R&R in Máncora

After a busy last month of adventures between the Chilean desert, Bolivia salt flats, Machu Picchu and the Amazon, we were wiped. So our goal next was to slow down and get to a beach stat. We jokingly (yet seriously) kept saying we needed “a vacation from our vacation.” Ridiculous, right? But we’re learning that this long-term travel gig while incredible, can also be exhausting when you’re constantly on the move and doing it all on a budget.

So we decided our last stop in Peru would be Mancora, a small fishing village and surf town on the northern coast of Peru a few hours south of the Ecuador border. For eight uneventful days we laid on the beach, read, slept in, caught up on the blog and did a ton of necessary trip research and booking. It was exactly what we needed to recharge. It was off-season in Mancora so the town was fairly quiet which was actually pretty nice. The only downside is this time of year isn’t as good for waves and we had hoped to rent boards and try to put our surf school skills to the test. Next time!

I found a great score on an Airbnb while there – a full apartment right off the beach with a deck and view for only $28/night. It was a ten minute drive south of the main town but to get there we would just hail a moto taxi for five soles ($1.50 US). It was also such a treat to have a full kitchen to make our own food in! Eating out every day and not having to cook sounds great in theory, but we really miss healthy, home-cooked meals.