7 Best Things to Do in Paracas, Peru
Are you looking for the best things to do in Paracas, Peru? This small port town quickly stole our hearts with its charming atmosphere and fantastic sights. Since it is easily accessible by car or bus and can be explored in a short time, we definitely recommend visiting it during your trip to Peru.
Wondering what to do in Paracas? Take a boat trip around the Ballestas Islands, relax on the stunning beaches, visit the Paracas National Reserve, join an exciting buggy tour, or learn to kitesurf.
This ultimate guide includes the best time to visit, how to get there, where to stay, and the best things to do in Paracas.
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Best things to do in Paracas, Peru
We arrived from Lima and spent the afternoon exploring the town. The next day, we took a boat trip around the Ballestas Islands, which was a fantastic experience, and visited the stunning Paracas National Reserve. Then we traveled to Huacachina.
1. Boat Trip around the Ballestas Islands
One of our favorite things to do in Paracas was a boat trip around the Ballestas Islands. Islas Ballestas, also known as “Poor Man’s Galapagos”, are home to a variety of wildlife, such as Humboldt penguins, sea lions, humpback whales, Peruvian pelicans, and seabirds. So take a boat tour and enjoy the beautiful scenery and wildlife watching.
The boat to the Ballestas Islands leaves two times a day, at 8 AM and 10 AM. The boat tour lasts approximately 2 hours and costs 20 USD per person.
As this is a protected area, you cannot swim or walk on the islands and can only be accessed by boat.
During your tour of the Ballestas Islands, you can admire the magnificent Paracas Candelabra (El Candelabro). It is a mystical, large geoglyph over 2,000 years old and similar to the Nazca Lines.
For a better view, we recommend sitting on the left side and bringing a camera with a zoom lens.
The boat captain will take you close enough to take fantastic photos of sea lions basking on the rocks. You will also see many caves and arches that have eroded over time.
We recommend wearing a hat or cap, bringing plenty of water, seasickness medicine, and a light jacket or sweater, as the weather can be windy during the boat trip. Don’t forget to use sunscreen.
Read our → Ultimate Peru Itinerary
2. Paracas National Reserve
One of the best things to do in Paracas is to visit the National Reserve, which offers breathtaking views where to ocean meets the desert. Most people get there by bus or car, but you can rent a bike in town and visit on your own.
Admission is 11 soles (3 USD) for foreign adults and 3 soles (1 USD) for foreign children. This protected natural area can be visited daily from 9 AM to 4 PM.
The Paracas National Reserve covers 335,000 hectares and is home to 216 species of birds, 36 species of mammals, 10 reptile species, 168 species of fish, 317 species of algae, and 54 land plants.
At the time of our visit, due to windy weather, all boat tours to the Ballestas Islands were not allowed to depart before 10 AM. Therefore, we only had a short time to explore the National Reserve, but it was still a fantastic experience.
Our favorite spots were the Mirador La Catedral and Mirador Playa Roya. If you have enough time, be sure to visit Playa La Mina Beach, where you can enjoy a refreshing swim.
TIP
If you have a drone, bring it with you because the views from above are stunningly beautiful.
3. Taste Ceviche, Peru’s National Dish
You have to try Peru’s national dish, Ceviche, and its national drink, Pisco Sour, at Restaurant Nautilus (you won’t regret it). This was one of our favorite restaurants in the town, where we tasted Ceviche.
This Peruvian dish is typically made from fresh raw fish marinated in citrus juices (lime or lemon) and seasoned with onions, oil, coriander, chili peppers, and spicy.
Enjoy delicious seafood and Ceviche with cold drinks and stunning ocean views. Here are our restaurant recommendations.
Best restaurants in Paracas
- Fruzion (Good smoothies and hamburgers)
- Chalana Restaurant (Fresh seafood)
- Vegano Peruano (Vegan restaurant with a great ocean view)
- Puerto Specialty Coffee (Delicious coffee and breakfast)
- Restaurante Puerto Ballestas (Perfect for lunch or dinner)
4. Buggy Ride in Paracas National Reserve
Explore the National Reserve on a sand buggy tour and get to places you can’t reach on foot. Although this is a popular activity, we recommend doing a sand buggy tour in Huacachina instead.
