Having finally left Montanita Cabanas my next stop was Mancora, Peru for some more surfing goodness at one of the best left hand point breaks in the world.
After speaking to some fellow surfers Loki Hostel was recommended to me – so I promptly pinged off an email and reserved a room.
On checking in I was immediately stoked with the decision, the entire place looks more like a hotel than hostel and I’d put it on par with Gilligans in Cairns (one of my top 5 hostels worldwide).
The staff were friendly and showed me to my 6 bed dorm which was surprisingly spacious, clean and comfortable. Each bed comes with its own personal locker and they even had the genius plan of putting the power points inside them – so you can safely charge all your stuff whilst swimming in the massive pool during the day!
Location wise it’s slap on the beach, and the end of the bar provides a great spot to check the surf from. If for any reason you actually need to leave the facilities or just fancy a look around town is only a couple minutes stroll away.
There’s an on site bar and restaurant which is great value for money – beers start from 6soles (around £1.50) and a rum and coke will set you back the same. As with any backpacker bar there’s heaps of deals and events going on – from the beer pong championships through to speed dating and it’s a great place to party the night away.
When it comes to food it’s a cut above every other hostels I’ve stayed in – it’s more like fine dinning than backpacker noodles, but it still comes at a price which won’t dent your wallet. I spent my evenings chowing down on tuna steak with rice and stir fried veggies (seriously one of the most delicious meals I’ve eaten on the road!) which is a snip at 15soles (roughly £3.50) which meant I simply ate in house all week.
For the surfers heading here you can rent a board from the associated surf club on the beach front for 10soles (around £2.50) for 2 hours or 20soles for the entire day – and they’re happy to cut you a deal if you rent for longer.
The value for money also extends to the rooms – with a 6 bed dorm coming in at 28soles per night (about £7 inc a basic breakfast) you can’t really complain at all – especially considering what you get for that.
The vibe of the hostel is one of surfing and partying so I loved it from the off. There’s fast wifi throughout, a large pool in the centre of the complex and heaps of space to chill out, watch movies or laze in a hammock – and the staff throughout were brilliant fun.
Safety wise it’s a paying guest only complex, with security so you can relax without too many worries.
Overall this is one of the best hostels I’ve stayed out throughout my travels and it comes highly recommended.
Check out their website, Facebook group or twitter feed for more pics and info on deals and activities.
Value – 4/5
Facilities – 5/5
Cleanliness – 5/5
Atmosphere – 5/5
***I received a complimentary stay at Loki, Mancora – but rest assured that all opinions are honest and my own***
