La Costa - The Coast
This is the coastal region of Peru, following the country's Pacific
coastline from north to south and thus forming a long narrow region
between the ocean and the mountain ranges of the Andes. Although some
places are fertile, most of La Costa consists of dry and sometimes
extremely arid
desert regions. Always
thought that the Sahara was the driest place on earth? Wrong! There are
places in the south, near the Chilean border, which are even drier. In
some places it doesn't rain for years. The landscapes can be very
spectacular though, with immense sand dunes and stone-deserts. A very
interesting example of the sand desert can be found in
Huacachina, a green oasis
completely surrounded by sand dunes.
The coastal highway. Image © Erich Henry Kuball
Although there is plenty of rain in the Amazon basin, it
rarely reaches La Costa because of the barrier of the Andes mountains
inbetween. But since many small rivers flow from the Andes into the
coastal desert, there are also fertile and green places. For instance Lima, in fact in the middle of the desert,
doesn't seem to be a desert city at all, and there is no lack of fresh
water.
"The Cathedral" in the Paracas National Park. Image © Alex Seeley
South of Lima is Lunahuana, where
the Cañete River is a popular place for wild-water canoeing.
Further south along the coast are the cities Pisco and Ica.
Very mysterious are the Nazca
lines. An interesting place for wildlife is the Paracas NationalPark.
The Sechura Desert in the North
Around Trujillo and Piura in the North are some beautiful
beaches. It is also a popular place for windsurfing. The ocean water is
clean and crystal-clear at most places. Also in the north are the
cities Chiclayo and Tumbes.
Immense sand dunes along the Pacific
Coast north of Lima. Image © Erich Henry Kuball
