What To Do in Máncora, Peru: A Slow Traveller's Guide
- Ilse
- Aug 14
- 11 min read
Updated: Sep 3
Near the Ecuadorian border, beach town Máncora offers the ultimate location in Peru to relax and (literally) catch your breath from Peruvian travel hotspots at altitude like Machhu Picchu and Huaraz. Whereas most travellers plan to stay in Máncora for only a few days, the majority of them extends - at least at Kinti Guesthouse, the best hostel I have stayed in in South America thus far in my travels. For two months, I divided my time between Máncora and Los Organos and especially got to know Máncora and its community well.
This slow travel guide contains my travel tips on what to do in Máncora, where to stay in Máncora, where to eat in Máncora, how to get to Máncora, and more!
Before we get started, I would like to share that this place awakened a sense of joy, love, and gratitude in me I cannot remember feeling to this extent elsewhere - and I have lived my last years incredibly happy, slow travelling in beautiful places like Hawai'i, Brazil, and the Carribbean. So be prepared when travelling to Máncora, you might end up staying longer than you expected.
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Practical tips, like when is the best time to visit Máncora, Peru
What to do in Máncora, Peru?
Frankly, at first sight Máncora seems like your typical South American surftown - similar, for example, to Montañita in Ecuador, Popoyo in Nicaragua, El Paredon in Guatemala, and Puerto Escondido in Mexico. The main difference between Máncora and these other towns is that somehow Máncora is a lot quieter and as an incredible energy. Apparently, tourism went down after the pandemic and presumably due to flights becoming cheaper so that less people pass through. This means that there are a lot of restaurants, hotels, resorts, and other tourist facilities, but not that many people - although enough to make friends and enjoy going out from time to time.
One of the reasons that I stayed here for so long was because as a digital nomad and online master student this was the perfect place to stick around for a while.
That is partly because this place is the ultimate location to relax and chill - with or without work, which is what many backpackers come to do after a busy travel schedule full of high-altitude hiking in Huaraz or Macchu Piccu in Peru or coming in from Colombia and Ecuador. However, because most people are not very good in the art of doing nothing, here is a list of things to do in Máncora, Peru.
🏄♂️ 1. Surf (or Learn to Surf)
Obviously, a good thing to do in Máncora is to surf. At Máncora surfpoint, the surfspot with the local surfschools in front, there is a consistent left-hand wave that is good for beginners and when the swell picks up is fun for intermediate surfers. You can both do longboarding and shortboarding here, just be mindful of the tides.
According to the locals, the best waves are in the morning between 6am and 8am, strangely enough, that is regardless of the tide. But around noon you will find the least people in the water, making it a good time to go as well. Although locals will say it is crowded in the water when the swell picks up, the maximum amount of people I have been with was probably 20 - which is still a LOT better than in the overcrowded surfspots of Puerto Escondido, Mexico.
If you decide to take a lesson, the best school apparently is the one right in front of the spot. Ask for Alan - I took lessons from him and although I have been surfing (including by myself) for years, I learned something new every session.
For more experienced surfers, there is a surfspot right besides that is called Punta Ballenas. The waves there are higher, but there is also more reef. So be mindful.
🚣♀️ 2. Kitesurf (or Learn to Kitesurf)
The kitesurfing season in Máncora is long and runs from April to halfway December. In these months, the wind starts to pick up from around 12pm onwards, which makes wave surfing in the afternoon a bit more of a messy experience, but provides the perfect conditions for kitesurfing. I started learning how to kitesurf here and absolutely fell in love.
Go to kitesurf school Wild Kite Máncora. They are the only one who are IKI-certified. When the conditions are not good in Máncora itself, they will usually take you on a daytrip to a nearby spot such as Cabo Blanco about one hour away from Máncora. Wildkite also offers multiple day trips for experienced kiters, such as to Lobitos, Peru.
🌅 3. Watch the Sunset at Playa Pocitas or Vichayito
I have seen the best sunset of my life in Vichayito, near playa Pocitas. From Máncora it is about a one hour walk over the beach to get to Playa Pocitas where there are no rocks, making it the best place to swim. You can also take a tuktuk, which should cost no more than 15 PEN.
If you walk a bit further from Playa Pocitas you will arrive to Vichayito, a place near Máncora with a lot of resorts and beach hotels. These are a bit more expensive, but the beaches are also nicer and quieter. In Vichayito, you will also find cultural center El Deck.
