Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [306]
To the north and south of the port are good beaches popular with summer holidaymakers. About 13km north (by road) is the good beach of Colán, home to the oldest colonial church in Peru. This white-sand beach is a trendy summer destination for the Peruvian jet set, but is practically deserted the rest of the year. The curving bay has a shallow beach that’s excellent for swimming.
The beach of Yasila, some 12km to the south, is also popular.
Sleeping & Eating
PAITA
Despite the town’s historic interest and beaches, Paita has only a few hotels, and most visitors stay in Piura.
Hostal Miramar (21-1083; Jorge Chávez 418; d S40) Our pick of the bunch is this place, housed in a funky, weathered colonial building standing at bright orange alert on the waterfront. There are bright pastel colors throughout and the massive rooms have tall ceilings and large windows.
Hostal Las Brisas (21-2175; fax 61-2175; Ayurora 201 at Ugarte; s/d from S45/90) This place has small, carpeted rooms with phones, cable TV, hot-water bathrooms and a hospital-white restaurant.
Hotel El Faro (32-0322; Junín 320; s/d S60/85) This hotel has bigger rooms near the waterfront, though they’re tattered and vary from downright stuffy to bright and airy.
Tiny fresh-seafood stands line the waterway near the main pier. The best place to eat is Club Liberal (61-1173; Jorge Chávez 162; meals S10-18; 7am-10pm), which has creaky wooden floors and lots of rickety charm in its 2nd-floor pier location; the breezy, sweeping vistas are excellent.
COLÁN
Hospedaje Frente del Mar (9-66-6914; d S22) Run by the ever-helpful Alfredo, this hospedaje has a good seaside restaurant and rents out a couple of ‘rustic’ rooms at the back.
Bahía del Sol (9-97-6488; bahiadelsol_colan@hotmail.com; r S78 per person) On the south part of the beach, this spot has clean, austere, modern rooms sleeping up to four people.
Playa Colán Lodge (32-6778; 2-/4-/5-person cabin S195/225/255; ) Further south, this has to be the best place to stay. Built from a combination of natural materials it has an upmarket Robinson Crusoe feel and hosts cute, pastel-colored bungalows along the beach. There are lots of hammocks, shady palm trees, a tennis court, plus restaurant and bar. In the low season ask for a S50 discount.
Getting There & Away
There are buses every 10 minutes to Paita from the Terminal Terrestre el Bosque in Piura (S2.50, one hour). Colectivos leave from the main terminal in Paita, near the market, to Colán (S2, 20 minutes) and Sullana (S3.20, 1¼ hours).
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SULLANA
073 / pop 144,800 / elev 90m
Abandoned as a location for modern-day Piura, Sullana today is a hot and dusty little city with several parks and more shops than you can poke a S20 bill at. It’s also a transportation hub for destinations north of Piura.
There’s little to see here except the hustle and bustle of a commercial Peruvian market town. Still, you’ll meet a lot of folks in this region who hail from Sullana, and it can be a good conversation-starter to mention that you’ve passed through.
Be wary of personal safety outside central areas and take mototaxis to and from the outskirts of town.
Decent budget hotels include the Hostal Lion’s Palace (50-2587; Grau 1030; s/d S25/60), with large, dark and cool rooms with bathrooms, and the slightly more spiffy Hostal El Churre (50-7006; Tarapacá 501; s/d S35/54), which has contemporary rooms that get a bit of noise due to its corner location. The best is Hostal La Siesta (/fax 50-2264; Av La Panamericana 404; s/d from S85/120; ), on the outskirts of town, with hot water (but do you really need it?), cable TV and a restaurant.
Restaurant Park Plaza (50-9904; Plaza de Armas; menús S5; 8am-10pm) is owned by a fanatical fan of Hollywood (the walls are covered with pictures of stars) and has a good Peruvian menu.
Buses to Piura leave from the Terminal Terrestre (José de Lama 481) every few minutes (S2, 45 minutes). There are also buses to Máncora (S9, 2½ hours).
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CHULUCANAS
073 / pop 55,000 / elev 95m
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