Huanchaco facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Huanchaco
From top and left to right: View of Huanchaco beach, Dish of cebiche, Huanchaco pier, Saveguard in Caballito de Totora, Tumi: Chimu work, Chan Chan: Chimu capital, Park in Huanchaco, Night view of the pier, Swamps of Huanchaco, Navegator Chimu in a Caballito de Totora, Surfers in Huanchaco, Wall in Chan Chan
Huanchaco Location in Peru
Country	Peru
Region	La Libertad Region
Province	Trujillo
District	Huanchaco
Established	Mochica in Pre-Columbian era Spanish: January 1, 1535 by fray Alonso de Escarcena and Juan de Barbaran.
Elevation	13 m (43 ft)
Population  (2017)
• Urban	71,379
• Demonym	huanchaquino(a) huanchaqueño(a)
Time zone	UTC-5 (PET)
Website	Municipality of Huanchaco

Huanchaco is a popular beach town in Trujillo Province, Peru. It is famous for its great surf waves, its special reed boats called caballitos de totora, and its delicious seafood dish, ceviche. Huanchaco is also very close to the ancient ruins of Chan Chan.

In 2012, Huanchaco was named a World Surfing Reserve by the Save The Waves Coalition. This historic town is also part of a special travel route called the "Moche Route" or "Ruta Moche."

History of Huanchaco

Ancient Times

The first people in Huanchaco were local fishermen. They believed in the moon and a golden fish named Huaca Taska. Some people think the name "Huanchaco" comes from "Gua-Kocha," a Quechua word meaning "beautiful lake."

From 800 to 1400 AD, during the time of the Chimú culture, Huanchaco was the main port for Chan Chan. Chan Chan was a big city located about 4 kilometers away. Huanchaco was also an important port during the Moche period. The famous writer Inca Garcilaso de la Vega said it was the favorite port of the Incas.

Archaeologists found something very interesting in Huanchaco. In 2011, a team led by Gabriel Prieto discovered the remains of more than 140 children and 200 llamas. These findings date back to the Chimú culture. Researchers believe these were part of a large ancient ceremony. The children and llamas might have been offered to their gods during a time when the area was very wet. This shows how different ancient beliefs were from ours today.

Colonial Times

After the Spanish arrived in 1534, the town of Huanchaco was officially founded on January 1, 1535. It was started by a friar named Alonso of Escarcena and Juan de Barbaran.

For a long time, Huanchaco was the main port for the city of Trujillo. But in 1870, the port closed. About 20 years later, a person named Victor Larco Herrera rebuilt the pier. This new pier was used only for shipping sugar from nearby farms.

Where Ceviche Began

Many people believe that Huanchaco is the birthplace of ceviche, a famous seafood dish. A researcher named Andrés Tinoco Rondan from Ricardo Palma University supports this idea. Old stories say that ceviche was first made here using lemons from a nearby village called Simbal. It also used chili from the Moche River valley and seaweed from the ocean.

When you eat ceviche in Huanchaco, it is often served with a special seaweed called cochayuyo or mococho. This seaweed is collected right from the shores of Huanchaco.

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  A typical dish of ceviche in Huanchaco. It is considered a National Cultural Heritage by the Peruvian government.

Fun Things to Do in Huanchaco

Huanchaco is a popular spot for tourists, especially surfers. Many surf events happen here, including the important Huanchaco Longboard competition every January. Other cool places to visit nearby include Chan Chan, the sacred Mount Campana, and Pampas de Gramalote, where people go for spiritual experiences.

Surfing in Huanchaco

In 2012, Huanchaco became a World Surfing Reserve. This was the first time a town in Latin America received this honor, and it was only the fifth in the world. Huanchaco is special because it has consistent, smooth waves. It's also known as the home of the Caballito de totora boat. These reed boats are thought to be one of the first types of surfboards ever used! Huanchaco's beaches are great for surfing because they get waves from all directions.

The Huanchaco Longboard World Championships is a big surfing contest. It has been held since 2010 at El Elio Beach in Huanchaco. Surfers from many different countries come to compete in this event.

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  Surfing in a caballito de totora in Huanchaco.

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  A group of surfers in Huanchaco.

Sandboarding Adventures

If you like adventure, you can try sandboarding! The sand dunes near the town of Laredo, which is close to Trujillo, are a popular place for this fun activity.

The Swamps of Huanchaco

Swamps of Huanchaco is an ecological Chimu reserve, about 14 km northwest of the historic center of Trujillo city, Peru. From this ecological reserve, the ancient mochica extracted the raw material for the manufacture of the ancient Caballitos de totora used since the time of the Moche for fishing.

The Swamps of Huanchaco, also known as Wetlands of Huanchaco, is a special ecological area. It is located right on Huanchaco Beach, about 14 kilometers northwest of Trujillo city. This reserve is important because the ancient Mochica people got the materials here to make their Caballitos de totora boats. They used these boats for fishing a very long time ago. Even today, fishermen in Huanchaco still use materials from these swamps to build their traditional boats.

Festivals and Celebrations

• Carnival of Huanchaco: This fun carnival has been happening since the early 1900s. It started with villagers copying the famous Venetian Carnival. Now, the Club Huanchaco organizes it. There are many activities like crowning a queen, surf contests, a luau party, sand sculpture contests, and a big carnival parade. In 2012, the parade was held on February 25.
• San Pedro: This festival celebrates San Pedro, who is the patron saint of fishermen. He is also called "San Pedrito." In Huanchaco, they make a traditional "Patacho," which is a giant reed horse. This festival is celebrated in June.

See also

In Spanish: Huanchaco para niños