About Chimbote
It was the settlement city of different cultures as moche, wari, recuay, chimu and inca, in different historical periods. It’s believed that the name comes from the words “muchic, chin and pot”, that put together mean “closed port”. On the begining of the 20th century the district of Chimbote is created, later that the city had grown during the 19th century, due to the port and commercial activities. The already named Puerto Mayor reached the position of biggest production fishing port of the world on the middle of the 20th century. Even nowadays Chimbote stands out for being the seat of the fishing and iron and steel industries of Peru.
-If you travel with your family, visit the Vivero Forestal, located in the Panamericana Norte. It’s a beautiful and calm place where you will find lagoons, gardens, animals and adventure games. You will also have the chance of horse riding and playing football.-If you wish to go for a walk, we recommend you the Boulevard Isla Blanca, a quiet place where you will appreciate sculptures on marble, coloured fountains and special areas for children; you will have also the viewpoint (Mirador), just at 15 minutes from Chimbote center, close to the tunnel Coishco.-The Cerro de la Juventud is a stop nearly obligatory. There you can find the Cruz de la Paz that measures about 26 meters and gives light to all Chimbote; the catacombs, the Plaza del Niño and the Santuario del Señor de la Vida.Chimbote is not a very big city, so you can move around by foot during the day. If you need to go out of the city limits to get to know other tourist attractions, the best option will be to take a taxi or a “colectivo” (a shared taxi). The collectors of the colectivos can help you if you don’t know very well where you are going to, the same as the people on the streets. Don’t frighten to ask, the locals are very nice.As an industrial city, characterized for its fishing production and factories, Chimbote must always struggle with the pollution of the environment, which can be seen on the dark of the sea and the smell of the air streams (due to the factories, where the fish flour is processed). Be cautious to carry your personal objects and try to have always coins on the hand to avoid putting out your wallet, considering that the streets, as in many commercial cities, can present risks. Don’t forget to bring a windbreak clothing, sunglasses and sun cream.
Chimbote, the capital of the Nueva Provincia de Santa is a port city of high commercial and industrial activity. Its recent history tell us that on the 20th century Chimbote was the first place of the fishing ports around the world. The city of Chimbote has a variety of tourism attractions: el Cerro de la Juventud, the Iglesia Catacumbas, the Museo de San Pedrito Pescador (a ship transformed and adapted to be a museum) and the Cerro Calaveras, a tourism viewpoint located at 100 meters of altitude. The Blanca Island is placed at 3 mi (5 km) from the coast, and it constitutes an ecological and tourist reserve shaped by a mountain that has no vegetation.
To have a drink
You can find amusement for sure if you go to the main nightclubs of Chimbote. If you look for something more quiet, you can have drinks at the bars of the hotels, with your friends or partner.
Ozone Latin Bar
Location: 150, Jr. Enrique Palacios
As the name shows, in this nightclub the parties come with latin music. The drinks menu is standard, but it’s not too bad. Just to cheer up the night and put your best foot forward.
Karma Club
Hours: saturdays and sundays from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.
Location: 229, Jr. Malecón Grau
One of the crowdest nightclubs by locals and visitors. The music genres are varied, by the resident DJ. Ideal to go dancing and have fun with your friends.
View More
Venecia Restaurant
Location: 386, Jr. Bolognesi
Hours: from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Price: 12 soles and up
At this traditional restaurant you will find plates made of meat and fish, well served and with the best attention. The menu is assorted and includes typical dishes from Chimbote and Peru, and even other plates worldwide. Ask for the “lomo saltado de polendas” (a plate with meat pieces, rice, tomato and chips), it’s one of the most delicious in Peru.
Hotel Chifa Canton
Location: 495, Av. Bolognesi
Hours: from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
At this restaurant the food is a fusion between chinese and peruvian traditions and you will taste plates as “arroz chaufa” (a dish based on rice, hot dog, egg, chickena and some other ingredients), very demanded by locals and visitors.
Mar y Luna Restaurant
Location: 104, Jr. Villavicencio
It’s a welcoming atmosphere restaurant and with retro decoration, very frequented due to the menu of fish and shellfish. The most popular plate is the “ceviche en crema de rocoto”, a spicy temptation that you sholudn’t miss! The ceviche in this case is served in a large pepper cream.
