A gentler start to the day gave way to a long coastal journey south, taking in Lima’s contrasting realities, a dramatic cliff‑diving “monk,” the vast ruins of Pachacamac, and the growing presence of shanty towns, before ending the day with a quiet evening in Chincha.
Miraflores to Chincha.
After yesterday’s marathon of airports, queues and time zones, getting up at 07:00 almost felt indulgent. After breakfast, I stretched my legs with a short wander around Miraflores before we finally rolled out of the hotel at about 13:00 to begin the journey south to Chincha.
Our first stop was Love Park, perched on the cliffs above Miraflores. A huge sculpture, The Kiss, watches over the Pacific, a couple locked in an embrace while the ocean crashes below. From there, the coach wound its way out of Lima, and the glossy image of Peru you see in brochures quickly gave way to something far more real. Shanty towns spread across the hillsides, growing more frequent the further we travelled. It was a sobering reminder that the country’s beauty sits alongside deep poverty.
The coast road narrowed into a twisting ribbon carved into the cliffs. At one rocky outcrop, a man dressed as a monk hurled himself off the cliff into the freezing Pacific, landing with a thud of white spray at the base of the rocks. This dramatic leap, we were told, re‑enacted the story of a monk who supposedly threw himself to his death over unrequited love. Whether the legend holds any truth is anyone’s guess, but the dive was impressive and clearly profitable. Moments later, the “monk” climbed aboard the coach, dripping wet but smiling, tip tray in hand, ready to repeat the whole performance for the next busload of tourists.
Further along, we passed a women’s prison. Our guide explained that many of the inmates were journalists who had reported honestly on Peru’s political and economic struggles after the 1980s internal conflict. Some have been there for more than fifteen years. It was a stark sight, and I could only hope that one day places like this, in Peru and elsewhere, will be replaced by something more humane and constructive.
The scenery shifted again as we continued south: desert mountains rising on one side of the coach, the endless blue of the Pacific on the other, waves pounding the beaches with tireless rhythm. More shanty towns appeared, scattered across the landscape, a reminder that outside Lima’s centre, this is the everyday reality for many Peruvians.
Pachacamac Temple.
On the way to Chincha, we stopped at the Pachacamac archaeological site, including the Temple of the Sun. Our time there was short, so we couldn’t climb to the top, but even from below, it was clear how significant this place must once have been. The complex is vast, and a sprawling shantytown now sits alongside it.
Because of years of looting, locals selling fragments of the ruins to treasure hunters, armed guards now patrol the site. It made me wonder whether employing people to help restore and maintain the complex might offer a better, more sustainable way for the community to earn a living, while also protecting the history they live beside.
The small visitor centre had neatly watered gardens fed by a nearby river. A few llamas were tethered there, apparently serving as natural lawnmowers. Standing among the ruins, it was easy to imagine what this place must have looked like when the Incas built and lived here, long before the Spanish arrived and destroyed so much of it.
Chincha.
Tonight’s stop was the Casa Andina Classic Hotel in Chincha. I enjoyed a lovely meal in the restaurant before heading to bed early. Another early start awaits tomorrow, and after the last two days, sleep felt like the most luxurious part of the itinerary.
Add comment