Paracas, Peru
12 July 2023
Paracas is often called the poor man’s Galapagos. I guess because there are sea lions and sea birds here. I think that whoever coined this term did Paracas a huge favor because there isn’t a lot going on here.
Indi and I decided on a Peru trip during one of her term breaks. I was able to leave 5 days before Indi. We set Cusco as our meeting place. I decided to take a bus and make stops along the way.
Day 1
- Paracas
- Ballestas Islands
After landing in Lima, I was picked up by PeruHop. I had bought a ticket with them before my arrival. It’s a hop-on/off bus service for tourists. It simplifies the bus travel experience, so I gave it a try. The bus picked up other passengers and set off for my first destination, Paracas.
Soon, we left Lima. We stopped at a restaurant on the way to Paracas. It was a little gimmicky, and the sandwich was just alright. I love me some Inca Kola, though.
The ride from Lima wound down the coast, and before long I was stepping off in this small, dusty beach town in the desert.
Paracas
The town of Paracas itself is tiny and stretches along the coast of a desert landscape. There isn’t a huge amount to see, but I walked around the streets, stopped in a couple of local grocery-type shops, and grabbed a cheap meal at a local place. It came with juice, soup, chicken, rice, and a little salad. While I love Peruvian food, this particular meal wasn’t the best and ended up making me a bit sick later.
Ballestas Islands Boat Tour
In the afternoon, it was time for the tour. I boarded a speedboat full of about 30 people at the marina. A penguin was swimming around the marina! We headed out toward the Ballestas Islands, a group of small islands offshore.
Our first stop was at the Candelabro de Paracas, an ancient geoglyph surrounded by local lore. It may date back to 200BC.
We arrived at the islands, which were rocky and devoid of any plant life. They were covered in birds and guano. The islands were important for harvesting guano. I’m not sure if they still do it.
We saw sea lions in the water and on the rocks. The water was a striking shade of green, despite the overcast skies. It wasn’t mind-blowing, but it was a cool afternoon on the water.
After the boat tour, I headed to my hostel for the night. I was lucky to have the whole room to myself in a four-person bunk setup at Hotel Residencial Los Frailes. It was a simple place to sleep, but comfortable and quiet enough to rest up before the next day’s adventures. It’s been 2.5 years, so I’m not sure, but I think this was the first hostel I ever stayed in.
Day 2
- La Catedral & Playa Supay
- Playa Roja
The next morning, PeruHop picked me up, and we drove into the Paracas National Reserve. Before leaving town, I grabbed a couple of passionfruits from a local shop to eat on the way. The bus took us along the coast, and suddenly we were at a striking desert-meets-ocean landscape that felt almost like another planet.
La Catedral & Playa Supay
Our first stop in the reserve was near La Catedral, the old rock formation that used to stand like a massive sea arch before part of it collapsed in a 2007 earthquake. I don’t actually have a photo. Nearby was Playa Supay, a rugged stretch of grey sand below steep, sheer yellow cliffs.
Playa Roja
Our next stop was Playa Roja, or “Red Beach,” known for its striking reddish sand. We stopped up the hill and walked up a rise for a good view. After that, the bus took us to the other side of the beach to get closer. To date, this is one of the most alien landscapes I have personally seen.
Passengers boarded the bus, and we set off for our next stop – a desert oasis called Huacachina.
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