Originally Posted by
jimrpa
Hi all, headed to Lima for my first time. It's pretty much just a mileage run, but I get in early on 26 Dec and leave early on Dec 28, so I'll have 2 full days in the city. I'm staying at the Sheraton. I guess my questions are, in order:
1. Getting from the airport to the hotel - from reading this forum and other websites, it sounds like Lima taxis can be dicey. Should I contact the Sheraton and arrange for a transfer? Is there a taxi queue? Taxi desks? I've traveled to a lot of other countries and generally have gotten by ignoring all the various touts the hover around the customs exit doors and following the signs to the taxi queues.
2. Language - My spoken Spanish is horrible. I can understand some spoken Spanish and read some Spanish, but can't speak it any more. Certainly not well enough to have any type of intelligible conversation. How much of an issue will that be?
3. Personal safety - Usually, when visiting someplace, I try to walk everywhere and avoid taking any form of transit. I rely on the hotel map and my iPhone (6 Plus). How much of an issue is it going to be for a single tourist to be wandering around, alone, usually looking slightly lost, frequently pulling out his iPhone and looking at maps? Again, I've never been bothered, but reading this and other forums makes me wonder if, perhaps, I'd be better sticking to more organized activities or not wandering around as much while in Lima?
1) I would recommend you take Taxi Green - it s right after customs, and before you exit the airport. It will cost about 50 Nuevos Soles (a little less than $20) to go to the Sheraton and they have nice/safe cars. Don't take a taxi from outside the airport.
2) Unless you are in the nicer parts of town, few people will speak English. You won't have a problem at the Sheraton. I'd recommend writing down in Spanish a few key phrases you think you might need to get around.
3) Take a taxi to Miraflores and just wonder around. The same for downtown Lima. It will be safe. Just don't carry a lot of money in your wallet. Leave your passport in the hotel's safe, and carry your DL as an ID. Remember that data usage can be very expensive, so don't rely on getting maps from your IPhone unless you have preloaded them.
If you are more adventurous, find a way to go to the ruins of Pachacamac. It is an hour away from the Sheraton and although not nearly as impressive as the ruins in Cuzco, it is still worth the trip to go see them.
Have fun!