Poinciana Magazine Lima Peru Travel Guide

TRAVEL GUIDE

L I M A , P E R U

N I K I A

W E L L S

Peru marks my trek around 6 continents over the last 12 months On this trek from the west to east to south and back again, the people, culture, food, music, and vibe of each country has been nothing like I anticipated - and that excites me

As a little girl, growing up in Holmes Rock, we had an antenna because cable television didn't make its way to our neighborhood until I was about 7 or 8 That antenna "caught" 5 channelsFOX, CBS, NBC, ABC and PBS The latter is how my mom introduced us to the world At the time I found the shows "boring" (I lived for a Saturday morning cartoon), but the travel, food, and culture shows were unknowingly having a massive impact on me

Every time I hop on a plane and visit a "new" country, I realize how little I still know about the world I think that has spurred my desire to constantly want to travel. More times than not, the expectation and reality do not align - in the best ways possible

It doesn't matter how much research I do or how many Tiktok videos I watch - each country hits me with that "surprise SURPRISE". And, I am frequently reminded how much my worldview has been shaped by the media

Let ‘em tell it, my lil Bahamian self swings from vines into my cozy little coconut hut at night, after a day of catching fish with my bare hands and frolicking with my dolphin bredren. But, that is far from the truth Though, with the prices of real estate that coconut hut is probably out of my price range

In short, traditional and social media don't always paint a comprehensive or accurate view of life around the world There is nothing like experiencing it for yourself

I don't see each country as checking something off of a "list". It's getting to meet people and embracing new experiences

I plan to slow down on travel a smidge (my bank account compels me) but I still want to keep learning and getting "learned" about life beyond my minute bubble. And, I'm always happy to share the tidbits that I have picked up over the years

I hope you enjoy this short overview of my personal experience visiting Lima, Peru It is not comprehensive since it only covers 6 days (2 of which were travel days) and is very culinarycentric, but I hope that it can inspire your own Lima trip planning

GETTING HERE

Lima, Peru is in South America and is a little under 6 hours away from Miami, but can also be accessed easily from Nassau by connecting in Panama Bahamians also do not require a visa to visit Peru

CURRENCY

Soles - 3 soles is roughly $1 (not an exact conversion), so dividing prices by three can give you a rough idea of what the price would be in Bahamian dollars or USD

LANGUAGE

The primary language of Peru is Spanish. Like many Bahamians, I studied Spanish in high school, but my skills are very rough Spanish can have many regional dialect variations, and I am usually not able to understand much of the language when I travel But, in Lima I found that people spoke a bit slower and while I may not have been able to have a conversation or communicate that clearly, I was able to follow along a bit and communicate at a basic level

TRANSPORTATION

Taxis and Ubers are readily available I used a taxi from the airport since there isn't a designated rideshare pickup location there The taxis are booked via kiosks inside the ort, just after the baggage claim area. You pay at the counter, and then they walk you to a driver I chose to use Ubers for the rest of my stay due to the language barrier and ng a set rate ahead of time

WHERE TO STAY

The two main areas where most visitors stay while in Lima are Barranco and Miraflores I stayed in Miraflores The area is very walkable and since it is a popular tourist area - it is pretty safe Just practice basic safety precautions like you would in any city It is also recommended to drink bottled water

Poinciana MagazinE

Lima Activity Suggestions

Cusco... Cusco... Cusco...

While many travelers envision Machu Picchu, mountain trails and llamas when they think of Peru, Lima often gets treated like little ole Jan next to Cusco's Marsha.

Even when landing in Lima, the immigration agent gave me an incredulous look from behind her lowered glasses and snidely asked "No Cusco?" Judgment was evident in her voice

Despite many travelers considering Lima as just a quick layover or their first stop elsewhere while in Peru, the city proved to have a rich food scene, vibrant culture, and lots of activities to create an unforgettable trip.

