Chimbote
Peru · Americas
About Chimbote
Chimbote [tʃimˈbote]; Quechua: Chimputi) is a city in northwestern Peru. It is the largest city in the Ancash Region and the tenth most populous in Peru. With a population of 425,367 in 2017, it is the capital of both Santa Province and Chimbote District. The city has an altitude of 4 meters.
The city is located on the coast in Ferrol Bay, 130 km south of Trujillo and 420 kilometers (260 mi) north of Lima on the North Pan-American highway. It is the start of a chain of important cities on the Peruvian north coast like Trujillo, Chiclayo and Piura. The advantages of this geographic location made Chimbote into a transshipment junction for the Santa River valley. The city is the second most important port city after Callao.
In the book Chimbote Through History (1969), José Gutiérrez and Demetrio Ramos refer to the verb chimbar, a Quechuan word, without delving into the etymology. According to the American linguist Gary Parker (1976), tsimpay means "to cross a river" in Ancashino Quechua, and the voicing of /p/ in the vicinity of /-m/ in syllabic coda position is known for Quechua, but remains in the transformation of /a/ into "o", anomalous, like the same addition of...
Chimbote travel guide
Getting there
Chimbote has a modern bus 'Terminal Terrestre' 5 km south of the city. The best lines from Lima are Linea, Cruz del Sur and CIVA, with reclining seats and clean services. A cheaper option is Tres Estrellas.
Getting around
It is not necessary to leave the 'Terminal Terrestre' to change buses. You need a taxi if you have to go into the City (US$2).
See
There's a fish cannery in the town, and unfortunately, the whole place smells like it.
Sleep
Hotel Chimu (Ex Tourist Hotel). On the Plaza 28 de Julio, near the boardwalk. The best hotel in town, it costs around US$60 a night. Hotel Antonio's, 7th block of Av. Bolognesi. Hotel Felipe, located on Pardo in front of the Plaza de Armas.
Go next
Chimbote has a modern bus 'Terminal Terrestre' 5km south of the city. There are frequent buses north & south along the Panamerican Highway. Day buses go to Huaraz via the spectacular Cañon_del_ Pato & Caraz at 08:00 with Turismo Huaraz, or via Casma & Callán Pass, & mainly night buses go via the paved road to Pativilca. You can catch a 06:00 Transportes Linea bus from Trujillo to catch the 08:00 bus from Chimbote up the spectacular Cañon del Pato to Huaraz in the day with TurismoHuaraz.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.