Puerto Etén

North Coast


Sporting a pleasant malecón (boardwalk), a long, honey-brown beach and slightly muddied waters, this little village is just 20 minutes from Chiclayo. There's a handful of beach-view seafood joints, pretty Republican-era architecture and a few hotels. It's slower than nearby Pimentel, but tourism is beginning to pick up here and new hotels and restaurants are starting to appear.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby North Coast attractions

1. Santa Rosa

4.93 MILES

A more modern set of ruins than the nearby pre-Hispanic sites, this rough, dilapidated fishing village is organic, pungent, powerful and quite entrancing…

2. Pimentel

7.9 MILES

The poshest of the beach towns near Chiclayo, Pimentel has a long pier, a broad malecón (boardwalk) fronted by high-end, glassed-in houses, and the nicest…

3. Paseo de las Musas

10.49 MILES

This pleasant, narrow city park, a short walk south of the main plaza, showcases classical-style statues of mythological figures.

4. Cathedral

11.08 MILES

This cathedral was built in the late 19th century. In contrast the Plaza de Armas (Parque Principal) wasn’t inaugurated until 1916, which gives an idea of…

5. Mercado Modelo

11.44 MILES

This is one of Peru’s most interesting markets, sprawling over several blocks. Most notable for tourists is the mercado de brujos (witch doctors’ market)…

6. Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán

15.65 MILES

Opened in November 2002, the Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipán is the pride of northern Peru – as well it should be. With its burgundy pyramid…

7. Brüning Museum

15.76 MILES

This museum, once the regional archaeological showcase, is now overshadowed by the Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán, but it still houses an excellent…

8. La Casa de Logia

15.89 MILES

La Casa de Logia, a block south of the main plaza, is a crumbling mansion with a 67m-long, 400-year-old balcony, said to be the longest colonial balcony…