Paracas was a shock for us. I'm not sure what we were expecting, but a sleepy seaside town with restaurants and bars lining the shore was a nice surprise. The laid back vibe and glowing sunsets had us loving the place instantly. The only downside were the touts, who didn't give us a minute's peace. Whether it was for tours or food, we were accosted relentlessly whenever we walked anywhere. It was exhausting.

 

In the morning we hired mountain bikes and set off for Paracas National Reserve. Even though I had been told we would be riding through the desert, I wasn’t expecting it to be so beautiful. The short golden sand dunes contrasted sharply to the deep blue of the ocean, and every lookout offered something unique. Riding through the reserve was challenging to say the least: cracked and potholed paths and roads, undulating hills that felt like mountains, plus a fierce headwind that had us cursing under our breath, but it was well worth the effort.  

 

First stop was Playa Supay, where the cliff dropped dramatically down towards the ocean. It was reminiscent of an Australian coastline, and nothing like we had seen in South America so far. Nearby was the viewpoint for La Catedral, a rock formation that used to be connected to the mainland, but an earthquake in 2007 destroyed the natural bridge between the two. What was left was just a jagged rock sitting by itself the middle of the ocean, but it still added to the scenic landscape.

 

The empty Playa Yumaque was a wide flat expanse of sand that blended into the background. It was hard to tell where the desert stopped and the beach started. Further up the road was Mirador Istmo, which seemed a bit pointless because there was nothing to see from here except sand. On the opposite side of the road was a path leading up to a viewpoint that wasn’t on our map, which offered a spectacular view over Playa Roja. A thick strip of deep red sand sat between the aquamarine water and the yellow desert, creating a striking image. It was the best lookout we visited all day and it wasn't even signposted.

 

Playa Roja also looked incredible down below, where again there was a clear distinction between the vibrant colours of the landscape. Entry to the beach was forbidden in an effort to protect the natural wonder, which was perfect for taking photos but disappointing not to see it up close.

 

The next stop was Lagunillas, a tiny fishing village consisting of just a handful of restaurants and dozens of small boats in the harbour. I was keen to visit the beaches further along the coast, but Danny took one look at the hill we needed to climb combined with the fierce headwind and decided he wasn't going anywhere. He stopped at Lagunillas to eat lunch while I braved the gusts, not managing to cycle faster than walking pace. I made it up and over the crest then down the other side, which took me to Playas La Mina and El Raspon. Mina was tiny but full of people, and the most suitable beach for swimming in the area. There were a few people further around at El Raspon, but clearly La Mina was the place to be.

 

The return trip back to Danny over the hill was much more bearable with a tailwind, as was the ride back to Paracas. It also helped that half the journey was on a smooth, paved road, even with the trucks continuously zooming past us. In the end it had been a fantastic day out, cycling 44 km around the reserve, and we appreciated exploring an area completely different to anywhere else we had visited in Peru.