21 Peru Beaches

Peru is best known for its impressive World Heritage Sites of Cusco and Machu Picchu and is the homeland of Paddington Bear, who was orphaned in an earthquake and brought up by his Aunt Lucy. But did you know it has some incredible beaches in Peru too?

Flanked by the Pacific Ocean and bordered by Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia and Chile, the country has over 2500km (1553 miles) of spectacular coastline. Ranging from the glorious stretches of pristine sand found on the northern shoreline to the stark, wild beaches located on the edge of the Andes, the beaches of Peru are as diverse as its fascinating culture and people. Here are our top 21 Peru beaches for your bucket list.

21 Peru Beaches

Beaches In Lima Peru

1- Miraflores Beach (Lima)

No list of the best beaches in Peru would be complete without mention of Miraflores.

Situated in downtown Lima, this wide stretch of sand is flanked by brown, craggy cliffs, and while it may not be the most beautiful of beaches in Peru, it is probably the best known.

Backed by the vibrant cityscape, this cosmopolitan beach is often referred to as the ‘Costa Verde’.

It’s a hive of activity where people swim, sunbathe, surf, parasail and paraglide, making it an excellent spot for people-watching.

2- Cerro Azul (Lima)

Cerro Azul is a place you might be familiar with already, as it featured in the Beach Boys 1962 hit song ‘Surfin’ Safari’.

A charming beach with a long stretch of sand, Cerro Azul lies within the district of San Vicente de Cañete, about 155 km (96 miles) south of Lima.

You will still spot plenty of surfers’ angling in Laguna in Cerro Azul’ on any given day, but this beach is also very popular with families who sunbathe on the shoreline.

It has a lovely pier and the El Fraile, a fabulous rock formation that you can access by hiking up the cerro at the end of the beach.

3- Asia (Lima)

Located an hour’s drive south of Lima, Asia is a famous beach for weekend outings from the city.

Many residents of Peru’s capital city also have summer vacation homes here.

A lively and highly developed beach resort, the area offers excellent shopping, wonderful restaurants, terrific nightlife and golf.

The water can be a bit on the chilly side here, but if you are seeking an escape from busy city life, this splendid beach offers plenty of sand to chill out on.

4- Punta Hermosa (Lima)

Lying just 58 km (36 miles) south of Lima is the beautiful coastal region of Punta Hermosa.

Another popular weekend getaway for Lima locals, this beach features plenty of small coves and is a renowned spot for experienced surfers.

It’s also an up-and-coming area where several hotels, restaurants and nightclubs have been built.

So it’s gradually developing a reputation for having a party vibe, especially among younger people.

5- Santa Maria Del Mar (Lima)

One of the best beaches in Lima, Santa Maria Del Mar is a sunny destination that provides a relaxing spot to swim, surf, sunbathe or hang out away from the city.

Located just 63 km (39 miles) south of Peru’s capital, the beach is known for its excellent waves, relaxed laidback vibe and colourful umbrellas that line the sand.

It is a lovely beach in Peru to visit, and you will also love the variety of food, as there are several excellent restaurants and cafes here.

For more beaches around the world read:

Beaches in Southern Peru

6- Camaná (Arequipa)

A popular beach resort near Arequipa, Camaná is known for being one of the cleanest beaches in Peru.

This beach has calm waters that are great for swimming and splashing around and lovely flat sand, perfect for a nice long walk.

The area is famous for seafood. The arequipeño dish chupe de camarones, an intensely flavoursome shrimp soup, is a local delicacy here, served up by many of the local restaurants near the sand.

Away from the beach, there are also fascinating archeological sites close by.

The Cerro Mil Hojas, pre-Inca cemetery, and the Quilca petroglyphs are worth checking out.

7- Playa de la Mina (Ica)

Another incredible beach within the Paracas Natural Reserve is the Playa de la Mina, which is framed by imposing sandstone rock formations that juts imperiously from the aquamarine water.