🌳 4. Go to a Free Movie Night in El Deck in Vichayito
El Deck is a cultural center in Vichayito. They regularly hold events like reggae concerts, yoga and ice bath events, and every thursday night they hold a free movie night which starts at 7pm. Although normally they sell delicious tapas on the movie night they will only sell popcorn, so make sure you eat in advance. I recommend being in time for the sunset or even coming at the end of the afternoon already to enjoy the beach in front.
This is where I saw the most beautiful sunset of my life - although potentially enhanced by the dopamine kick of an ice bath and swimming in the ocean during sunset with the lovely friends I had made that week.
🥘 5. Food: Where to eat in Máncora, Peru?
Máncora, and perhaps Peru as a country, has a great food culture! For lunch, you can get platos del día for 10 to 15 soles in one of the restaurants near or inside the local market. You can ask for vegetarian options and they will make you something that is not on the menu.
If you are looking to spend a bit more money (though still very affordable), I can highly recommend La Sirena de Juan and Atlier. People come here in fancy clothes - although I have been here plenty of times in my backpacking attire - so if you are looking for a chance to dress up, this is it. If you are looking for non-Peruvian cuisine, get sushi at Tukoyo or pizza at El Italiano. Get my full overview of where to eat in Máncora, Peru in another post specifically dedicated to that!
Looking for brunch, good coffee or a smoothie bowl? Your best choice is Palmeras Eco Tienda y Cafe or La Biodega Cafe. Read my other post for the best 6 cafes in Máncora for coffee lovers and digital nomads.
🧘♀️ 6. Yoga Classes
There are various places that offer yoga classes for about 30 to 50 PEN per class, such as Algae Studio in La Maison Ecolodge and the yoga studio above La Biodega Cafe. If you ask around, there will also be soundhealing and cacao ceremonies from time to time, but these do not have fixed schedules.
🛖 7. Play Pool
To my knowledge, there are two places with pool tables in Máncora. One is at Psygon Surfcamp, a hostel that also hosts a weekly salsa class for beginners on Wednesdays and a salsa party on Thursdays. The other one is in the street of the Casino near the beach, around the corner of Kinti Guesthouse.
🐢 8. Spotting Marine Wildlife (Whales, Octopus, Sea Turtles, Flamingos) and Diving in Máncora and Los Organos, Peru
With a coastline stretching alongside the Pacific ocean, Peru has a lot of marine wildlife that you can spot from the beach, while (kite)surfing, or via a wildlife tour. Be careful, however, because not all tours in Máncora and Los Organos are ethical.
The diving center which has its office in Máncora but its starting point in Los Organos offers PADI courses and dives to see octopuses, but they feed turtles and touch the octopus for it to change colour.
Whale watching season starts in July, which is also when whale watching tours in Máncora begin. Pacifico Adventures is one of the few that is ethically and ecologically responsible and where they work with knowledgeable marine biologists. Máncora has the cheapest whale watching tour options I have ever seen, with the highest price offered being only 100 to 120 PEN, which is about 30-35 EUR/USD per person. On these tours you can also spot dolphins, sea turtles, and if you are very lucky maybe even orcas! The latter is very rare though.
🚶♀️ 9. Walk the Coastline
If you are tired of lying at the beach, you can also – surprise – walk on the beach! When you look at the ocean and walk to the right, you will eventually come to a nice riverbed, although it is dry during winter. Walking to the left, you will pass Playa las Pocitas and eventually Vichayito, where you can also spot flamingos. These beaces are the best to swim as there are no rocks like elsewhere in Máncora.
🎉 10. Parties
Máncora is much less of a party town than similar surf towns like Montañita in Ecuador and El Paredon in Guatemala. The former Selina hostel - now called Qema - will usually host a party on Saturdays, with a cozy pre-party happening at Palmeras Eco Tienda y Café. Although I am not a big party fan, in my experience, these parties are GOOD!!! Especially if you find yourself some Latin American friends that dance. If you go to Palmeras beforehand, they will usually be able to waitlist you for free entry if you go before 11pm or midnight.
On Thursdays, there is a salsa themed party with a live band at Psygon surfcamp. Entry is free before 10pm and after that only 10 PEN with a free drink included. However, the band only shows up around midnight, so unless you are planning to play pool, I recommend coming a bit later to not get tired too early.
The best events, however, happen at El Deck in Vichayito, which is a 15-30 PEN tuktuk ride away (depending on your bargain skills and a willing driver). El Deck regularly hosts reggae bands and other live music events, which are always updated on their Instagram.
