Mollendo

Mollendo is a town on the Pacific Ocean in southern Peru. It is located in the Arequipa Region and is the capital of both the Islay Province and the Mollendo District. Mollendo was the main port on the Peruvian southern coast until Matarani was developed around the mid-20th century; the port of Mollendo serves fishermen for the local economy and all the commercial shipping is done through Matarani, 12 km to the north, as the old port is in ruins. From about 1830 to 1880 it was a key port in the guano trade.

A railroad used to run passenger trains daily, but a developed highway connects Mollendo to the Panamerican Highway, with the train now only running as a summer express from Arequipa, on Saturday, returning Sunday. The local beaches are the main attraction in the area, even though it is visited by the Humboldt Current that brings cold water from Antarctica. In the summer months, from December to April, the population more than doubles as people from the largest city in the region (Arequipa) use Mollendo and its beaches as a vacation spot, especially on weekends. Mollendo exports wool and has industries producing cement, textiles, canned fish, and cheese. The ships of the Peruvian Navy are named after the town.