The below itinerary is not comprehensive and just gives a brief overview of a few of the options that I tried on my most recent trip And since Lima is such a food lover's city it is a culinary-centric list

HOW I BOOKED: AirBnb Experiences

(Marine Life, Pisco Vineyard Tour, Sandboarding)

A day trip to Paracas & Ica will be a long one. It was advertised as a 16-hour day, so I knew it would be a FULL day. I stayed in Miraflores, and I got picked up shortly before 5am. I got back to my hotel that night shortly before 10pm

Despite the long transit time (that is mostly driving) this is worth it for those who want to get a glimpse into life outside of Lima

Many tours go into the area, so I recommend looking at other traveler reviews and the type of vehicle to be used to choose the right option for you.

I chose a small group, and while I wished my guide was a bit more informative and engaging, I enjoyed the experiences and the people that I met

Once picked up, we drove for about 45 minutes before stopping at a rest stop that served coffee and fresh bread that was baked in an open-flame oven There were a number of filling options to choose from, but I got the panes y queso (I am a pro at ordering cheese and bread).

Spanish is the primary language spoken in Peru. Tours can be booked in English and some restaurants may have Englishspeaking servers, but most people you will encounter won't Many may know a few English words here and there (much like most Bahamians know a few Spanish words) but you should learn a few basic phrases like greetings, thank you, please, excuse me, where is the bathroom (don’t forget to bring some small bills/coins to pay to use the bathroom), asking for water, how to identify basic foods that you like and how to communicate basic dietary restrictions. I'm a pescatarian so when in doubt, I know how to order fish, octopus, and cheese & bread.

Also, a smile and hand gestures can go a long way

From there, we had several more stops that were spaced out with long stretches of driving. The first was to the coastal community of Paracas Bay for a Ballestas Islands boat tour On the tour, we got to see lots of wild marine life including sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and sea birds as well as the “The Candelabro” (Candlestick) which is a large geoglyph carved on the slope of a hill I loved this aspect of the tour and would recommend getting a seat by the window on the right-hand side of the boat (this is the side that will allow you to get a better view of the animals ) There, they may also take you to get samples from some local vendors who offer handmade cookies, candies, and passion fruit drinks

Next up was a trip to the Culture Pisco vineyard and lunch in Ica, which involved about another hour of driving. While the food at this location was just OK, the vineyard tour was very informative and at the end they allowed guests to sample their complete lineup of pisco offerings

For those not familiar with pisco (which is a key ingredient in Peru’s famous pisco sour cocktails), it can be described as an unaged brandy that is made from recently fermented Peruvian grapes that have been distilled While the pisco-making process is similar to that of wine, pisco itself has a very high alcohol content (which can sneak up on you fast in the aforementioned pisco sours )

The samples are generous at Culture Pisco, and I enjoyed many of the varieties that they offer I bought a few as gifts for friends and family and left the vineyard in great spirits

The last stop on the day tour was a trip to the Huacachina Oasis aka the sand dunes where you can sandboard This is a very popular activity, but by this point, I was feeling those samples and it was a bit warm, so I was more interested in the pond area and relaxing I also risked it all to get a snow cone - which was delicious

NOTE: I played a bit too fast and loose with my ice consumption during my time in Lima, and I got food poisoning on the final day of my trip. It’s impossible to tell what the culprit was, but I would suggest avoiding drinks with ice unless the establishment uses ice that is made with purified water

After the Huacachina Oasis, it was a several-hour ride back to Miraflores. We ended up getting back around 10pm. So, while this is a great experience, it is a very long day.

BARRANCO

FOOD & ART WALKING TOUR

HOW I BOOKED: AirBnb Experiences

COMPANY: Exquisito Peru

co is known for its street art and robust restaurant and walking tours are a great way to not only meet but also get a glimpse into a country through the eyes eone who is actually from there.

d this tour on AirBnB Experiences, which is great for smaller tours, and I would highly recommend it The arted at a central location and from there we were able ome local fruits (I have never seen or heard of many of ts that are available in Peru - but I loved them) and the ded on a sweet note with gelato.

g of each location on the tour is below

Exquisito Peru Office: Here, we were able to try tumbo, granadilla (which is a sweet variation of passion fruit), aguaymanto (golden berry), custard apple (chirimoya) as well as some Peruvian chocolates and tea.

