Piura and Tumbes: between whales and mangroves there is a whole world to explore

At the beginning of 2023, northern regions such as Tumbes and Piura were the most affected by Cyclone Yaku and El Niño Costero. The increase in dengue cases and the plague of crickets that followed climatic events increased people’s fear of visiting these areas. However, at this time of year, both destinations have a unique offer for tourists, national and foreign, who are looking for something more than sun, beach and sand.

whales in sight

The tour starts on the beach The organs, Piura. Equipped with life jackets, a boat takes us out to sea, almost 2 kilometers from the shore. The objective: to observe the humpback whales.

It may seem simple, since they are animals that measure an average of 15 meters long —like a three-story house— and weigh about 30 tons; however, seeing them demands a great capacity for waiting and attention.

Whales come to the Peruvian sea from Antarctica in order to reproduce and raise their calves. From the boat one does not know when they will jump or if they will, but that does not detract one degree from the excitement and amazement that one feels when seeing one of these creatures swim nearby and show their tail when they submerge.

“There is a very high possibility of doing whale watching in the north of the country and when the whale jumps it is a privilege. It is not an experience that everyone can have”, affirms Javier Fernández, specialized guide of Veleritos Tours.

In the course of two hours we were able to see more than three cetaceans, and one of them with its calf. They show their backs a couple of times and then dive several meters. They can stay at that depth for about eight minutes, but they won’t come out of the same place. These marine giants feed mainly on plankton and small fish.

On the return, from the dock you can identify various species of birds such as pelicans and blue-footed boobies mixed among the artisanal fishing sails on the horizon complete the landscape.

The water these days has an ideal temperature for swimming with the sea turtles, a quite friendly and peaceful species that can even be photographed, although they cannot and should not be touched as they have a delicate surface.

The equipment, transfer, in addition to underwater photography has a cost of S/120 per person. After spending a morning among whales and turtles, the ideal is to go for lunch at a local restaurant to taste a grouper or sea bass ceviche, with the right touch of lemon and salt, as they usually prepare in these lands.

Whales transit more frequently through the beaches of El Ñuro, Máncora, Cabo Blanco, Los Órganos and Punta Sal, between July and October, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Foreign Trade (Mincetur).

A forest facing the sea

We continue north and arrive at the district of Zorritos, Tumbes. At kilometer 228 of the Pan-American highway, is the Private Conservation Area (ACP) Amotape Dry Forestwhich has more than 123 hectares and is home to 79 species of birds such as the frigate, the chilalo, the hummingbird and the white magpie, as well as the rufous tufted that is in a “vulnerable” threat status.

The flora is also varied, there are carob trees, zapote, charán, overo, hualtaco, among others. It is an ideal place to go trekking and take pictures, but above all to learn the importance of conserving ecosystems like these that little by little have been depredated. Carob trees are in great demand to make charcoal that is used for grilled chicken, for example, and the problem with this use is that those who cut down do not worry about planting new seeds, which could make their extraction unsustainable.

In the nineties the area was a dump. The Changs bought the land with the intention of having a place of retirement and spending their retirement years. While they were cleaning and reforesting it, Javier realized that new birds began to arrive, so his goal turned to recovering a space that seemed lost.

The El Niño rains of 1997 contributed to the fact that everything planted bears fruit, according to Susana, the daughter of the couple who today is in charge with sincere enthusiasm of educating the people who visit the ACP about the importance of caring for this ecosystem and being responsible consumers.

“You can really make the change you want to see in the world, but it is continuous and dedicated work, in this case, over 25 years caring for and reforesting the area,” he says.

Visits can be made in any month of the year and tickets cost S/15 per adult and S/10 per child, prior reservation through its website. There are also bird banding sessions twice a month.

Where Peru begins: Punta Capones

And this route ends at the beginning, on the first beach in Peru: Punta Capones, on the border with Ecuador. To get there, we entered the Tumbes Mangroves National Sanctuary through the Zarumilla district, which from January to June has received a total of 948 visits, 29% less than in 2022.

This protected natural area is the only place that concentrates the largest extension of mangroves in the country, which is a forest that emerges from a flooded surface. Here, instead of the water flowing into the sea, it happens the other way around. Salt water enters and mixes with fresh water in the cracks and channels that have formed over the years.

The first thing that attracts attention are the mangroves, trees with roots that stick out of the ground like tentacles and are a sample of how they have transformed to survive.

We embark again to go through the canals where there are also local artisanal fishermen. The resources that are usually caught are mullet, parboi and grouper, both for family consumption and for sale. But as in most of the coast, the predation of species and climate change is affecting the availability of these resources.

Other species found here are the black shells and the red crabs that a few years ago were at risk of disappearing. To maintain their population, extractors follow certain rules. In the case of crabs, per person you can capture a maximum of 96 male crabs; In addition, two closed seasons are respected a year, January-February and August-September.

In the case of black shells, a maximum of 200 are caught and the season is closed between January and March. In this way, the reproduction of the species that are the economic livelihood of more than 200 families in the area is ensured, in addition to preserving a practice that comes from generation to generation.

We make a stop to meet Víctor Hugo Sandoval, who carefully walks over the roots of the mangroves with his eyes on the ground trying to identify the little mud houses that make up the crabs.

“My work comes from my ancestors, I inherited this knowledge from my father, I liked the work of extracting shellfish and it is also the livelihood to take a plate of food home”, he tells us.

We sail for another 40 minutes to reach Punta Capones, which is considered the first beach in Peru. Already on the mainland it is observed as if the water had a division, the green water on one side and turquoise in front. The ideal is to bring provisions to eat and enjoy the isolation.

From time to time you can see dolphins or sea lions, which appear as if waving. The island, temporary home to a flock of pelicans, can be covered on foot in an hour. The most difficult part of this tour, without a doubt, is the farewell.

Routes like this can be found on Promperú’s Y tu qué plans? platform, where more than 300 companies in the sector offer their services nationwide.

More than 50,000 attend Peru Mucho Gusto

The gastronomic fair “Perú Mucho Gusto” held from August 11 to 13 in Tumbes summoned more than 50,000 visitors.

National and international tourists enjoyed dishes, products and the tourist offer of 53 exhibitors from the coast, mountains and jungle.

Around 58,000 dishes were sold for the equivalent of S/440,000.

The fair was organized by Promperú with the support of the Regional Government and the Provincial Municipality of Tumbes.

The following fairs will be held in Tacna and Lima, in September and November respectively.

The numbers

• S/18 million is the economic impact that whale watching will generate this 2023, according to Mincetur.
• 89.4% of the total number of observers will be of national origin.