Beaches & Watersports The extensive coastline of Peru holds among its richness the pulse of its diverse land and the Pacific Ocean waves breaking day and night. The Peruvian coast, which runs for more than 3,000 km offers visitors a wide range of landscapes and climates, the latter being influenced directly by the confluence of two important marine currents, El Nino to the north and La Peruana or Humboldt to the south. Peru�s beaches connect, one after another, in an endless chain of natural scenarios and physical characteristics that delight travelers from all walks of life. All in an accessible reach via the Pan-American Highway, the northern section of the highway sets out from above Lima and runs up to Tumbes, on the Ecuadorian border, while the southern stretch of road runs from Lima down to Tacna, on the border with Chile. Southern Beaches: Some of Peru�s best beaches are located to the south of Lima and include many favorites among beach lovers. Traveling south on the Pan-American Highway, visitors will encounter pristine sand, suitable currents and ideal temperatures. The variety of beaches in this area offers something for every beachgoers taste, such as: � El Silencio, Caballeros and Se�oritas, composed of three contiguous beaches, contained among small ravines with medium waves for bodysurfing, surfing and windsurfing. � Punta Hermosa, Punta Negra and San Bartolo, populated by residential beach resorts, restaurants and nautical clubs; beaches with medium waves for surfing and jetskiing and areas of calm waters for snorkeling. � Santa Mar�a, with an aristocratic beach resort and residential area, with nautical club; ideal for sailing and rowing. � Naplo and Pucusana, two contiguous resort areas with beaches of very calm waters, located among hills and with small islands in their bay; ideal for snorkeling. � Paracas features one of the most spectacular stretches of coast along the Peruvian shoreline, with its deep blue sea, sweeping beaches and towering cliffs. The contrast in landscape in this area is astonishing. � Mejia, surrounded by lush vegetation and lagoons, is a quiet beach, surrounded by old houses dating back to the early twentieth century.

Northern Beaches It was the beaches of Northern Peru that inspired Ernest Hemingway to write his Nobel Prize winning novel, �The Old Man of the Sea." The north offers a variety of superb beaches of white sand and deep blue sea that stretch along a number of bays uninterrupted by inlets or islands. They are ideal for water sports such as windsurfing, water skiing and scuba diving. This coast area is characterized by the desert, with beaches on extensive plains and others among hills or on the edge of ravines; some of them with crisp sand and others of stone. Some of the most popular beaches in this region include:

� Punta Sal, where the sea is gentle and warm, possibly the most heavenly beach on Peru�s north coast; ideal for basking in the sun and rejuvenating. � Punta Cameron, where the water temperature averages 26�C (78� F) and coconut palms hide a set of bungalows. The ocean is a unique green shade because of the quantity of plankton in the water. � Cabo Blanco, a one-kilometer stretch (less than a mile) of sand and regular waves. The area is a deep-sea fisherman's paradise, with black marlin as the prize catch. � Mancora, spreads along some 20 km (12 miles) of sandy beaches with powerful breakers. It is one of the most beautiful and frequently-visited beaches along the Peruvian coastline. � Col�n is one of Peru�s most scenic coves, neatly surrounded by seaside houses built on top of wooden pilings. Visitors enjoy the beautiful scenery this beach offers. � Pimentel, close to Chiclayo, is surrounded by quaint architecture and offers beachgoers a tranquil sea. � Chicama, home to the world�s longest waves, is not surprisingly a surfing hotspot. The waves, spurred from southern and western currents, create an ideal setting for active adventure lovers. Besides enjoying Peru�s beaches on the shore, visitors will find numerous watersports and other nautical activities to keep themselves entertained. Along Peru�s extensive coast, visitors can enjoy surfing, windsurfing, coastal fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, rowing, yachting and jet skiing, among other watersports. Following are more details of some of Peru�s most popular watersports.

Surfing Although few people are aware of this fact, it was in ancient Peru and not in Polynesia or the South Sea Islands that the first evidence was found of men riding the waves with the help of external aids, as found on textiles and pottery dating back to pre-Hispanic civilizations. The Maui surfboard made its debut on the Peruvian coast in 1942.

Peru�s beaches will satisfy the most demanding surfer all year round: the central coast features constant waves during winter (April to September), while the north coast sees heavy seas (or "crecidas") between October and March. At the same time, since there are only 12,000 surfers in Peru, compared to 700,000 in Brazil for example, one can always find

empty beaches and uncluttered perfect waves. All that surfers have to do is choose their favorite point. The top spots include Cabo Blanco, Bayovar-Nonura, Chicama, La Herradura, Pico Alto, Punta Rocas and Isla San Gallan. Windsurfing Despite the fact that this sport is a newcomer to Peru, it has been gaining increasing numbers of followers in recent years. Windsurfers flock to the breezy bays of Paracas (Atenas, Mendieta and Yumaque) as well as certain areas along the north coast such as Pasamayo, El Para�so and Medio Mundo.

Scuba Diving While scuba diving is still very new to Peru, the coasts offer ideal conditions, with unexplored beaches, huge schools of coastal sea fish and colonies of playful sea lions waiting to be explored.

Snorkeling Numerous beaches in Peru offer tranquil waters where visitors can explore the coastal underwater world Peru�s Pacific coast offers. A large variety of underwater creatures make Peru�s coast their home, so visitors will have plenty to keep them busy underwater.

Fishing Fishing is one of the most important industries in Peru due to the variety of species in Peru's rich fishing grounds. Here fishermen will always find an ideal beach for the kind of fishing they are looking for: rocky bluffs and cliffs, sweeping sandy beaches, cold waters teeming with plankton and warm, clear currents. Tuna, drums, flounder, Pacific croaker, grunt, sea bass and even black marlin (Peru holding the world record for the largest black marlin, weighing 702 kg (1,560 lb)) are some of the attractions for deep sea fishermen. Peru is synonymous for good fishing.

Underwater fishing has been popular in Peru for decades. The Peruvian sea provides excellent fishing, with a large variety of scenarios to practice water sports, which has made underwater fishing one of the most popular sports in the coastal cities and ports. The coasts of Pucusana, Paracas and Ilo to the south, and Tumbes and Piura to the north, are the most popular spots among fishermen.

For more information about beaches and watersports in Peru, call 1-866-661-PERU (in the U.S.) or visit www.peru.info.