# Paracas: The Perfect Seaside Escape on Peru's Coast > Discover Paracas, one of Peru's most beautiful spots that tourists unfairly skip. Beaches, food, and laid-back ocean living. - URL: https://langandtrip.com.ua/en/article/parakas-idealne-mistse/ - Language: en - Published: 2023-10-23 - Categories: Leisure, Restaurants, Beaches, Hotels, Peru, Food & Drinks, Relaxation, Seas & Oceans --- While tens of thousands of travelers head to Peru every year to see famous landmarks like Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and Lima, one of the country's most beautiful and fascinating destinations goes almost completely overlooked by tourists. Paracas, a small coastal town with a population of under 5,000, sits about 150 miles from Lima and is known around the region as "the Hamptons of Peru." Every weekend, hundreds of Limeños, drawn by the promise of sun, sea, and surf, head to the town to unwind on the beach. The town is an intriguing mix of upscale hotels, backpacker hostels, luxury homes, and old-school storefronts, and it ranks among the most appealing and underused places in the area. Packed with wildlife, rugged desert scenery, gorgeous beaches, and a captivating history, Paracas is a worthy addition to any Peru itinerary. ## Something for Everyone ![Aerial view of Paracas on the Peruvian coast](/storage/image/prev/Peru-0-paracas-1024x576.jpg) It's no exaggeration to say that Paracas has something for everyone. A scenic, sun-drenched coastal town with access to one of the most intriguing geoglyphs in the world, it's a gold mine for outdoor adventurers, history buffs, and beach lovers alike. Paracas National Reserve Paracas's quiet popularity, endless sunshine, beaches, and inviting easygoing vibe make it an unusual holiday spot. Its geography, a blend of endless desert and wildlife-rich ocean waters, is what really steals the show. There's no better place to get acquainted with this dazzling landscape than the Paracas National Reserve. Spanning 335,000 hectares, one third of the protected area is desert, while the remaining two thirds is the surrounding ocean. In the reserve you can see striking rock formations, the most famous being the Cathedral (sadly, it was almost entirely destroyed by the 2007 earthquake), dramatic cliffs, beautiful sandy beaches, and tiny fishing villages such as the charming Lagunillas. There are also plenty of wildlife-watching opportunities here. Depending on the season, you might spot condors, flamingos, rare Humboldt penguins, pelicans, desert foxes, humpback whales, dolphins, sea lions (head to Mirador de los Lobos for the best views), and much more. Playa Roja, with its unusual red sand, is the reserve's most striking beach; the calm waters of Playa de la Mina are perfect for swimming. The area is enormous, and the best way to make the most of your time is a bicycle, quad-bike, or bus tour. In recent years, the number of tour operators running excursions along Paracas's waterfront and the main street of El Chaco has grown. Ballestas Islands Part of the Paracas National Reserve, the Ballestas Islands (Islas Ballestas), teeming with marine and bird life, are a worthy stop if you find yourself in Paracas itself. Half-day or full-day boat tours (which, incidentally, are the only way to reach the islands) give you the chance to see sea lions, whales, penguins, dolphins, and hundreds of different species of seabirds. Even if you're not a die-hard bird enthusiast, it's hard not to be charmed by the antics of the playful penguins or thrilled by the surprisingly graceful pelicans diving for fish just a few feet from your boat. Every tour includes a stop to admire the mesmerizing El Candelabro. This nearly 600-foot-tall geoglyph, resembling a candelabra carved into the cliffside, dates back to 200 BC, but its origin and purpose remain a mystery. Desert Drive in a 4x4 / Sandboarding Seeing the desert is one thing; truly experiencing it is another. Paracas means "sand rain" in Quechua (the language spoken by native Peruvians, especially during the Inca Empire), and riding the enormous waves of sand in a 4x4 with a professional driver gives you a fresh appreciation for the grandeur and stunning power of this barren, sometimes hostile, landscape. Plus, it's just plain fun. ## What's for Dinner ![Restaurant on the Paracas waterfront](/storage/image/prev/Peru-0-Restoran-1024x576.jpg) As you'd expect in a low-key seaside town, the food scene in Paracas is all about casual meals with a focus on fresh seafood. Affordable set menus and lively happy hours are staples at most restaurants. The bustling waterfront offers a wide range of restaurants, from "hole-in-the-wall," noisy, shoes-optional joints to cozy, unfussy cafés serving delicious