Paola’s restaurant
Location: 401, Jr. Bolognesi
Hours: from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Price: 2-4 soles
It’s characterized for the sandwiches and ice-cream sale. It’s to eat light and at low-cost.
Mashka Restaurant
Location: 566, Av. José Olaya, Chimbote
Hours: day and night
The restaurant is perfectfor having dinner, due to its nice and quiet atmosphere. The attention to the dinners is excellent and the plates are generous. There is typical and varied food for all the palates at this appealing restaurant, to think about it!
View More
Museum of San Pedrito Pescador
Location: it’s located in the recreational center of Vivero Forestal.
It’s a fishing boat adapted to be a museum, with the purpose of being a tourism and education focal point.
Cerro de la Juventud
Location: at the north from the center of the city
It’s also known as Cerro de la Paz and it’s where the Easter via crucis takes place. It’s very visited due to the numerous attractions as the Catacombs church, a representation of the Jesus birthday and the Cross that lights up the Chimbote province, among others.
View More
Beaches and adventure:
Chimbote has beautiful beaches as Tortugas, where you can practice kayak, diving, sandboard and mountain bike. You also have Caleta Colorada, the first nudist beach of Peru, Tamborero, Corralones, Canaco, Gramita, El Huaro, El Dorado, Alconcillo and Vesique. You must choose!
Natural paradises:
Isla Blanca is an ecological and touristic reserve formed by a mountain without vegetation, part of the islands of Bahía. Its name comes from the white colour of the island, due to the guano of the birds that live there as pelicans and seagulls.
Archaeology and history:
The mochica presence in the area is tangible in several archaeological complexes of Chimbote. Sechín is the most famous, close to 5000 years of antiquity. It was a ceremonial center with an underground center gallery, 5 buildings and a semi-sunken square.Another place to visit is the Castillo de Santa, a moche construction made of mud, located at 30 minutes from the city of Chimbote.
View More
Typical dishes
The plates of Chimbote are unique and have such a great flavour, that even Gastón Acurio (the emblematic Peruvian chef ) has praised and recommended them. Some of them are the following:
El jugoso
It’s a plate made of “sudado de pescado” (fish with sauce), seasoned with tomato, onion, cornflour and garlic. It comes with mixed soup with “chicha” (purple maize). One of the vegetable soup that you can’t miss on your food list.
Ceviche
The preparation of ceviche in Chimbote is different from other coastal provinces; in Chimbote is used the red coloured chili pepper as dressing. You can find it in most of the restaurants of the city, in roadside stands and the traditional market stands.
Caldo de jeta
The name comes from the main ingredient, tha face of the cow. It’s cooked with husked wheat, potatoes and menthe, and is served with aromatique herbs as parsley and coriander. It’s popular among the locals because it has a great caloric value that gets up the deads and it’s ideal after a “tranca” (drinks and party night).
Causa de pescado
It’s the favourite plate served at the sportive events and floklore festivals. It’s prepared with mackerel, onion, boiled manioc, chili pepper and and other seasonings. It’s served wrapped in a banana leaf. This plate will conquer your palate from the beginning!
View More
There is no train nowadays to Chimbote. In 1876 there was a train, which transported cargo and passengers, that covered the route Chimbote-Tablones-Huallanca, which covered the distance of 105,6 mi (170 km), but after the earthquake of 1970, it was completely abandoned.
The distance from Lima to Chimbote in a straight line is 260,4 mi (419 km). The airport Teniente FAP Jaime Montreuil Morales serves to the city of Chimbote. The main origin cities whose airports have flights to this destination are Piura, Lima and Arequipa. Some of the airlines that fly frequently to Chimbote are LCPeru, Avianca, Peruvian airlines and Latam airlines.
There are six cities from where you can travel by bus to Chimbote: Huaraz, Huaura, Tarapoto, Trujillo, Tumbes y Lima.The distance from Lima to Chimbote is 266 mi (428 km), that going on the highway take about 6 hours by bus. The terrestrial transportation companies which cover this route are Oltursa, Excluciva, Linea, Tepsa, Civa and Turismo Dias, which provide the route with bus tickets from 30 to 100 soles, for the different proposed services.