The rocks coils behind the golden beach and are so eye-catching, you’ll want to take hundreds of Instagram photos here.

This Peru beach is easy to get to from Paracas, it is often hectic in peak season. But if you can get to it at other times of the year, especially at night when the stars shine bright like light bulbs, you may well get to enjoy its magnificence in perfect solitude.

8- Playa Roja (Ica)

You could easily believe you’ve stumbled into a land that time forgot when you rock up to Playa Roja.

Surrounded by the breathtaking Paracas National Reserve, it hosts one of Peru’s most beautiful coastal landscapes, seemingly unchanged for years.

The area is known for its incredible marine life, such as dolphins, sea lions, penguins and even the fruitily named blue-footed boobies.

The secluded beach has stunning volcanic red sand offset by craggy mustard yellow cliffs and sparkling bright blue waters of the ocean.

9- Red Beach (Ica)

There are few beaches with as much of an immediate ‘wow’ factor as La Playa Roja, or the ‘Red Beach’.

Another beach in Peru’s magnificent Paracas National Reserve, the reddish colour of the shoreline is immediately captivating.

Consisting of microscopic pieces of volcanic rocks created due to the erosion of ancient lava, it contrasts wonderfully with the stunning blue waters of the ocean.

For even more dramatic effect, the beach is surrounded in parts by towering cliffs, and although you won’t be able to swim here, you will be able to spot dolphins, whales and sea lions.

10- Huachachina Oasis

One of the most unusual beaches in Peru is in the Huacachina Oasis, a village surrounded by dunes in the southwest of Peru.

The central feature of the oasis is a natural desert lake.

Around 100 people live in this oasis that is five kilometres from Ica. But thousands of visitors flock here as the mud and water is believed to have therapeutic qualities capable of curing a range of ailments from asthma to arthritis.

Beaches In Northern Peru

11- Punta Sal (Tumbes)

Extending for over 6.5km (4 miles), Punta Sal is the longest beach on Peru’s north coast.

Despite being considered one beach, it is divided into two sections: Punta Sal Chica, which is a gently curving shoreline of fabulous white sands between two small capes, and the longer of the two, Punta Sal Grande, which is a little more sedate.

A popular beach resort, which is just a one-hour drive from the town of Tumbes, there are several excellent all-inclusive resorts here.

As the sun shines nearly every day, and because of the warm waters of the equatorial El Nino current, it’s a perfect year-round spot for sunbathing, beach volleyball, kayaking and water skiing.

12- Pimentel (Lambayeque)

During the 1920s, Pimentel served as a major port town and the railway terminus for sugar production and shipping.

Today it is better known as a modern beach resort that showcases great surfing and spectacular sunsets.

Situated just seven miles (11 km) from Chiclayo, the beach is notable for the fishermen who earn their livings fishing with traditional reed boats their ancestors used for generations before them.

It is a family-friendly destination with flat and firm sand and features a lovely boardwalk lined with an eclectic mix of shops and waterfront restaurants.

13- Tuquillo (Ancash)

Tucked away within the cliffs of Huarmey is the phenomenal, secluded Peruvian beach of Tuquillo.

Located off the Panamerican Highway, about four hours north of the capital city of Lima, this breathtaking coastal spot features a magnificent terrain of mountains, sand dunes, caves, lagoons and intriguing rock formations.

All of which are fascinating to explore.

A previous recipient of the Premio Ecoplaya (an eco-beach prize awarded) for its cleanliness and conservation, the beach here has soft sand and refreshing, crystal clear water.

14- Chicama (La Libertad)

For surfers, Chicama is like Disneyworld.

Situated about 39 km north of Trujillo, not only is the beach here a gorgeous one, but it’s also home to the longest left-breaking waves in the world.

Also known as Puerto Malabrigo, this expanse of golden beach accommodates six-foot (1.8m) plus swells that can be ridden for close to 1.2 miles (two kilometres).

