This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel.
Piura, Peru, is a capital city of the region of the same name in the northern parts of Peru. Due to its location between the desert and the ocean, it has a subtropical, hot desert climate and the average temperature is around twenty-six degrees Celsius throughout the year. It is a perfect place to break up your trip between Ecuador and the southern parts of Peru.
There is not much to do in Piura itself, but it is a good starting point to visit smaller places around the area. The city has nice plazas and parks, Colonial architecture, and a decent central market. There are also few bigger malls around with food courts, cinemas, and nice shops.
Piura is located close to many of the nicest beaches in Peru. Colan Beach is one of the nicest beaches around and it is a perfect place to go for a swim and just to relax. The more famous one is Máncora Beach, which is mostly for surfing and has a good party atmosphere to it.
A small village of Catacaos, which is twelve kilometers from Piura, is a good place to buy handicrafts. It has a big arts market where you can buy gold and silver jewelry, ceramics, leather goods, and all sorts of other handicrafts. It also hosts a little Carnaval with paint wars and a parade, which is great fun; a lot of the hotels and hostels in Piura, Peru, can give you information how to get there and what to expect. Carnaval takes place usually at the end of February or early March.
Piura is quite famous for its ceviche, fresh seafood, and seco de chabelo (a northern Peruvian meat and vegetable dish). Lots of people say you can get the best ceviche in the whole country there, so if that is your thing, you should definitely try it when there.
Piura doesn't cater much for the backpacker scene, so there are not many Piura, Peru hostels around. If you are looking for a typical backpacker hostel in Piura, Peru, your options may be limited and located somewhat far from the city centre. Most of the other hostels in Piura, Peru, are more hotel-type accommodations and can be found around the centre of the city, near Plaza de Armas.
Written by local expertz for Piura
Moonika
