Chala

If you're driving along the coast, Chala, with nearby Puerto Inca, is a good place for an afternoon stretch. The coastal village is surrounded by quiet beaches. The shore is lined with hole-in-the-wall restaurants, which lack names but serve enormous plates of fresh-cooked fish. There isn't much here, but after grabbing a bite you can walk along the beach, Playa Grande, or visit the ruins of Puerto Inca.

Informally, the village is now split into two, Chala Sur and Chala Norte. The town isn't large enough to warrant such separation, but the north (Chala Norte) is an older, dodgy part of town, and the south (Chala Sur) is the newer section of town.