My first experience of Lima was somewhat tainted by my skin infection. For any of you that do not know, I caught cellulitis from a mosquito bite and had to be hospitalised for 3 nights. It sounds worse than it is, it was actually a rather pleasant experience where I received 24/7 attention from medical personnel. It was also the first time I had a private room to myself for 3 months! It was also all covered by my insurance ‘world nomads’ an excellent insurance provider, definitely buy travel insurance before going on a big trip as it saves your back and bank account!
The first hostel I stayed in was ‘The Point’ in Barranco, a bohemian area about 20 minutes from Miraflores. If you like to party then this is a good hostel for you, but beware the music is so loud until 2am and it is not the cleanest place. The reception staff are lovely though and will give you ear plugs if you need them. Miraflores is the main hub for backpackers, you will find many hostels, bars and restaurants here. A good way to spend an afternoon is to walk from Miraflores to Barranco along the sea front, you get a stunning view of the ocean and the surfers. Barranco is the up and coming area of Lima and I would definitely check it out there are many cool cafes and bars. You can also walk under the bridge and check out the street art. If you like ceviche then definitely go to ‘Canta Ranita’, this spot is super popular with the locals so make sure you arrive early, I think it opens at 12:30pm so try and get there for then. If you like Mexican food then ‘Burrito Bar’ has cheap quesadillas and burritos. A third good eat is ‘Javier Restaurant’ where they have pretty much everything- including tequenos!! The second hostel I stayed in in Barranco was ‘Dragonfly’ another chain of hostels in Peru. This was quieter than the point but I still was not blown away, the dorm was so small you could hardly move in there!
After staying in Barranco for 2 nights, I moved to Miraflores. The first hostel I stayed in was ‘Alpes Lima’. This hostel is clean and has good facilities, the lady on reception is also so helpful and helped me move rooms. They have a good free breakfast and rooftop to enjoy a pisco sour or two. The only issue with this hostel is that the walls are very thin so I could hear the noise from the upstairs bar. The kitchen was also tiny and was missing many utensils which made cooking difficult. Whilst I was staying here I had the opportunity to visit an international school to gain an insight into a different kind of school. I observed some Geography lessons and helped some of the students, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Even though all lessons were taught in English, the students conversed in Spanish which was a little bizarre. I was also able to go with the surf club down to the beach. The teachers and students were all so welcoming and lovely. We ended up going for food and drinks at ‘Mercado 28’ which had multiple food and drink stands. It was cool to get an insight into how the expats live. Miraflores is a very upmarket area with many gated communities. I am starting to see a pattern with many South American cities, most of the backpacker areas are in the gentried places of the cities.
I then moved to the other ‘Alpes Lima, Parque Kennedy’ as I heard this one was more social. It was pretty much identical layout wise, they also have a BBQ which is pretty average. Friendly staff again and a bigger rooftop with a hotub (although this was not full when I was there). This hostel has an excellent location, it is in the heart of Parque Kennedy where you can find many stalls selling art and cats! There is also an excellent sandwich shop called ‘Sangucheria La Lucha’ which is a chain in Peru. If you like second hand clothes then check out ‘Al Paso’ it is a small vintage shop located 2 minutes from the hostel. It is a little hard to find on google maps but it is in the same shopping centre as the cinema. Also if you are in need of electronics then there’s an excellent market selling all sorts, it is just opposite the Inka market. I would definitely suggest waiting until Cusco to buy all of your alpaca gear as there is more choice and it is cheaper! In terms of sightseeing, the hostel offers many walking tours which are supposed to be good. You can also visit the pyramids which were ‘recommended’ by a certain guidebook. If I’m honest this was a little disappointing and underwhelming. You can only get around with a guide and the guide was not very good at all. Nevertheless, you can get a good photo (do it for the gram).
I ended up staying in Lima for longer than expected as I was waiting for my friend to arrive (he was delayed due to losing his passport). I would only suggest staying here for 1/2 nights, its the not the nicest city in Peru or South America even.
Romy's Roamings 