Alanya: We enjoyed some delicious coffee here I’m a pescatarian so I wasn’t able to enjoy the empanada de ají de pollo (chicken empanada) but it looked good (As a heads-up for others with dietary restrictions, I did let them know that I was a pescatarian ahead of time. This was the only location where I wasn’t provided with an alternative option, but there was so much delicious food on the tour that I did not care ) This location is also owned by an exceptional pastry chef and the desserts on display looked so amazing that I ended up purchasing 2 cookies to go They were decadent and delicious!

Ayahuasca: We got the chance to go into the kitchen of this lovely restaurant to see how the dishes were prepared from start to finish The menu for the entire group included lomo saltado and anticuchos, with rocoto sauce, huancaina cream and huacatay cream as the sauces The above dishes were prepared with beef, but I was able to get a vegetarian option.

Jade Rivera World: In addition to seeing some exceptional street art, we also visited the art gallery of world-renowned artist Jonathan Rivera

República del Pisco: At this location, we got to try two variations of causa, drank an exceptional drink called Andean Punch, and enjoyed ceviche that was made fresh and right in front of us

Juanito: Next up was a family-owned bar that is known for its pisco sour cocktails

Blu: The day then ended with gelato. Many flavors were infused with local ingredients and made for the perfect sweet touch to the tour

HOW I BOOKED: AirBnb

Experiences

COMPANY: Haku Tours

As a little kid, my mother and grandmother both taught me how to cook. As a result, I'm pretty good in the kitchen, but I still enjoy taking cooking classes whenever I visit a country It is a great way to get introduced to new and diverse cooking techniques and ingredients

This class included transportation, and we started with a trip to Mercado Sta. Rosita in Surquillo, where we got to learn about the produce of Peru, including the thousands of potato and corn varieties The chef also bought the ingredients for the class that morning, so everything was super fresh

Then, we headed back to their cooking kitchen for the actual class. We got to choose an appetizer to make - I chose ceviche and a vegetarian variation of Lomo Saltado (a nod to Peru's Chinese population )

We also got to try many of the fruits and vegetables that we got introduced to on the tour, including several varieties of potatoes.

I found it fascinating how they make leche de tigre ceviche - which is very different from conch salad Fish and vegetables are actually blended and strained for the juice

Cooking each dish was a collaborative effort of the group and chef, and at the end, the meal was enjoyed at a dining table

FOOD FINDS

Peru is a food lover's city and has several of the top-rated restaurants in the world - with several making the Top 50 List While a few only offer set menus (that can be as much as $500 per person), restaurants like Mayta offer a la carte lunch options that are much more affordable

Sunset Cocktails & Dinner at Cala - There are many restaurants along the coastline of the Barranco area that offer beautiful views of the city’s coastline But, I would highly recommend Cala due to their great service and delicious food Sitting by the water, you can watch the surfers wind down for the day, enjoying a cocktail as the sky turns shades of gold around you

Portion Sizes I found the portion sizes to be VERY generous in Lima I would recommend scoping out the dishes of those around you before deciding to get an appetizer and entree.

CHOCO MUSEO

This open-air chocolate class is located in a shopping market in Miraflores (they also have a location in Cusco, Peru as well as one in Antigua and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) The class is offered in multiple languages, including English, and starts off with a chocolate bar-making session (this is done first to allow the chocolate to set so the attendees can take them home ) You will be able to taste their milk and dark chocolate, and you will then choose one for your very own bars There are many shapes and a wide range of toppings to choose from including dried fruit, nuts, spices, coffee beans, and more

Next, the instructor walks attendees through the entire process from bean to bar and even prepares historical drinks and cacao h sk tea The entire class is several hours long, t s/class I ted St t

FINAL THOUGHTS

Lima is a city that I fell in love with Although this was a very culinary-centric list, I also had many other experiences that I was able to just enjoy in the moment and didn’t capture I would recommend just going with the moment, and taking a walk to enjoy the sights, sounds, and music of Lima

Cusco is still on my list, so I hope to visit Peru again soon

As a final food lover’s tip, note that if you want to get one final bite in before you leave the airport, it might be best to do so before security at the airport.

There is a food court before security with much more diverse food options, while there is far less variety after security and near the gates.

Also, note that there is an additional security screening pre-boarding so drink all liquids before getting onto the plane.