New Years destinations

23-11-2011

Peru’s top New Years destinations

New Years is only five weeks away, which means that if you are traveling in Peru that weekend, you better have your reservation soon. The holiday is one of the biggest travel weekends here in Peru, as the big cities empty out and tourists ring in the new year in exotic locales. Check out some of the top destinations for New Years in Peru.

Paracas
Paracas is one of the most popular destinations in Peru for New Years, and for good reason. It is just a few hours from Lima, but offers the amazing wildlife and birdlife of the Islas Ballestas, miles of beautiful, empty and sunny beaches, and some great hotels. Check out what Jorge Riveros-Cayo had to say about his visit.

How to get there: Either driving down the Panamericana Sur or by bus; figure 3-5 hours depending on your mode of transportation. Recommended bus lines are Oltursa and Cruz del Sur.

Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo is a great destination any time of year, as the town not only preserves one of the most impressive sets of ruins in the country, but also the town’s original Inca street plan. On New Years, however, that amazing history really comes to life, as the community celebrates the Sinkuy, a traditional ballgame. Community leaders from surrounding villages compete against one another, with the belief that the winning community will enjoy prosperity for the next year.

How to get there: You can fly to Cusco on LAN, TACA, Peruvian Airlines and StarPeru. From there, there are buses to Urubamba, where you can catch a collective taxi to Ollantaytambo. Otherwise, you can take a taxi directly from Cusco to Ollantaytambo.

Máncora
The northern beaches of Peru are the country’s most tropical and inviting, and Máncora is the epicenter of the coastal tourism industry. It’s a busy little town full of vendors, surfers, beach bars and ocean-front nightclubs. On New Years, many hostels and discos will throw special parties, with DJs flown in from Lima and elsewhere. If you’re looking for something a little quieter, cross over into Tumbes and stay in Punta Sal or Zorritos. A warning: the region can get very warm during the summer, so never stray too far from the refreshing Pacific.

How to get there: You have a few options. LAN and Star Peru fly from Lima to Tumbes, about two hours up the coast from Máncora, TACA and LAN fly to Piura, about two-and-a-half hours from Máncora, and StarPeru flies to Talara. From all of these cities, it is easy to catch a bus or hire a taxi. You could also take the bus from Lima; the trip takes about 17 hours.

The Jungle
Tarapoto, Iquitos, Tingo Maria and other destinations in the jungle receive plenty of visitors for New Years. Lodges out in the wilderness offer special packages for the holiday. In the major towns, the locals party hard in steamy nightclubs and then cool off during the day, swimming in the region’s rivers and lakes.

How to get there: LAN, Peruvian Airlines and StarPeru fly to Iquitos; TACA, LAN and StarPeru fly to Tarapoto, and Tingo Maria can be reached either by bus from Lima, or by flying to Huanuco on StarPeru and then taking a bus.

SOURCE: www.peruthisweek.com

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