Why Mollendo
Mollendo is a coastal town on the Pacific Ocean in southern Peru, located within the Arequipa Region. It serves as the administrative capital for both Islay Province and Mollendo District. Historically, it was the principal port on the southern Peruvian coast and a major hub for the guano trade between 1830 and 1880. Following the mid-20th-century establishment of nearby Matarani, situated 12 kilometers to the north, commercial maritime traffic shifted away due to the deterioration of the original harbor. Today, Mollendo's older port facilities serve local fishermen.
The area features a rich background dating back to the Inca period. Around 1300, the Inca ruler Mayta Cápac brought the region under imperial control, followed by coastal conquests led by generals under Cápac Yupanqui and Sinchi Rocca. The nearby Tambo Valley served as a strategic supply depot for Inca Yawar Waqaq during military campaigns toward Atacama. Early inhabitants of the coastline included tribes such as the Tampus, Chullis, and Changos, while linguistic influences from the Kauiqui and Puquina languages contributed to local place names ending in suffixes like "endo."
In March 1880, during the War of the Pacific, Chilean forces commanded by Colonel Orozimbo Barbosa invaded Mollendo. Chilean Marines landed without resistance, overwhelming a small garrison of 100 Peruvian defenders stationed in cannonless forts. After destroying rail tracks near Mejia to disrupt reinforcements from Arequipa, the occupation ended, leaving a significant mark on the town's history. The Peruvian Navy later commemorated the municipality by naming vessels BAP Mollendo.
The primary attraction in modern Mollendo is its coastal beaches, despite the presence of the Humboldt Current bringing cold Antarctic waters to the shore. During the summer months from December to April, the town's population more than doubles as visitors from Arequipa arrive for weekend getaways and seasonal vacations. Local economic activities include wool exports alongside manufacturing industries that produce cement, textiles, cheese, and canned fish.
Travel to Mollendo is facilitated by a roadway linking the town to the Panamerican Highway. Standard gauge track operated by the Southern Railway of Peru connects the area to Cuzco and Puno, offering a seasonal summer express passenger service from Arequipa on Saturdays with a return on Sundays. The town is also served by the small civilian Mollendo Airport and is noted as the residence of Maoist leader Abimael Guzmán.
01 Weather
71°
62°
76°
64°
☔ 20% 
70°
62°
69°
63°
70°
61°
64°
62°