Ica is located 4 hours south of Lima, between the towns of Paracas and Nazca, it is Peru's wine and pisco producing capital.
Close by is the small oasis resort town of Huacachina, built around a palm-fringed lake surrounded by impressive sand dunes. Its green sulphur waters are said to possess healing properties so it is a great place to relax and unwind. For the more adventurous, it is an excellent spot for sandboarding on sand dunes that stretch several hundred feet high.
Just north of Ica is the Paracas Peninsula, one of the world's great marine reserves. From here, boats sail out to the Ballestas Islands, where you can see penguins, sea lions, seals, dolphins, and many species of birds including pelicans and guano birds. On the way out to the islands you will see the enigmatic figure of the Candelabra, drawn in the sand on a coastal cliff. This gigantic 200 meter figure is attributed to astronomists of the Nazca culture.
Hotel Paracas is located next to the beach with stunning views out across the Pacific ocean.
Las Dunas is located 5 minutes from Ica and 10 minutes from Huacachina in the dry and sandy desert.
The Hotel Mossone is set in a century-old mansion that overlooks the Huacachina Lagoon.
