The caballito de totora is a narrow, spindle-shaped boat made from bundled totora reeds, used by fishermen at Huanchaco since at least the time of the Moche culture 2,000 years ago. The name — "little horse of the reed" — refers to the way the fisherman kneels or crouches on the boat and appears to ride it like a horse through the waves.
Fishermen still build these boats by hand using reeds gathered from the wetlands north of Trujillo, and still use them to work the surf in the early morning. You can watch the daily ritual of launching and returning at Huanchaco beach. The boats deteriorate quickly — they become waterlogged after a few months and must be replaced — so each one you see is relatively new, yet made according to a tradition thousands of years old.
Some fishermen offer short rides for a fee.