Journal Peru

Rocky Point, known better to locals as Puerto Peñasco, lights up Mexico’s Baja Peninsula with its scenic beaches, luxury hotels, and wealth of activities year-round. There’s a lot more on offer than swimming and sunbathing, from fishing and watersports to golf and inland tours. Indeed, the challenge here isn’t finding something to do, but choosing just a handful of Puerto Peñasco activities among thousands.

Just four hours from the Arizona border, Puerto Peñasco has been called Arizona’s Mexican Beach, especially since it’s a popular weekend hub for locals. Online rentals such as Seaside Mexico make it all the more convenient—with dates, accommodations, and activities all at your fingertips, you can plan your Mexican getaway in minutes and start packing right away. Seaside Mexico also offers rental services for Barra de Navidad in Jalisco, Riviera Nayarita in Nayarit, and San Carlos in Sonora.

Puerto Peñasco golf attracts as many visitors as its beaches, thanks to its picturesque views and the mild weather it enjoys for much of the year. The Puerto Peñasco Mayan Resort boasts a signature golf course designed by professional golfer Jack Nicklaus, and is easily accessible from local tourist destinations. Other courses can be found in nearby hotels in and around the hotel zone. Whether you’re after a few swings or a complete golf vacation, planning your stay is easy with Seaside Mexico and its wide selection of accommodations.

Fishing is also a major activity in Puerto Peñasco, where it has always been a major source of livelihood. It still is today, although the area is leaning more heavily recreational fishing from tourists. Many people come to the beaches to fish, especially during the Puerto Peñasco fishing festival which kicks off in June every year. It’s a heavy season, though, so it’s best to make your reservations early. Months before your trip, check out the dates on Seaside Mexico and book your hotel and activities to get the best spots.

Other points of interest include the sand dunes at the Altar Desert, one of the driest in the world; Bird Island, a cluster of rocky outcroppings along the shore and home to the largest sea lion population in Mexico; and a public marine research center. No matter what you’re into, there’s sure to be something for you in Puerto Peñasco—and with Seaside Mexico, you can get dibs on your favorite activities any time of the year.

Callao is a coastal suburb which is part of Lima and is a popular destination for tourists and also an important port city for Peru.  Tourists are attracted to this area especially during the summer as Callao has beautiful sandy beaches and views out to the Pacific Ocean.   This location is a favourite with tourists as the capital Peru is close by and Callao has developed to cater for tourism by building and developing infrastructure such as accommodation for the numerous tourists that visit every year.

Callao is sometimes referred to as a city but is actually part of the metropolitan area of Lima.  Many people who visit this area come from nearby Lima and are delighted by the many tourist attractions and also the beautiful sandy beaches.  A part from the beaches in and around La Punta there are a number of other tourist attractions in this area such as Puerto del Callao which has been a departure point for many ships over the last 500 years and also the Isla El Fronton and other Islands which are a short boat trip from the main land.  Many of these attractions offer a glimpse at the history of Callao especially the history surrounding the ports in this area.

Other tourist attractions in Callao include various landmarks which show the importance of this area to Peru’s history.  While visiting parts of Callao you will see many monuments and statues that celebrate the life and achievements of many important people who influenced both this area and Peru.  The district of Callao is also home to the National University and for people who enjoy looking at a country’s history Callao is also home to the Fortaleza del Real Felipe an impressive fortress that was built in the 1740s.  Another tourist attraction is the Plaza Grau which celebrates the life of Miguel Maria Grau Seminario who was Peru’s most famous admiral.  There are also many statues and monuments to other great Peruvians and many are within walking distance of the larger tourist attractions.

For visitors who are thinking of spending some time in Callao there are many great places to eat, stay and visit.  Walking around this area is a great way to see and immerse yourself in this great area of Peru.  The weather can be just beautiful so remember to take your swimmers and towel for a great day at La Punta on the beach.

Peru has one of the world’s most diverse climates. Of the 32 world climate classifications, no less than 28 are found in Peru, with various microclimates tucked into its numerous valleys and mountainsides. This is largely because of the Humboldt Current, a cooling current that runs through most of South America’s western coast, and the presence of the Andes.

Overall, however, Peru climate is classified as dry and subtropical. Much of the country gets little rainfall, except for the Andes where summers are wet and winters decidedly dry. Going into the eastern lowlands, the weather warms up considerably with rains scattered throughout the year. The coastal regions have moderate temperatures, except up north where it warms up near the equator. The mountainous regions get frequent rain, and get noticeably cooler as it nears the Andes.