Legend has it that a Hawaiian surfer once spotted the waves from a plane and later wrote to some Peruvian friends in an attempt to locate it.

So if you are ever able to ride this surf, be sure to thank him as you do it.

15- Huanchaco (La Libertad)

Situated in the picturesque city of Trujillo, Huanchaco Beach is another gorgeous Peruvian beach.

A great spot for surfing, it was named a World Surfing Reserve Site in 2012 and draws surfers from all over the planet.

Lying some 20 km (12 miles) northwest of Trujillo, the beach is one of the world’s top five surfing sites.

If that is not reason enough to put your toes on the sand here, then with Huanchaco being the birthplace of Ceviche, you’ll have to try this delicious seafood dish at one of the many local restaurants near the beach.

16- Máncora (Piura)

Some parts of Peru experience sunshine 365 days of the year, which is perfect if you love the beach.

One of these places is the charming seaside village of Mancora, located in the very north of the country, close to the Ecuador border.

An idyllic holiday destination, it showcases gorgeous powdery sand, lovely warm water, big waves for surfing and stunning blue skies.

Unfortunately, the secret is out about it, though, and in recent years the area has metamorphosised into a major beach destination.

Even so, if you are looking for a great place to sunbathe by day and party at night, Máncora fits the bill.

17- Cabo Blanco (Piura)

The famous author Ernest Hemmingway loved and lived in Key West, but Peru also inspired him, particularly Cabo Blanco, where he lived for a while.

So much so that he is believed to have written the Pulitzer Prize-winning book ‘The Old Man and The Sea’ during his time there.

A big fan of sport fishing for Black Marlin, he was also said to have loved the stunning beach, light coloured mountains from which the place is named after, and the delightful blue shades of sea and sky, which are always on display.

While you are more likely to see surfers now, rather than old guys struggling with huge marlin, the landscape has otherwise changed little from what Hemmingway saw.

18- Colan (Piura)

82 km (51 miles) west of Piura, Colan is a fabulous beach that enjoys a pleasant year-round climate within a district of its own name.

Known for its greyish sand, the beach is colloquially referred to as La Esmeralda because of the water’s distinctive emerald colour.

The shallow water of the Bay of Colán provides reasonable swimming conditions, although stingrays are plentiful at certain times of the year and it might be a bit cold for some.

If you would prefer to stay on land, the beach is home to one of the oldest Spanish churches in the country, well worth checking out.

19- Lobitos (Piura)

With a collection of abandoned buildings and oil rigs dotted around a sparsely populated beach, you might well wonder what Lobitos is doing on this list.

Granted, it’s not the comeliest of settings, but it is a major hotspot for surfers, with perfect waves often topping 8-feet (2.4 m).

An isolated beach incorporated within a rugged Peruvian desert, this stark coastline is fabulous for a digital detox.

It’s also close to Máncora and Cabo Blanco, making a pleasant change from the frenetic energy of those places.

20- Las Pocitas (Piura)

10 minutes south of Máncora beach lies the beguiling Las Pocitas.

Also known as Máncora Chico, or Little Máncora it’s a lot more sedate in nature than its livelier neighbour.

With sparkling aquamarine waters and immaculate white sand, the beach is backed by lush, tropical palm trees, making it feel like paradise.

It’s also renowned for the little tide pools that form among the rocks at low tide, which are always great to explore.

21- Los Órganos (Piura)

Quietly tucked away at the northern end of Peru, Los Órganos is an isolated and tranquil beach which is a great spot to get away from it all.

Just a 15-minute drive from Máncora, this beach is named after a local hill of the same name, which has a shape that brings to mind the pipes of a musical organ.

This is a great beach to chill out as the weather is usually warm, the sand is suitable for walking on, and there are a few decent spots to snorkel and surf.

You might spot the odd whale, dolphin, sea lion or turtle, the latter of which often searches for food near the dock.