Things to Do in Huarmey

Small museum with artefacts from the Wari and Chimú cultures excavated locally. Displays include pottery, textiles, and mummies. Labels in Spanish only.

🕐 Tuesday–Sunday 9am–1pm and 3pm–5pm

💡 Ask the caretaker to open the back room – it holds a collection of trophy heads and metalwork not on main display. Takes 30 minutes to see everything.

The central plaza with a kiosk, gardens, and benches. Locals gather here in the evenings. A statue of a mermaid fountain is the centrepiece.

🕐 24 hours

💡 Visit around 6pm when the sun is low and the square gets busy with families selling homemade chocotejas (sweet treats).

A long, grey-sand beach stretching several kilometres. Calm water for swimming, though not turquoise. Fishermen pull boats ashore in the mornings.

🕐 24 hours

💡 Walk south past the pier for a quieter spot. Bring your own shade – no umbrellas for rent.

A rocky hill with a metal cross on top overlooking the town and coastline. A short, steep climb of about 200 steps. Views stretch from the Andes foothills to the Pacific.

🕐 24 hours

💡 Go just before sunset for the best light. Wear sturdy shoes – the path is loose gravel. No railings at the top.

An archaeological site with exposed adobe tombs and partially unearthed burial chambers from pre-Inca cultures. Bones and pottery shards lie visible on the surface. No signage.

🕐 Daylight hours only

💡 Go with a local guide from the museum – they can explain which graves belong to which period. Don’t take anything; collection by authorities is permitted.