Travel to South America, west coast
November 27, 2013 7:22 PM Subscribe
We're thinking of traveling to South America and in particular, the southwest coast ...
... anywhere starting at Lima and southward. We would like to have some beach time and some mountain time (and not have to fly from beach to mountain or vice-versa). The duration of the trip would be 10-14 days. What can you recommend? Machu Picchu, as magnificent as it appears, has been ruled out. Fwiw, I speak passable Spanish.
... anywhere starting at Lima and southward. We would like to have some beach time and some mountain time (and not have to fly from beach to mountain or vice-versa). The duration of the trip would be 10-14 days. What can you recommend? Machu Picchu, as magnificent as it appears, has been ruled out. Fwiw, I speak passable Spanish.
As Sara C says, heading south of Lima is taking you away from the beaches (one of the main Peruvian beach towns, Máncora, is an 18-hour bus rides north of Lima, close to the border with Ecuador).
South from Lima you will quickly start to get into the desert areas - Nazca with its lines is a few hours south and heading down you have the Colca Canyon and Arequipa.
You'll then hit Chile and you're into the high plains and the Atacama desert, which might scratch your mountain itch, but not the desert one.
posted by jontyjago at 4:35 AM on November 28, 2013
South from Lima you will quickly start to get into the desert areas - Nazca with its lines is a few hours south and heading down you have the Colca Canyon and Arequipa.
You'll then hit Chile and you're into the high plains and the Atacama desert, which might scratch your mountain itch, but not the desert one.
posted by jontyjago at 4:35 AM on November 28, 2013
A few hours south of Lima there's paracas, which has some interesting wildlife tours, sea lions and sea birds and things. It's billed as "the poor man's Galapagos." If you're in the area and are interested in that sort of thing, it's worth doing.
South of there there's the nazca lines, which I didn't get a chance to see, but seem super cool.
The beaches in southern Peru aren't great though. Especially if you're going in June July August.
Machu Pichu is great, but if you don't wasn't to do that, there's lots of other ruins around Cuzco that you could visit. Plus, mountains.
Can't speak to Chile, never been there.
posted by geegollygosh at 5:14 AM on November 28, 2013
South of there there's the nazca lines, which I didn't get a chance to see, but seem super cool.
The beaches in southern Peru aren't great though. Especially if you're going in June July August.
Machu Pichu is great, but if you don't wasn't to do that, there's lots of other ruins around Cuzco that you could visit. Plus, mountains.
Can't speak to Chile, never been there.
posted by geegollygosh at 5:14 AM on November 28, 2013
Response by poster: I understand that that summer is winter. 2800 miles of coast from Lima southward, and no beaches? I'll look into Paracas, Colca Canyuon and that area, thanks. Does anyone know if one would rent a car? or do you hire a driver?
posted by falsedmitri at 8:16 AM on November 28, 2013
posted by falsedmitri at 8:16 AM on November 28, 2013
I strongly recommend picking up a guidebook to Peru to get the lay of the land and find answers to basic questions like "how do tourists typically get around in Peru" and "where is there a beach in Peru?"
While I'm sure there are beaches in the geographic feature sense, along the Peruvian coast, I spent a month in Peru and am not familiar with any significant beach tourism in the southern part of the country. There might be a beach to visit if you live nearby, but certainly nothing you'd travel internationally to see.
I think you should look strongly at Chile, which has at least a few beach towns and, being so narrow and close to the Andes, will probably offer more of the proximity between beach and mountain that you're looking for.
posted by Sara C. at 9:18 AM on November 28, 2013
While I'm sure there are beaches in the geographic feature sense, along the Peruvian coast, I spent a month in Peru and am not familiar with any significant beach tourism in the southern part of the country. There might be a beach to visit if you live nearby, but certainly nothing you'd travel internationally to see.
I think you should look strongly at Chile, which has at least a few beach towns and, being so narrow and close to the Andes, will probably offer more of the proximity between beach and mountain that you're looking for.
posted by Sara C. at 9:18 AM on November 28, 2013
I was in the region of Peru south of Lima this past August. Most tourists do not drive there. Roads into the Andes have dangers and there are local driving conventions that make it unadvisable. Hiring a car is an option, but if you're going to spend that amount of money you might consider flying place to place. The only train is Puno to Cusco (ok no the only train but the only train tourists take). Buses are the most common way to cover distances, they come in many varieties including overnight semi-cama that are made to be slept on.
I agree that you might want to do a bit more broad research before making a final plan.
Also in winter the coast of Peru is pretty socked in by marine layer, so don't let temperature averages fool you. Unlike the US west for instance, in Peru winter is the dry season and summer is the wet season, so beach to mountain fun is less a thing.
posted by OHenryPacey at 11:03 PM on November 28, 2013
I agree that you might want to do a bit more broad research before making a final plan.
Also in winter the coast of Peru is pretty socked in by marine layer, so don't let temperature averages fool you. Unlike the US west for instance, in Peru winter is the dry season and summer is the wet season, so beach to mountain fun is less a thing.
posted by OHenryPacey at 11:03 PM on November 28, 2013
Sara C is steering you right here I think. I would also go for Chile if you want beaches and mountains because Chile is basically all coastline and mountains, with very little between in most places.
I haven't been to the far north but La Serena, Antofagasta and of course Valparaiso/Viña Del Mar are a few of the major coastal resort towns north of Santiago. I've also spent a lovely week or so in Maitencillo, which is a little place just a bit north of Viña. There must be hundreds of those.
South of Santiago I've not seen a whole lot of the coast - Talcahuano & Chiloe Island basically - though I've spent a bit of time in the mountainous national parks that dot the region. I found the mountain country in the south to be absolutely stunning, though what I saw of it in the north was great too.
Driving in Chile is pretty good (even though it was the other side of the road for me) and I would recommend it if you're wanting to get off the beaten track. Public transport is excellent though and worth using if you're going to well travelled places. Last time I was there I took a bus from Santiago to Mendoza (Argentina), which crosses the Andes not far from Aconcagua (6959m) and follows the route of the old railway. I enjoyed that very much.
posted by mewsic at 11:43 PM on November 28, 2013
I haven't been to the far north but La Serena, Antofagasta and of course Valparaiso/Viña Del Mar are a few of the major coastal resort towns north of Santiago. I've also spent a lovely week or so in Maitencillo, which is a little place just a bit north of Viña. There must be hundreds of those.
South of Santiago I've not seen a whole lot of the coast - Talcahuano & Chiloe Island basically - though I've spent a bit of time in the mountainous national parks that dot the region. I found the mountain country in the south to be absolutely stunning, though what I saw of it in the north was great too.
Driving in Chile is pretty good (even though it was the other side of the road for me) and I would recommend it if you're wanting to get off the beaten track. Public transport is excellent though and worth using if you're going to well travelled places. Last time I was there I took a bus from Santiago to Mendoza (Argentina), which crosses the Andes not far from Aconcagua (6959m) and follows the route of the old railway. I enjoyed that very much.
posted by mewsic at 11:43 PM on November 28, 2013
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If you really are set on something south of there, your best bet is probably Chile.
What time of year were you thinking? There are apparently some good Patagonian beaches, but obviously if you're traveling in the northern hemisphere summer months, that might not be workable.
Beaches in the more northern South American countries like Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru are going to be more temperate year round than beaches in Chile or Argentina.
posted by Sara C. at 7:57 PM on November 27, 2013 [1 favorite]