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Lima: People Hit The Beaches - Best Peru Beaches
North Of Lima
El Faraón
North of Lima lie several reasonable beaches, one of which is La Isla, at Kilometer 190 of the Panamerican Highway, near the town of Puerto Supe, where the Nroad heads for the sea until it reaches a long, solitary beach. Some call it El Faraón (The Pharaoh), as close to shore to lies an island that looks a bit like Egyptian pyramids. Visitors often swim the 35 meters to the island, as a lagoon has formed on the sea-ward shore, where one can swim hidden from intruding eyes. To enjoy the local gastronomy, one has to » make it out to Supe, the town, where one can try excellent seafood dishes like ceviches,
jaleas and parihuelas as well as tamales -corn-mash and chicken pastries.
Caleta Vidal
Located 180 kilometers north of Lima, this town is really three fishing villages in one: Playa Grande, a rough beach ideal for surfing; Playa Chica, with smaller waves and fine sand, where most visitors go; and Los Botes, a shallow pool which is great for children and beginners at swimming. Near the sea lie orchards of apple and orange trees as well as local fruit like granadillas and pacaes.
La Albufera de Medio Mundo
A hundred meters in from a sea of white-crested waves lies the 6-kilometer-long lagoon known as the Albufera de Medio Mundo (Almost Everybody s Lagoon -Kilometer 175). One can rent boats and go angling for carp and other fish or go birdwatching -there are 56 species living here.
El Paraíso
Similar to the Albufera, El Paraíso (Kilometer 145) consists of two lagoons formed 20 years ago by nearby irrigation. There are even more birds to be found here (swifts, ducks, seagulls and flamingoes) and the beach is a combination of fine sand and blue sea that blends well with the dense foliage surrounding the lagoons. One can either camp on the beach or stay at some hotel in Huacho (Kilometer 150).
Ancón
Located at Kilometer 38, has a promenade which winds past old wooden mansions beside modern buildings. This resort has an site museum, an old train station and a pier that serves traditional ceviches. Those in search of quieter beaches can visit San Francisco Chico (within walking distance), San Francisco Grande (by boat rented at the pier) or the neighboring resort of Santa Rosa (by car).
South of Lima
El Silencio
Most of the country s resorts are squeezed between Lima and Cerro Azul, 135 kilometers further south. These include El Silencio, a half an hour s drive from Lima past the pre-Columbian Pacha-cámac temple and the island of La Ballena (The Whale). A dirt road leads down to this U-shaped beach, with conveniently coarse sand (it doesn t stick to the skin) and milky waten plenty of parking space and restaurants. The houses in this case are perched on a cliff above the beach.
Punta Hermosa, Punta Negra and San Bartolo
The other resorts are similar in architectural terms, but with some topological variations: Punta Hermosa has three beaches and a small island out front; Punta Negra, an open beach where swimmers should be careful; and San Bartolo, where the ocean floor is rocky. The three beaches have a good selection of hostels and restaurants, and are ideal for all sorts of watersports.
Santa María and Pucusana
This resort is a more up-market, with buildings perched on clifftops and narrow beaches with little sand. Pucusana, a resort and fishing village, has an impressive 50-meter channel carved into the rock, a canal called Devil s Mouth for the way the waves come roaring down it.
Chilca
The town of Chilca and its fig tree groves can be found at Kilometer 67, where after driving down a dusty road one arrives at the impeccable beach of Naves.
Las Salinas and Yaya
Right after Chilca lie the three muddy lagoons of Las Salinas (La Encantada, Mellicera and Milagrosa), which are supposed to have medicinal qualities. Those in search of saltwater however; will doubtless prefer Yaya, a beach bathed by curling waves and teeming with clams.
Bujama, Chocaya and Chepeconde
Near the town of Mala (Kilometer 100), which is famous for its chicharrones (thick pork fritters) and tamales, there are two beaches good for swimming: Bujama, a beautiful resort, and Chocaya, where the sea is exceedingly calm and the beaches filled with plantlife.A little further south at Kilometer I 19.5 is Chepeconde, with cliffs surging out into the sea and mysterious caves that link up inside.
Cerro Azul
This was a prosperous port until May I, 1971, when the Greek ship Chrysovaldonov was the last to dock there. The old pier still remains, a mute witness of those times, but used today only by fishermen and surfers. Cerro Azul (literally Blue Hill) has a varied selection hostels and restaurants. Above the town looms the Centinela hill which runsdown to the sea like a second pier Its hillsides are still dotted with pre-Hispanic ruins, that according to Spanish historian Pedro Cieza de León were a light green color but seemed blue from the sea, which is how the town got its name.
By Alvaro Rocha