Chala, Perú

2024/04/21

Chala, Perú, has a population of around 10,000. The city was established in 1857 but its founding hasn't been well-documented. and this area has been inhabited much further back, by the Incas. Chala is a busy fishing port, as you can see in the photos in the photo album.

As for any pre-Inca presence, there's very little information about pre-Inca inhabitants in the Chala area. However, there are the nearby Inca ruins of Puerto Inca, so there's a possibility of earlier cultures residing here. The Puerto Inca ruins, some 80 kilometers north of Chala, indicate the area held significance for the Inca Empire. Historians believe it might have been a resting spot or retreat for Inca royalty seeking the coastal warmth. The climate typically sees an average afternoon high of 23° C (73° F) and an average nightly low of 16° C (61° F). This is also a coastal desert area that is very dry all year round.

So, should you put Chala on your list of must-see places in Perú? No. It's a town to stop in for a bite to eat. The fresh-from-the-sea fish, especially the Corvina, is delicious.