we then went and got mega drink with. It turned out that they knew each other as they had been in Banff for a season, and a big coincidence, but they knew who of the guys we’d met in Baños.
The next was a bit of a right of, so we just lounged, looked around the town, and ate food. So many places to eat selling cheap food. Day eating in most places in Latin America, either means something standard of the menu, or a set lunch menu or menu del dia. These can be really cheap, as little as 7 soles, or £1.75 for a soup, main with rice and chips/beans/lentils and a fresh juice. In Peru, normally Maracuya. Nice!
Later that day, we found out that the Banff crew were on their way! We forgot that they were heading down as is planned to spend a lot longer on the coast in Ecuador. The week was going to be a lot of fun! I hired a surfboard that day and headed out. Mancora has a small, but fun point break and the locals are all super friendly. This was the first time for me on a board since I did something to my rib. It was okay, but only went out for an hour or so, just to be on the safe side. I’d been given the heads up on a burger place call Smokin Brothers, so headed there in arvo to stuff my face. It were good!
Next day was Sunday and we met the Banf lot at lunchtime in the beach, there began the party! One night on, one off for the next 6 days, it was a lot of fun!
One of the days we all went out to go whale watching, which almost turned in to whale ramming! We got clooooose! After, all 16 of is headed for more burgers for lunch, we were 90mins early for them to open, but they couldn’t turn us down, so we gave them an order and came back a little later once they were set up. They had to call in the reinforcements, but they loved us.
Not much else went on apart from drinking, eating and chilling.
I was going to go to a few other places down the coast, so I said see ya later to Kirsty, who headed off with one of the Aussies, Sonya, to Huanchaco down the coast. I stayed for another night or two, which was cool as Malvin turned up, so hung out with him for the next day, before I then headed off to Lobitos to have a look. Fun times!Read more