Flying from the vibrant city of Cartagena, Colombia, to Lima, the bustling capital of Peru, with Copa Airlines, comes with a delightful surprise: your departure ticket is eligible for a tax refund [laughing and crying emoji]. When you check in, simply ask the staff, sign a form, and you’ll receive cash on the spot. Each person can get 122k (see image 2), so two people together can pocket over 400 RMB—it’s like finding free money [gold coin emoji]!
Entering Peru:
1. **Visa**: If you’re a Hong Kong passport holder, you enjoy a 90-day visa-free entry. At check-in, be prepared to show proof of onward travel. We had a bus ticket from Puno to Bolivia, and we boarded without any issues.
2. **Drones**: Bringing drones into Peru can be a bit of a gamble. You need to declare them, and depending on the day, you might have to pay a deposit, which may or may not be refundable. There’s no official statement, so it all depends on the customs officer’s mood… But when we exited the airport, no one even checked [disdainful face emoji].
3. **Exchange Rate**: The Peruvian Sol (PEN) is roughly 1.95 RMB, or about 2 RMB. Using a Visa credit card at Banco de la Nación incurs no fees, and you can withdraw up to 400 PEN per transaction, with multiple withdrawals allowed. (Image 8 shows bank withdrawal fees)
4. **SIM Card**: Head to a service center to grab a SIM card. We opted for Claro, which is said to have the best signal in Peru. The card costs 5 PEN, and a 30-day 10GB plan will set you back 30 PEN, with the option to renew. (Image 5 shows the plan details)
It’s wise to go early as the lines can be incredibly long! After getting the card, use some data at the service center (20 MB should suffice) to ensure it works. Our card functioned there, but once we ventured further, we suddenly received a message saying our data was used up. A quick trip back to the service center revealed they had given us an empty card. Adding data took an hour—talk about efficiency!
5. **Transportation**: We stayed in Miraflores, a safe and upscale area in Lima. From the airport, take the convenient airport express directly to Miraflores (images 3 and 4). The express bus is equipped with WiFi, costs 15 PEN per person, and stops at four stations. Choose Kennedy Park, which is conveniently close to ATMs and phone service centers.
For public transportation, you’ll need a transport card, which can be shared among multiple people, with a single subway ride costing 3.2 PEN. Our Airbnb host kindly provided us with a bus card. Traffic in Lima can be quite heavy, so during peak hours, taking the subway or bus is much faster than a taxi or Uber. However, after dark, it’s safer to opt for Uber.
6. **Safety**: Miraflores and Barranco are middle to upper-class residential areas, making them very safe, even for nighttime strolls. The Historic Center is generally safe during the day, but it’s less clear at night. Generally, the further south you go, the safer it is. Even locals avoid the northern working-class areas, especially after dark.
