How to: Laugh in Lima

Chelsey’s Backpacking Edition

TOP TIPS WHEN TRAVELING IN PERU:

1. Tap water is not drinkable!
2. Carry black activated charcoal pills in case your stool gets loose.
3. Use Hostelworld or booking.com for accommodations
4. CHARLES SCHWAB DEBIT CARD (NO ATM FEES OR FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEES)
5. Use MultiRed ATM for cash pullouts (no extra fees)
6. T-MOBILE INCLUDES UNLIMITED INTERNATIONAL DATA USE (No need to change numbers when traveling to different countries!)
7. Must try: Ceviche, inka kola, lomo/pollo saltado, lucuma ice cream, pisco sours, chaufa (peruivan x Chinese food)

Place of stay:

• Airbnb: This is where I stayed. I had two friends visiting and it was the perfect place and amount of space. Great location in Barranco and is on top of a cafe and supermarket.
• Waikiki Hostel Miraflores: Stayed here for one night before my friends got here. Was a good hostel but I think Viajero Kokopelli is a better option to stay in.
• Viajero Kokopelli Barranco: Renovated old mansion. Super gorgeous and has a bar connected next door. Great co-working space, filtered water, and is extremely spacious.
• Recommended amount of time: Really up to you and your schedule. Some people don't bother exploring Lima but I stayed here for a week as my girls from the USA visited me. We had the best time! I would say between 3–7 days if you want to explore!

Viajero Kokopelli Hostel Barranco

Need a little check-up? Clinica Good Hope: Great clean clinic in case you or someone you know needs anything!

Activities:

• Bridge of Sighs: Pretty sight as you’re walking down to the beach. Full of art and artists.

• Playa Los Yuyos: Nice clean beach in Barranco!

• Surfing: While in lima, this is a must-do! There are a ton of companies but I linked the one we used! An hour and a half lesson with a guide helping you the entire time! IT IS A TON OF FUN!

• Boulevard Barranco: This is THE bar strip in Barranco. Super fun to bar-hop from one to another depending on your vibe. Free drinks when you enter the bars and when we went we didn’t have to buy one single drink hahahaha

• Bizarro Bar: Enter before 11 for free entry and wait till the party gets bumping! Two rooms; one with EDM and one with Spanish music! Was superrrr fun!

• Rent bikes and bike around Miraflores! One of my favorite activities we did. The city can feel quite big so this helped us at least explore all of Miraflores. On our bike ride, we rode along the waterfront, stopped at the Love Park, Indian Market, Huaca Pucllana, JFK Park, and got lost in the streets!

• Indian market: This is a must-hit spot! GIGANTIC market with all the local products you can imagine. We stopped here with our bikes.

• Huaca Pucllana: As we biked around the city, we made a stop here. We did not go in as viewing it from the outside was just as great!
• Parque John F. Kennedy: Lovely big park with a ton of activity and a cathedral. We stopped here with our bikes.
• Love park: Famous park that gives LOVEEEE

• Free Walking tour of the city center: For sure recommend this! Every hostel offers it! The city center is sorta far from everything else so when you go into the city make sure to do it with a free walking tour (or else transportation that's not the bus can get expensive)

• Chinatown: While you're in the city center, make sure to make a stop at Chinatown! Try CHUFA!

• Larcomar: A gorgeous outdoor mall but also an amazing spot to watch the sunset. This spot is right in the middle of everything!

• Paragliding: 10/10 recommended and not too expensive! I linked the company I used but there are a ton of companies that offer it! Do it during sunset!

• Coyote’s Tattoo: Fun spot with an amazing tattoo artist. It was a clean seamless process for my friend. Not too expensive and right in Miraflores!

• La Feria Unión de Barranco: A cute small market in Barranco with food, clothes, jewelry, and natural products!

Food/Cafes:

• Siete Sopa: Great spot to try local food and is not filled with many tourists! Nor is it touristy priced either! Loved my experience here. The on-the-house bread was so fresh and yummy

• Rustica Barranco: amazinngggg spot on the water to have some drinks for sunset! We ended up ordering food and it was not too bad! For sure a touristy spot but sometimes it is worth it ;)

• Arepa Cafe: Venezuelan cafe in the heart of Barranco
• Punto Azul: Famous ceviche spot with a ton of options! Was an amazing meal as we tried ceviche, lomo saltado pasta, and octopus! Food and drinks 10/10

Lomo Saltado Pasta

• Mona Rosa Cafe: Cute cafe in Barranco with homemade treats, plates of pasta, ice cream, and other brunch foods. FYI; portions are smaller.
• Shimaya Barranco: Was craving sushi and found this iconic spot. Great deal if you order the combo on the sushi rolls. Shimaya is all over the city.

• Terminal Pesquero Cevicheria Barranco: Great cevicheria in Barranco and only open for lunch!
• Isolina: Never went here but wanted to. Every time we passed there was a line out the door. You can make a reservation or walk up but when we walked up they said 40-minute wait!!!

I loved Lima despite it being a pretty big city! Was fun to explore with my girls and get a taste of the energetic city life.

From Lima, I took a night bus to Huaraz, a city known for its hiking!

Peace and love, Chelsey Jacobs ❤

BTW, you can always reach out to me via this platform or Instagram: @chelseyjacobs with any questions or assistance!