Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [319]
Getting There & Away
AIR
The airport (code TBP; 52-5102) is 8km north of town; the usual S11 airport departure tax is charged. Aero Condor Perú (52-4835; Grau 454) has a daily flight from Lima to Tumbes leaving at 5:30pm and returning to Lima at 7:30pm.
BUS
You can usually find a bus to Lima within 24 hours of your arrival in Tumbes, but they’re sometimes (especially major holidays) sold out a few days in advance. You can take a bus south to another major city and try again from there.
Buses to Lima take 16 to 18 hours. Some companies offer a limited-stop special service, with air-con, bathrooms and very loud video; some have deluxe, nonstop bus-cama services.
Slower services stop at Piura (five hours), Chiclayo (seven to eight hours) and Trujillo (nine to 10 hours). If you are heading to Piura, you can catch a much faster colectivo taxi (S20, 3½ hours).
If you’re going to Ecuador, it’s easiest to go with Cifa, an Ecuadorean company, or Oremeño. Both stop at the border for you to complete passport formalities.
Cial (52-6350; Tumbes 572) Slower services to Lima at 1pm and 6pm (S45), and a bus-cama at 6pm (S84 to S108).
Cifa (52-7120; Tumbes 572) Heads to Machala (S6, two hours) and Guayaquil (S15, five to seven hours), both in Ecuador, about every two hours.
Civa (52-5120; Tumbes 518) Lima services at 1:30pm (S45), 4pm (bus-cama S78 to S108) and 6:15pm (S45).
Cruz del Sur (52-6200; Tumbes 319) To Lima (bus-cama S100 to S145) at 4pm and 10pm.
El Sol (50-9252; Piura 403) Economy buses to Chiclayo (S26) at 8:15am and 9:30am. Also a service to Lima (S55) via Chiclayo (S20) and Trujillo (S28) at 8:20pm.
Oltursa (52-6524; Tumbes 946) Bus-cama service to Lima (S100 to S145) at 4pm.
Ormeño (52-2288, 52-2228; Tumbes 314) Two classes of bus to Lima (S65 to S100) via Chiclayo (S25 to S42) and Trujillo (S42 to S58), the cheaper one leaving at 1pm and the pricier one at 5:30pm. Also has direct buses to Guayaquil (S18) at 9am, 3pm and 5pm.
Tepsa (52-2428; Tumbes 199) To Lima (S86) at 2:30pm.
Transportes Chiclayo (52-5260; Tumbes 464) Daily bus to Chiclayo (S26) at 2:30pm via Piura (S20).
If you’re heading for Puerto Pizarro (S1, 15 minutes), Zorritos (S2, about one hour) or Máncora (S4, two hours), there are combi stops in Tumbes near the market area. Ask locals, as the stops aren’t marked. Buses to Casitas leave at 1pm (S10, five hours), while the Rica Playa bus leaves at noon (S2.50, two hours).
Getting Around
A taxi to the airport is about S18, depending on your bargaining abilities. There are no combis to the airport.
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BORDER CROSSING: ECUADOR VIA TUMBES
Colectivo (shared transportation) taxis (per person S2.50, 25 minutes) and combis (minibuses; S1.50, 40 minutes) for Aguas Verdes on the Peru–Ecuador border leave from the corner of Puell and Tumbes. It’s S18 for the whole taxi. Unless you have a real love for loitering at dirty border towns, it’s far better to take a Cifa International (072-52-7120; Tumbes 572) bus straight through to Machala (S10, two to four hours) or Guayaquil (S33, five to seven hours) in Ecuador.
The Peruvian immigration office (El Complejo; 072-56-1178; 24hr) is in the middle of the desert at Aguas Verdes, about 3km from the border. Travelers leaving Peru obtain exit stamps here – if you’re catching public transportation make sure you stop to complete these border formalities. If you’re entering Peru you’ll receive a Tourist Card (actually a piece a paper) that you will need to present when leaving Peru; don’t lose it. If you require a visa, ensure you obtain it before reaching the border; otherwise, you’ll have to go back to the Peruvian consulate in Machala to get one. Although a ticket out of Peru is officially required to enter the country, gringo travelers are rarely asked for one unless they look thoroughly disreputable. A bus office in Aguas Verdes sells (non-refundable) tickets out of Peru, and the immigration official can tell you where it