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Until the early part of this century, CHIMBOTE - 25km beyond the turn-off to Panamarca - was a quiet fishing port and popular honeymoon spot. Now, it's a busy, modern city, rather ugly and characterized by the stench of fish, and with little of interest for tourists. Its sprawling development, which constitutes the country's most spectacular urban growth outside Lima, was stimulated by the Chimbote-Huallanca rail line (built in 1922), a nearby hydroelectric plant, and by government planning for an anticipated boom in the anchovy and tuna fishing industry. The population grew rapidly from 5000 in 1940 to 60,000 in 1961 (swollen by squatter settlers from the mountains), nearly tripling in the next decade to an incredible 159,000 - making it Peru's fifth-largest city, despite the destruction of nearly every building during the 1970 earthquake. Chimbote has more than thirty fish-packing factories, boasting some of the world's most modern canning equipment. Unfortunately the fishing industry has been undergoing a crisis since the early 1970s - overfishing and El Nino have led to bans and strict catch limits for the fishermen. However, more than 75 percent of Peru's fishing-related activity continues to take place here
Trujillo Huaraz via Cañon del PatoMichael White & Clara Bravo says "The only terminal terrestre for all buses 5km south of Chimbote, means you can take a 6am bus from Trujillo in time for the 8.30am Turismo Huaraz bus up the Cañon del Pato to Caraz & Huaraz, or return, without having to enter the City of Chimbote. www.xanga.com/TurismoHuaraz"
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