Making the most of Pisco General San Martin
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Pisco Port is no longer used for marine traffic, having been replaced by modern San Martín Port on the Paracas peninsula. It is around a 40-minute drive from Pisco and 20 minutes from the Paracas Hotel. The pier has no passenger facilities, though some taxis may be permitted inside the port.
There is nothing to see around the dock, so use cruise shuttles or organised tours.
This is essentially a service call for travellers going to or coming from Machu Picchu.
Take a printable map with you.
Pisco is a medium-sized Peruvian fishing town on the coast south of Lima. It offers little for visitors itself and is best used as a base for Ballestas Islands trips and perhaps the nearby Paracas salt desert and national reserve.
Getting around
Tuk tuks are advised for safe, inexpensive travel through the less comfortable parts of town.
A visit to a Pisco brandy factory is enjoyable, with lunch and Pisco drinks. The area is considered safe, but ship tours are advisable.
Nearby places
Paracas National Reserve lies in Ica, Peru, taking in the Paracas Peninsula, coastal areas and tropical desert south to just beyond Punta Caimán. It covers 335,000 ha, including 217,594 ha of marine waters and 117,406 of mainland.
Pisco is also a gateway to Machu Picchu. Explore Paracas Peninsula, sail to Islas Ballestas, fly over the Nazca Lines or travel by land to Lima, Cuzco and Machu Picchu. El Candelabro, a giant lamp carved into rough sand by a method used by Nazca Lines creators, is another local attraction.
Money
Peru uses the nuevo sol. ATMs are available in large cities, up-market hotels and tourist areas.
Staying connected
English is spoken in tourist centres such as Cusco and Machu Picchu and in high-class hotels. For other sites, especially rural ones, Spanish is needed.
Call 011 / 5114 for emergencies in Peru; within Lima, ring 105.
Cafés offering free customer WiFi, called cabinas públicas in Peru, are extremely common.
Opening Hours and
Most companies are open 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Shopping centres and stores trade 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, though some companies now remain open 24 hours a day.