To this day, you can sometimes see fishermen taking to the water in boats fashioned out of reeds. The beach at Huanchaco has good waves that are easy enough for beginner surfers. Huanchaco is just a few minutes’ drive from the town of Trujillo. Trujillo is best known as an archeological hotspot, a town surrounded by ruins from some of Peru’s oldest cultures.
While you’re staying in Huanchaco or Trujillo, be sure to visit Chan Chan, one of the area’s most notable sites. Chan Chan served as the capital of the ancient Chimú culture. It is a huge complex, and in its heyday had a population of around 10,000 people. You can still see its enormous walls, and admire the carved reliefs of birds and other stylized animals. Walls at Chan Chan form a complicated network, and walking amidst these ruins can feel like wandering through a maze.