Peruvian dishes (like ceviche, causa, and lomo saltado) alongside Western classics such as burgers. The town's few high-end restaurants are mostly found inside hotels. Ballestas Restaurant If you're after a refined restaurant showcasing the best of Peruvian-Mediterranean cuisine, head to the chic Ballestas restaurant at the Hotel Paracas. It's easily the priciest option in town, but this is where you'll find unmatched, innovative fine dining that best highlights the region's culinary strengths, which are largely tied to seafood. An impressive list of gluten-free dishes will delight even those who eat gluten, while the extensive wine and cocktail menu won't leave you indifferent. The selection of pisco sours is especially appealing (the quintessential Peruvian cocktail, made with pisco, simple syrup, lime, and egg white). Chalana Restaurant One of the Hotel Paracas's restaurants, the deceptively laid-back Chalana sits on a private pier. It's without a doubt the best place to sample fresh, creative seafood dishes. One of the few restaurants in Peru with a "zero kilometer" sustainable dining concept (hyper-local food that doesn't travel), every dish uses seafood sourced from local farms and fishermen who bring their daily catch straight to the pier. The causa, a layered potato dish, is simply wonderful, but the restaurant's main highlight is the daily ceviche, made with sea bass, octopus, and scallops. Served with a glass of Peruvian white wine, it's absolutely delightful. Inti-Mar Just outside town, across the Bay of Paracas, Inti-Mar is worth the trip for its fresh scallop dishes. That's no surprise, since Inti-Mar is also a working scallop farm. Guests can tour the farm and then enjoy divine seafood dishes in the cozy restaurant overlooking the bay, or on the always-packed terrace just steps from the sea. Inti-Mar also runs a small, charming bed and breakfast with six ocean-facing rooms. Pukasoncco Arte y Restaurante To describe Pukasoncco Arte as merely a restaurant would be doing it a disservice. As the name suggests, this affordable eatery is an ode to art, as well as to delicious, no-frills Peruvian cooking. Along the walls and in the larger gallery/workshop next door sits a whimsical collection of works by the restaurant's owner, Sanson, along with pieces he has collected over the years. Sanson is the restaurant's only chef and waiter, so be ready to be patient, but the wait is worth it, because the food served here is wonderful and made to order. There are plenty of vegetarian options and even a few vegan dishes. ## Put Your Feet Up ![Seaside hotel in Paracas](/storage/image/prev/Peru-0-hotel-1024x683.jpg) Many Peruvians who frequent Paracas have small second homes in town (which is why it's called "the Hamptons of Peru"), so most places to stay are concentrated mainly in hotels or hostels. Fortunately, a few of the town's elegant hotels are simply fabulous. Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort One of the town's two five-star Marriott hotels, it occupies a coveted seaside spot on the sheltered Bay of Paracas, just five miles from the Paracas National Reserve. The luxurious hotel has three restaurants, a world-class spa and fitness center, complimentary water sports, a kids' club, and two pools. Polished, cottage-style villas with private terraces (some with pools) round out the seaside-retreat feel. Even though the hotel is less than a five-minute walk from central Paracas, the manicured green gardens, the guarded shoreline, and the private pier (from which you can set off on a tour of the Ballestas Islands) can easily fool you into believing you're all alone on your own private island. La Hacienda Bahía Paracas The elegant four-star La Hacienda Bahía Paracas sits on the oceanfront, offering incredible views over the Bay of Paracas. The sleek, minimalist rooms come with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and minibars. Guests can also enjoy a complimentary buffet breakfast, a selection of dishes, and live Peruvian music at the Marineros bar. The large outdoor pool draws plenty of guests. The hotel also has a spa and a small fitness room. San Augustin Paracas Hotel Relaxed and welcoming, the San Augustin Paracas is known as a family holiday hotel, located near the town center and the popular El Chaco beach. This three-star hotel offers clean rooms with private ocean-facing balconies and free wireless internet (Wi-Fi). On-site there's a restaurant, an outdoor pool with ocean views, a volleyball court, and a games room for kids. A quick stroll along the beach path in front of the hotel takes guests to Paracas's main pier (making it an ideal base for boat tours) and to the town's main district full of shops and restaurants.