The Peruvian Coast: Exploring Lima, Huacachina, and Paracas
Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and tell me the first thing that comes to mind when I say “Peru”. Now let me guess: you thought of Machu Picchu. Fair enough – I thought the same before I starting my research for this trip and realized just how beautifully diverse this country is! Of course Machu Picchu is breathtaking, but let me introduce you to Peru’s more hidden gem: the coast.
Here, you’ll find a desert with an enchanting oasis, islands buzzing with life, and all the pisco you could ever need. Here’s my guide to exploring Lima, Huacachina, and Paracas!
Most people begin their Peruvian adventure in the capital city of Lima. It just works out that way – most international flights arrive to this airport! I’m not much of a big city person, so I was more interested in spending my time elsewhere in Peru. However, Lima is such a vibrant city with incredible food – I recommend spending at least a day or two here!
Go on a Walking Food Tour
One of the best ways to kickstart your time in a new country is with a food tour! You get to learn about their unique cuisines and try delicious food while hearing all about their culture. We did a walking food tour with Exquisito Peru through the colorful neighborhood of Barranco. We were so impressed with the dishes they chose, as well as how knowledgable the guide was about Peru’s history and cultural influences!
Enjoy the Street Art in Barranco
The colorful neighborhood of Barranco is sometimes called the Soho of Peru – it’s just absolutely alive with brightly colored homes, massive murals, and intricate street art. Start your journey through Barranco at Puente de los Suspiros (the Bridge of Sighs). Stand at one end of the bridge, make a wish, then take a deep breath and hold it as you cross the bridge to the other side. Legend says if you do this, your wish will be granted!
After you’ve made your wish, begin wandering through Barranco. You’ll find street art everywhere – and it changes frequently! Take your time strolling through and snapping pics.
Go Shopping in Miraflores
You’ll find plenty of shopping and luxury hotels in Lima’s most upscale neighborhood, Miraflores. I found Miraflores a bit underwhelming in comparison to the vibrant Barranco, but it’s still worth a visit. You’ll find the Costa Verde here – there’s even a beach below! We had quite foggy weather in Lima, but on a sunny day you have beautiful views out over the coast and city.
Lima Eats
MAIDO | Michelen star restaurant that often lands itself in the Top 10 of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants! Serves Nikkei cuisine: a Peruvian Japanese fusion. One of our favorite meals in Peru!
ISOLINA | Also found on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list! Isolina reaches far back into Peruvian history with a number of traditional Peruvian comfort foods. There are some quite adventurous offal dishes on the menu – beef brain, blood stew – but don’t worry, there’s plenty of other options as well!
ALANYA | Comfy little café with delicious coffee and the best empanada I’ve ever had! This was a stop in our food tour, and I would absolutely go back!
AYAUHASCA | Nineteeth century mansion turned restobar, Ayauhasca is one of the most beautiful restaurants in Lima! You’ll find traditional Peruvian dishes here: causa, ceviche, lomo saltado, etc.!
Now, Let's Venture Out...
We booked an absolutely unforgettable trip with Peru Hop, taking us down the southern coast of Peru. We visited Paracas and Ballestas Islands, Huacachina, and Ica! The trip included all of our transportation, tour guides, activities in the Peruvian desert, and a Pisco tasting! Now, let’s get into the details of our incredible time on the coast of Peru:
About four hours south of Lima, we reached our first stop on our tour: Paracas! This little coastal town is best known for the Ballestas Islands, also known as the Galapagos of Peru! Our stop in Paracas was quite short, but here’s a few things to do while you’re there:
Visit the Ballestas Islands
The only way to visit the Ballestas Islands is on a boat tour! Our Peru Hop tour included this for us, but if you’re choosing to travel to the islands by yourself and not on a tour, please note boats only depart at 8:30am and 10:30am! The boat will take you to several islands to spot sea lions, penguins, lots of tropical birds, and sometimes even dolphins! We sadly didn’t see much wildlife there in May, but I’ve read the best time to see the sea lions is in January and February! Many tours also include cruising by the Candelabra, a mysterious geoglpyh carved into the Paracas penisula. It measures over 180m tall and carbon dating places its creation back to about 200 BCE. Similarly to the Nazca lines, we have no idea how it got there (ancient tribes? aliens?)
