Three hours South of Lima and down the coast, lies Paracas. Google the word Paracas and the images won’t be as imposing as some of the other places on the sea that you might have been to, or seen pictures of. Paracas or for that matter the coast of Peru is the most underrated region in its rich geographic and cultural variety.
Talk of Peru and Machu Pichu comes to mind. A lot of tourism in Peru revolves around the Inca dynasty and the past. Since the Andes Mountains is where the Inca’s ruled from, Peru for many starts and ends with the Andes, just as India, for example, goes with Taj Mahal and Rajasthan. Just as India is not only about the desert, so is Peru, not only about the mountains and history that surrounds it.
When should you go to the Machu Pichu?
Avoid going in the busy months of May to September. The dry season corresponds to summer vacations all over the Northern hemisphere, which accounts for more than 70% of Machu Pichu visitors. The shoulder season of April and October is the best time to go to Machu Pichu to avoid the crowds.
Peru is like a triangle with the Andes, the Amazon and the Pacific coast forming the three vertices. Many just do one vertex and head back, then there are the others who complete one line between the Andes and the Amazon. There only a select few who complete the triangle and spend time on its coast. It is not about striking out the coast, it is just the feeling of being complete that comes once the coast is visited. In the coast, Paracas and the Ballestas Island reserve is the most convenient from Lima.
How do you get to Paracas from Lima?
It is not very pocket-friendly if you are a family or a couple wanting to travel to Paracas. A return taxi would cost anywhere between $300 – 500. The smart way to get to Paracas is by Peru’s very efficient bus service. The cost of a return ticket is less than $30 per head and a taxi to any of the resorts cost less than $10.
Once in Paracas, checking into one of the lovely resorts is sort of mandatory. Staying cheap is not an option as it is to travel. The Hacienda Paracas is a hotel we have used over the last 10 years and its standard is at par with any Hilton or Marriott without the feeling of a chain hotel.
When on the trip?
Keep Paracas for the end of your trip to Peru. It is best done after the walking activity in both the Andes and the Amazon.
The Ballestas Islands are mini Galapagos Islands. Take a 3-hour excursion from Hacienda Paracas on a speed boat and you would see some of the best marine life in Peru. The Nasca lines overflight is another popular (not so recommended) activity to do from Pisco, near Paracas.
The coast of Peru and the seafood that it has needs to be mentioned in the same sentence. Today in Paracas we once again enjoyed its main seafood, Scallops. Sometimes on my trip here in South America when I get bored with food (mostly in Argentina), I tell myself, ‘Paracas will be here soon”.
What to eat in Paracas?
Scallops or Conchas done in three ways
- Conchas a la Parmesana (baked in Parmesan cheese with the shell)
- Conchas a la Parilla (grilled with lime and butter)
- Conchas Tiradito (Thinly sliced raw served with lemon juice and corn)
All the other seafood comes second to the above.
The beauty of Paracas half lies in the road that leads to it. The coast of Peru is literally a desert. The rivers from the Andes give life to the surrounding as they flow into the Pacific. As for me, I am just happy to be in Peru.
Enroute to Paracas and a little further
Make sure you stop at Chincha and taste the Creole cuisine in El Batan. Also if you are staying here for two nights which I recommend, then do not forget to go a little further to Ica and the desert oasis of Huacachina.