If you skip this experience, you can visit the National Reserve by bus or rent a bike. Renting a bike costs between 25 and 45 soles for a day.
Book your Paracas National Reserve & Ballestas Islands tour HERE.
5. Huacachina Oasis
Surrounded by the highest sand dunes in South America, the unique desert oasis of Huacachina is a popular day trip from Paracas, just a 1.5-hour drive away.
Most tours take you to Ica by taxi or shuttle. Then, you can enjoy an exciting dune buggy tour and sandboarding in Huacachina and visit a local winery on the way back.
Read our → Huacachina Guide
6. Go Kitesurfing
Are you looking for an exciting experience? Paracas is ideal for beginners and intermediate to advanced riders.
Constant winds all year round, flat water, sandy bottom, and shallow water areas make it the perfect place to learn to kitesurf. The best time for kitesurfing is from mid-September to the end of April.
You can rent complete equipment for 70 USD per day.
If you’ve never tried but it’s on your bucket list, there are some kitesurfing schools where you can take private or semi-private lessons. We recommend Kangaroo Kite Peru kitesurfing school.
7. Explore the town of Paracas
One of the best things to do in Paracas is to discover the small coastal town and enjoy its vibrant atmosphere. You can easily stroll around, buy souvenirs or some clothes, relax on the beach, enjoy the beautiful sunset, and eat delicious churros or ice cream.
It’s good to know that Peruvian Pelicans like to chill out near the coast, so it’s easy to take some great photos of them.
Insider Knowledge
There are only 2 ATMs in the town, but they may run out of money. Some places do not accept bank cards or charge a surcharge of between 8% and 12%. Therefore, we recommend that you bring enough local cash (Soles) with you!
Where to Stay in Paracas
Since it is a small town, you can easily find affordable accommodation close to the beach and bus stop. Almost everything is within a 15-minute walk. If you’re looking for a unique place to stay, you’ll need to go a little further away from the center.
Best hotels in Paracas
- Luxury: The Legend Resort
- Mid-Range: Hotel Casa
- Budget: Hotel Munay or Atenas Backpacker Hospedaje
How to Get to Paracas
Paracas is located about 3.5-4 hours from Lima and 1.5 hours from Huacachina. You can get there by bus, taxi, or private transfer. We do not recommend renting a car in Peru.
We arrived from Lima by Peru Hop (hop-on, hop-off bus system). If you want to travel by public bus, we recommend the Cruz del Sur bus company, which is safe and reliable.
Buses depart from the Javier Prado bus station in Lima, which is about a 45-minute drive from Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM). Bus tickets start from 70 soles (20 USD) per person. It’s recommended to buy your ticket online in advance to secure your seat.
Once you arrive in the town, most hotels are within walking distance, or you can travel by tuk-tuk.
Book this highly rated full-day tour from Lima to Paracas and Huacachina.
Best Time to Visit
Paracas has a desert climate with very little rainfall throughout the year and an average annual temperature of 22°C. The best time to visit is during the summer months, from December to March. The weather is sunny and warm during these months, ideal for boat tours and enjoying the beaches. In high season, we strongly recommend booking accommodation and tours in advance!
We visited at the end of April and enjoyed pleasant sunny weather. But pack a light jacket or sweater, because it will be cool in the evenings.
Good to know
Due to strong winds, boat trips to the Ballestas Islands may be canceled or rescheduled.
How many Days do you Need in Paracas?
Most people only take a day trip, but we recommend spending at least 2-3 days there. Looking back, if we had stayed longer, we wouldn’t have had to rush to explore the sights. So we highly recommend that you consider spending a few days in the town, because you’ll be surprised what a great place it is.
We hope our list of the best things to do in Paracas will help you plan your next trip to Peru. If you have any questions or thoughts, let us know in the comment below.
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