The coastal climate is often compared to Greece or Italy, although there are some differences. Winter, for example, is cloudy and humid in these areas, but is less rainy than Mediterranean coastlines. This season, which is summer in North America, has comfortable temperatures down to 14°C. Summer is hot and humid, with seasonal highs of around 38°C.

Further down the coast, including the central region where Lima sits, it gets considerably cooler, with temperatures running from 8°C to 29°C and about 30% less rainfall. In the summer the temperature can go down to 18°C, but is generally between 22°C and 25°C. Rain, when it does fall, is more common during the night. Winters are noticeably foggy from the coast to a few kilometers inland, known locally as garua.

The Andes is no doubt the country’s most diverse area in terms of climate. The higher up, the lower the temperatures get, with the coldest areas reaching or dropping slightly below freezing point in the winter. Rains occur frequently from January to March. Areas directly to the east of the mountain can get close to 400 inches of rain in a year. Snow is usually seen only at altitudes over 5,000 meters early in the year, and above 3,800 meters from May to August.

The eastern lowlands, which include Iquitos, have the same climate as the neighboring Amazon Rainforest. Here the climate is steadily hot and rainy, save for brief cool periods from May to September where temperatures can drop to 10°C. Most of the time, however, temperatures are in the mid-20s with lows of 18°C and highs of 36°C.

Ask anyone who’s had to learn or teach a second language, and they’ll be quick to say that it’s all about immersion. You can learn all the grammar and spelling rules, and even read literature in that language, but if you don’t pit yourself against native speakers, not much of it will stick.

That’s why South America, and especially Peru, is a popular destination for aspiring Spanish speakers. As a former Spanish colony, Peru has ties with the Spanish on more than the linguistic level. In a Peruvian school, you’ll learn more than just the words—you’ll also learn the stories behind these words, and gain a new appreciation for the culture.

Peruvian Spanish schools can be found all over the country, but are more common in touristy areas like Lima, Cusco, and Arequipa. They range from large institutions, sometimes affiliated with national universities, to small private outfits. Teachers can be language professionals, writers, or journalists, or people from unrelated fields who are simply doing it for fun. An intensive full-time course usually involves two or more mentors, allowing you to get used to different accents.

Courses can be designed for absolute beginners, meaning your Spanish is limited to sí, no, and buenos dias, if even that. If you already speak it a little, there are intermediate and low intermediate courses. Advanced courses are for those who are already quite conversational and would like to work on their accents, refine their grammar, or widen their vocabulary. Doing all these levels can take up to a year, after which a typical student can usually get around on his own.

What’s great about learning Spanish in Peru, besides the immersion factor, is that you get to meet people from all over the world as well. Language learners in Peru can come from all walks of life—professionals looking to further their career in Latin America, new immigrants, or tourists learning for the fun of it. If you don’t have a common language and are forced to speak in Spanish all the time, you’ll pick it up even faster.

If you have the time and budget, consider signing up for a cultural Spanish course—a program that teaches you not just the language, but Peruvian culture and history as well. It’s a great way to use your newfound skills beyond introducing yourself and talking to hotel clerks, and you’ll have more than just a new vocabulary to bring home with you.

Having a plan for your holiday is the best way to ensure that you will get the most out of your money especially when it comes to booking and paying for flights.  Both international and domestic flights can be expensive so booking ahead of time can save you significant amounts of money.  For people who are looking to take a holiday in Peru and want the most affordable flights then Air Peru or Peruvian Airlines may be the airline that can provide you with the best choice when it comes to affordable air fares.

Peruvian Airlines or Air Peru is one of the major domestic airlines which provides competitive prices on many routes to the major centres of Peru such as Lima, Cuzco, Piura, Tacna and Arequipa.  This air line is relatively small in comparison with carriers in other countries such as Australia however the fleet services most areas of Peru.

Travellers to Peru who wish to fly domestically can book flights with Peruvian Airlines over the internet,  telephone and through travel agents.  Booking over the internet is the preferred way to book as travellers can easily compare prices with other domestic airlines operating in Peru to ensure that they are getting the best and most affordable price for the tickets before purchasing.

Tourists who are looking to travel around within Peru to major cities such as Lima or to tourist areas such as the Inca Trail there are suitable airline routes to get you in and out of these areas.  Prices for domestic air line tickets are generally affordable with cheaper tickets on sale during the times of the year that are off peak for tourists.