Paracas
National Reserve & town
Paracas is both the name of the town and the nearby Paracas National Reserve. The reserve has several famous beaches, one with red sand, alien desert landscapes not unlike the 4 corners area of the US and some unique wildlife.
The town is small but even when Peru was on holiday and there were lots of tourists from Lima, it was easy for me to find a place to stay and restaurants to eat at.
Visiting the national reserve is very easy if you have a car. Otherwise, you have to hire a guide or a taxi for the day. Read about my trip to Paracas on this blog.
Atenas Beach
One of the best ways to see Paracas is to book a tour with Tour Vivencial Atenas Beach, a community organization that will take you out on local fishing boats to see how families have fished and gathered shellfish for generations. Read about my experience at Atenas Beach on this blog.