The Republic of Peru, or better known as Peru, is a South American country. Located in the western part of South America, it is bordered by Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and the Pacific Ocean. A representative democratic republic, Peru is divided into 25 regions. The capital city of Peru is Lima which is also its largest city. Peru has a multi-ethnic population of more than 32 million which is the 41st largest in the world. Its land area of over a 1, 280,000 kilometres square and has a biodiverse country with a range of habitats.

Peru has a high level of human development with a poverty rate of around 19 percent. With an average growth rate of 5.9 percent, the country is one of the region’s most prosperous economies and is classified as an emerging market. An active member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Pacific Alliance and the World Trade Organization. Peru is also part of the Pacific Pumas; a group of Latin America countries along the Pacific Coast that shares common trends and goals. Besides Peru, the other members of the Pacific Pumas are Mexico, Colombia and Chile.

Peru is home to several ancient cultures. Evidence of human presence in Ancient Peru dates back to approximately 9,000 BC. These societies are agriculturally based with camel herding and fishing also playing a role in the Andean societies. The Norte Chico civilization is the oldest known complex society in Peru from around 1000 to 20 BC. The civilization was based along the Coast of the Pacific Ocean. Cultures that developed soon after were mostly located around the Andean regions or along the coastal regions of Peru. The Incas emerged in the 15th century as a powerful state. In a span of a century, the Incas have managed to form the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The Incas incorporated a large portion of western South America from 1438 to 1533 using various methods ranging from peaceful assimilation to conquests.

The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire is an important aspect in the campaign of Spanish colonization of America. A party of Spanish explorers captured the Inca Emperor at the end of 1532. Due to the exploitation, socioeconomic changes and epidemic disease brought by the Spanish, the indigenous population declined considerably. With the discovery of gold and silver mining, forced labour became the primary workforce.  African slave was introduced when it the workforce was not enough. The Spanish also introduce Christianity and many were forcefully converted to Catholicism. Churches replaced Inca temples and were built in every city. Although the Inca traditions and customs were lost or diluted as a result of the conquest, it also brought a mixture of new knowledge, customs, traditions, culture and ethnicity to Peru.

Peru remained loyal to the Spanish Monarchy even though most of South America were fighting wars for independence in the early 19th century. With the loss of power of Spain in Europe and the economic crisis, the idea of emancipation was deemed favourable. After many military conflicts beginning in 1811, Peru proclaimed independence from Spain on 28 July 1821.

Peru enjoyed a period of stability from the 1840s up to the 1860s. By the 1870s however, resources were depleted, the country became heavily indebted and political in-fighting began. A railroad building program was started and though it helped, it also bankrupted the country. After The War of The Pacific, the Peruvian government initiated social and economic reforms to recover from the devastations.

In the early twentieth century, an oligarchical clan of businessmen and landowner ran Peru. The economy was based on sugar along with the coast, minerals from the mountains and rubber from the jungle. Although the exports boomed, the working class in Peru did not enjoy the profits. The depression of the 1930s slumped Peru’s exports and the country was faced with an economic crisis. After several coups, the new government reformed agriculture and nationalized many industries. Peru in the 21st century still has visible problems in spite of human rights progress and the country’s fight against corruption is still ongoing.

Lima is the capital of Peru. It is also the largest city in the country with a population of more than 9 million. Founded by a Spanish conquistador in 1535, it became an important city in the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru. Founded on May 12 1551, the National University of San Marcos is located here and it is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the world. The public transportation in Lima includes buses, micros or microbus, taxicabs and mototaxis.

All travellers to Peru must have a valid passport for at least 6 months when entering the country. A tourist may stay up to 183 days a year on a tourist visa. Citizens of some countries do not need a tourist visa for entry. Information regarding visa requirements and procedures can be found online. Tourist wishing to apply for visas, however, cannot do it online and must be done at the Peruvian Consulate or the Peruvian Diplomatic Mission in their respective countries.

The official language of Peru is Spanish. Quechua and Aymara are also spoken and considered co-official language. Spanish is spoken by the majority of Peruvians. It is predominant in the media and government.

Peru has a combination of tropical area, mountain ranges and two ocean currents. This gives the country a large diversity of climates and microclimates. Thanks to the presence of the Andes Mountains and the Humboldt Current, Peru has 28 of the 32 world climates. The coast has as moderate temperatures with high humidity, while the mountains can have rainy summers and very dry winter. At the Peruvian Rainforest, heavy rainfall and high temperatures are expected.

Cuisine in Peru reflects influences from the Inca, immigrants from Europe, Asia and West Africa. Traditional staples of Peruvian cuisine are corn, potatoes, legumes and Amaranthaceas. The coastal areas of the Pacific Ocean primarily have seafood in their cuisines. An example is like the popular dish Ceviche, marinated raw fish garnished with herbs.

How to Get There?

By Flight

There are three international airports in Peru. Travellers typically land at the Jorge Chávez International Airport. There are no direct flights from Malaysia to Peru. Instead, travellers need to take three flights to get there. The most general way to get there is to take a flight to Heathrow London. From there, travellers can take flights to Miami or Madrid before connecting to Peru. Overall, it can take up to 36 hours to reach Peru from Malaysia, not including the transit time.

What to Do There?

Lima

With its rich history, there are plenty of things to do and places to see in the Peruvian capital. The Government Palace, Basilica and Convent of San Francisco, Plaza Mayor, Park of Reserve are just some of the interesting places to visit in Lima. The Inkan Milky Way Tours offers free walking tours in English and Spanish. They are on a donation basis and offer tours of the top attractions in the city centre.

Machu Pichu

A 15th century Inca Citadel located in southern Peru. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the classical Inca style with polished dry-stone walls. Sprawled across 7,000-foot high hilltop in the Andes it is a must do for tourist to Peru. There are plenty of tours and packages available to choose from. The MachuPicchu Center, Mapi Travel and the Machupicchhu Tour Guides are among some of the top tour companies available.

Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines in Southern Peru are geoglyphs etched into desert sands from pre-Columbian time. The geoglyphs cover an area of nearly a thousand kilometres with about 300 different figures. The figures are mostly visible from the air or nearby hilltops. NazcaFllights offers flight services for tourists to view the Nazca Lines from the air. Packages are available for tourist staying or coming from Lima.

Where to Stay?

Luxury Hotel Inikari

Located in the Miraflores area of Lima. It has 50 rooms with services like a professional gym, sauna, spa, indoor pool, children’s club, a hot tube and even a game room. The location of the hotel is in the touristic district and near to the Kennedy Park. There is also a restaurant as a dining option for guests called the Killari.

Aku Hotels

Strategically in San Isidro, an exclusive district in the city of Lima. It is surrounded by exclusive malls, boutiques, and restaurants. This designer 4-star hotel has modern architecture and décor. It offers large comfortable bedrooms with first class service. The rooms range from Premium Twin to the Premium king, to Senior Suite. The hotel also has its own bistro, the Aku Bistro.

Basadre Suites Boutique Hotel

A three and a half star hotel in Lima.  A fine boutique hotel in the heart of San Isidro, an ideal location to explore and do business in Lima. The hotel is within minutes of the beaches of Miraflores. It offers a personalized service which includes a swimming pool, a rooftop terrace, a television lounge, a coffee shop and a business centre. The types of rooms available at the Basadre Suite are the Junior Suite, Standard Twin and Standard Room.