Explore Paracas National Reserve
There’s a few ways to explore the desert/coastal region of Paracas:
- Take a two hour buggy tour around the reserve!
- See Paracas from the sky on this paragliding adventure!
- Take a bicycle tour around the reserve!
Hang Out at the Beach
Peru definitely isn’t known for its beaches, but there is a pretty big stretch of sand here to spend an afternoon! Kitesurfing is really popular here as well, you can find plenty of rental shops around town offering equipment for about $70 USD/day.
Staying the night?
We didn’t stay the night in Paracas as we were immediately off to Huacachina, but here’s a few places that were recommended:
CASA PARACAS | A simple, affordable, and clean hotel just. a few steps from the beach!
HOTEL PARACAS | A luxury beachfront hotel (with a very affordable price tag).
Ah, finally. We’ve made it to one of my favorite stops in Peru (and actually one of the coolest places I’ve ever visited). Ever seen a movie where a person trapped in the desert stumbles upon a beautiful oasis? Welcome to Huacachina! This oasis is about an hour and a half drive down from Paracas (or five hours if traveling directly from Lima). It’s an absolute must do on your Peru itinerary!
Ride on a Dunebuggy
Adrenaline junkies, do I have your attention? If you want to feel like you’re riding a roller coaster through the desert, you’ve got to hitch a ride on one of these bad boys. This was so exhilarating, all while offering the most insane views over the dunes. Our driver stopped a few times for a photo op, then got right back to driving around like a maniac.
This was included with our Peru Hop tour, but if you’re traveling to Huacachina on your own, here’s a highly rated dune buggy tour!
Go Sandboarding
Most dunebuggy tours will automatically include sand boarding! However, due to liability reasons, you can often only sandboard while lying on your stomach during these tours. If you’re already experienced at sandboarding (or even snowboarding), you can rent sandboarding equipment in town to ride down the dunes on your feet.
PSA: You’re not gonna find a “sand lift” here – if you wanna board down the dunes, you’ll have to climb them or catch a dune buggy up them first. I would also highly recommend a bandana or face covering to prevent sand from getting in your nose and mouth.
Huacachina Eats
Huacachina isn’t exactly known for it’s culinary extravagance, but here’s a few places you can grab a good meal:
NUNA COCINA | Served up a delicious Pisco sour and a pretty good lomo saltado!
WILD OLIVE | Italian food in Peru? One of the most popular restaurants in Huacachina. The pizza was decent, but nothing to write home about.
Staying the Night?
Our Peru Hop tour did have us spending the night here! Similarly to restaurants, the hotels here are definitely not top notch. However, the experience of Huacachina makes it well worth it!
HOTEL EL HUACHINERO | Where we stayed! Nothing fancy, but got the job done. It was quiet, which can’t be said for many accommodations in Huacachina.
BANANA’S ADVENTURE HOSTEL | A party hostel with shared and private rooms. I’ve heard good things about this hostel, so if a party hostel is your vibe definitely book your stay here!
VIAJERO KOKOPELLI HUACACHINA HOSTEL | A good option if you like the idea of a hostel and meeting people, but aren’t as much into the party vibes. Offers private and shared rooms!
We’ve now made it to our last stop on our journey down the Peruvian coast! Now, I wouldn’t make a journey all the way down here just for the town of Ica. However, if you’re already next door in Huacachina, there’s a few things worth popping over to Ica for!
Pisco Tasting
Ica is home to Peru’s signature drink, Pisco! Here, you’ll find plenty of Pisco vineyards offering tours and tastings. We did our tasting at Nietto (included with our Peru Hop tour) and had a blast. The guide was so fun and informative and the Pisco was delicious.
Take a Trip to the Nazca Lines
The Nazca lines are a series of mysterious geoglyphs carved into the desert centuries ago, yet are perfectly preserved. Take a bus to Nazca, then hop on a plane for an incredible aerial view of these fascinating remains.