Where to stay in Máncora, Peru?
Okay, so not going to lie, here I am going to be super biased. I have stayed in Kinti Guesthouse for several days, then I went to my pre-booked airbnb in Los Organos, and then came back to Kinti to spend another full month there. My airbnb in Los Organos was wonderful and I got a lot of creative work done there, but it was also quite remote and I ended up coming back to Kinti Guesthouse several times a week for their delicious breakfast, to hang out, and make friends.
Kinti Guesthouse is one of the best - if not the best - hostel I have stayed in in my over six years of solo travelling. It is small, feels like a home, and the breakfast is simply the best you will get at any hostel. The owners Jessica and Dénis or one of the other staff make it fresh every day and it alternate probably about 10 dishes. The owners are super friendly and helpful. Dénis helped me get a last-minute taxi at 10pm when my other taxi driver didn't show up and they have great recommendations for food and activities, many of which I have put into this slow travel guide for Máncora.
Creative Container and Co-Living at Kinti Guesthouse
I am hosting a Creative Container & Co-Living in Máncora in November and December, 2025 - sign up to my newsletter or follow me on Instagram (@iam_allovertheplace) to get notified when the virtual doors open. You can join either for 2 or 4 or 6 weeks and the only requirement is that you have a online job with a creative element or a creative side project that you want to work on. This can be anything from writing, content creation, filmmaking, art, or setting up your own business. We will be co-working several hours each day, with plenty of room for conversation, brainstorms, and hopefully creative collaborations coming out of these weeks.
Mornings are for surfing and afternoons for kitesurfing for the ones who are interested in that. Breakfast is included and during the evenings we will try to eat together, alternating homemade meals and eating out.
To make this opportunity available for a variety of people and to ensure intercultural collaboration, I am working with a price scale according to the average income of countries and three income scales within each country category. Of course, this is not representative of each individual in each country, so if you are able to pay a bit more, please do so as it will allow others to come! If you cannot afford it, but would like to come, please do reach out and we can discuss possibilities - if not for this container retreat, maybe for the next. In general though, I am offering this as super super affordable as it is a pilot. So please reach out!
And for any question and to get the price overview for your country, please message me via Instagram. And if you want, we can schedule in a call to chat!
How to get to Máncora, Peru and where to go next?
Máncora is right on the Panamerican highway, which I only realized after weeks of staying there - it is crazy to think that such a key road to this continent runs through small towns like Máncora and Los Organos. This makes it well-located in terms of travel by bus, either from Lima or Huaraz, or from Ecuador. If you prefer to fly, the nearest airport (that does not always show up on search websites) is Talara airport, which is about an hour from Máncora either by shared taxi (100 PEN for the whole taxi, 30 PEN per person) or by bus (less than 10 PEN). The second nearest airport is Piura, which is about a three hour busride away.
After Máncora, most travellers go to Ecuador, Lima, or Huaraz, or one of the nearer beach towns like Lobitos, Peru to surf. If you choose to fly, you of course have way more options, although nearly all - if not all - flights will go over Lima airport if you go from Talara airport.
✅ Practical Tips
Best time to visit: Dry season is from May to September, which is also winter in the Southern Hemisphere. However, winter in Máncora still means the sun shines every day and temperatures are around 25 to 30 degrees Celsius.
Money & safety: Mostly cash-only or with a 5% fee on card payments. What ATMs are free in Máncora, Peru? There are a few ATMs but only MultiRed does not charge a service ATM fee.
Stay connected: You can either buy a physical SIMs like at Claro, or a local e-sim via Yesim, Drimsim or Airalo (get 3 EUR discount with my referral code ILSE8196).
Last but not least, despite all the tips on what to do in Máncora: please, please, please, allow yourself to rest and do nothing in this place! Some people that left after a few days did so because this place (verbatim) "made them think about their lives too much". But what is travelling for if not reflecting on who you are as a person and who you are becoming, the life you are living and want to live, and come to understand what you what actually makes you happy and what it means to feel at home? Máncora is really the perfect place to do that in.
💬 Want to Contribute?
Have a favourite spot or hidden gem in Máncora that I missed? Or do you have more up to date information (since my visit in June/July 2025)? Drop it in the comments or DM me on Instagram @iam_allovertheplace! I’m always updating with tips from fellow slow travellers and digital nomads.
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