Top 5 Salaverry Day Trips: Explore Hidden Gems & Adventures

Salaverry, that little port town in Peru, can be a great spot to start an adventure. That’s because a lot of people pass through on cruises or maybe are using it as a jump-off point for some other travels. But Salaverry’s also very close to quite a few really fascinating spots just a day trip away. So, you get this mix of relaxation and exploration, very right? From old ruins that whisper tales of the past to surf spots where the waves crash just perfectly, this area has things that should grab just about anyone’s interest.

1. Trujillo: A Colonial Jewel Unveiled

Trujillo, just a short ride from Salaverry, too is often described as the cultural capital of Peru, seemingly. This place very much drips history from basically every corner and also features fantastic colonial building styles. Founded way, way back in the 1530s, the town once became quite an important hub during the Spanish colonial period. Actually, strolling through Trujillo gives you this sensation of stepping back in time.

The Plaza Mayor, the town’s center, so shows you buildings such as the Trujillo Cathedral and the Government Palace. Arguably, these places are spots you have to see. The bright colors of the houses there, mostly shades of yellows and blues, well, kind of pop out against the sometimes clear, sometimes cloudy, sky, I mean. It’s like very picture-perfect stuff.

The Casa del Mayorazgo de Facalá, for instance, is a fantastic spot to get a feel for the lifestyle of a wealthy family during colonial times. And too it’s almost impossible to not imagine what things might have looked like way back when. Yet there is also the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera, in fact, a museum that really shows the culture that was there before the Spanish. This really tells you about civilizations, that had been around for ages before.

2. Chan Chan: Stepping Back into a City of Mud

Close to Trujillo, the ancient city of Chan Chan sort of gives you a peek at what it was like way before the Incas, sort of. You see, this town used to be the capital of the Chimú civilization. Plus, it is really massive, really. That would be the largest adobe city that’s been found in the Americas. It actually gives you an entirely different sense of scale and civilization.

When you get to the complex, and it actually spans something like six square miles, you will walk through palaces, temples, and homes. I mean they are basically made of mud brick, just like adobe. Very impressive too is the detail the Chimú people were able to include. Apparently, they carved things right into the walls themselves, to kind of tell stories and depict sea life.

Visiting Chan Chan so is better done with a guide. So they can help you kind of picture what the area was like at its height, as I was saying. Apparently, things there happened between 900 AD and 1470 AD. That said it really drives home the point that the area around Salaverry always has been a place where a lot of people have called home.

3. Huanchaco: Surf’s Up and History Abounds

Huanchaco offers something that you see too in Salaverry but it blends the beach experience plus a pretty rich sense of the country’s history, actually. A little bit north from Trujillo is a popular place where people go to relax, get some sun, or go ride the waves. This town is also known for those reed boats, Caballitos de Totora, and I mean they’ve been doing that for centuries. Arguably, the boats, really do remind you just how long people have called the coast their home and have interacted with the sea.

You can get surfing lessons on Huanchaco, you can kind of rent boards and too it’s almost possible, in some cases, to catch a wave and be up and riding fairly quickly. Of course, very good local instructors can help you along and also give some background on the town. This will make a surf trip even more worthwhile, apparently.

I mean you want something a little more relaxed? The Huanchaco pier is the spot, I’d say. At least it’s great to have a walk out, take in that wide, open Pacific ocean and catch that beautiful sunset. You can basically have seafood on the beach itself, too it’s almost as if it couldn’t be much more relaxed than this.

4. The Temple of the Sun and Moon: Unearthing Ancient Mysteries

The Temple of the Sun and Moon, they actually come from the Moche civilization, just like the folks who did the Huaca del Arco Iris near Trujillo, too. You see, these ruins really get to show off how well these pre-Inca peoples could build, very right? And seemingly give you hints about life, their views, and rituals of this society that died a long, long time ago.

So the Temple of the Sun that is huge and seems to be built just for administration or some type of military use. As I was saying the Temple of the Moon might be more striking; that said it’s built up from various levels with each spot so basically being a type of display of Moche art. Very elaborate reliefs show figures, beings and complicated shapes.

Arguably, the artifacts show off what the Moche had been doing in their lives, that they were quite an advanced society. Tours with experts so explain the purpose behind the building plus a bunch more about the folks. It sort of adds a great depth to your exploration.

5. Chicama: Catching the World’s Longest Waves

For you the surfer person, or if you just kind of like a something extreme, the village of Chicama just to the north is where you would have to go from Salaverry. A really long left-breaking wave is Chicama’s claim, seemingly the longest wave that exists anywhere. A lot of serious surfers so have been here, so it is possible too that some beginners and intermediate people will enjoy getting in the water as well. If that’s you and the conditions are kind, that is.

The wave itself kind of runs for well over a mile so riders typically hook a ride back to the top by boat to then repeat the ride several times throughout their time in the town. The vibe you feel is pretty chilled since there’s surf, that is basically the number one reason why folks come here and very possibly there won’t be crowds of people at all.

Actually, if you are just getting started there very possibly is no need to go to the more advanced areas yet. Anyway watching from the shore might just become one of those cool memories too, really.