Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [464]
At ports, there are chalkboards with ships’ names, destinations and departure times displayed; these are usually optimistic. The captain has to clear documents with the capitanía (harbor master’s office) on the day of departure, so asking the person in charge at the capitanía can yield information, but asking the captain is best. Nobody else really knows. Departure time often depends on a full cargo, and mañana (tomorrow) may go on for several days if the hold isn’t full. Usually, you can sleep on the boat while waiting if you want to save on hotel bills. Never leave your luggage unattended.
Bring your own hammock, or rent a cabin for the journey. If using a hammock, hang it away from the noisy engine room and not directly under a light, as these are often lit late at night, precluding sleep and attracting insects. Cabins are often hot, airless boxes, but are lockable (for your luggage). Sanitary facilities are basic but adequate, and there’s usually a pump shower on board.
Basic food is usually included in the price of the passage, and may be marginally better on the bigger ships, or if you are in cabin class. Finicky eaters or people with dietary restrictions should bring their own food. Bottled soft drinks are usually available and priced very reasonably.
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BUS
Buses are the usual form of transport for most Peruvians and many travelers. Fares are cheap and services are frequent on the major long-distance routes, but buses are of varying quality. Less-traveled and remote rural routes are often served by older, more uncomfortable vehicles, many with inadequate legroom for taller travelers. Try to avoid seats at the back of the bus, because the ride is bumpier.
The scores of competing Peruvian bus companies have their own offices, and no one company covers the entire country. In some towns, the companies have their offices in one main bus terminal. In many cities, bus companies are clustered around a few city blocks, while elsewhere the terminals may be scattered all over town. For a rundown of major companies with offices in Lima, Click here.
Buses rarely arrive or depart on time, so the average trip times quoted throughout this book or by the operators themselves are almost certainly best-case scenarios. Buses can be significantly delayed during the rainy season, particularly in the highlands and the jungle. Especially from January through to April, quoted journey times can double or buses can even be delayed indefinitely because of landslides and bad road conditions.
Local and long-distance buses alike can be a risk to your personal safety, as fatal accidents are not unusual in Peru. Avoid overnight buses, on which muggings and assaults are more likely to occur. For important information on this, Click here.
Classes
The bigger companies often have luxury buses (called Imperial, Royal, Business, Executive or something similar), for which they charge up to 10 times more than económico buses. The former are express services with toilets, snacks, videos and air-conditioning. Some companies offer bus-camas (bed buses), on which the seats recline halfway or almost fully – you can sleep quite well on them. But for trips under six hours, you may have no choice but to take an económico bus, and these are usually pretty beaten up.
Better long-distance buses stop for bathroom breaks and meals (except on luxury buses, which serve paltry snacks and don’t stop). Many companies have their own special rest areas, sometimes in the middle of nowhere, so you’ll have no choice but to eat there. The food is fairly inexpensive, but not particularly appetizing, so many travelers bring their own food. Almost every bus terminal has a few convenience shops where you can stock up. Be aware that económico services don’t stop for meals, although snack vendors will board the bus, and men and women alike have to answer nature’s call in the open at the side of the road – women