Information
Arriving in Lima: Lima’s international airport is located about a 40-minute drive to Miraflores. The safest options to travel from the airport to where you will be staying are either (i) an airport taxi from the counter inside the airport (such as Taxi Green; do not take a taxi from the street outside) or (ii) a ride service such as Uber which is available via its app. There is free wi-fi at the airport so that you can use your phone to call such a service.
Transportation Around Lima: It is best to travel around the city using a ride service app such as Uber. Public transportation (buses) is mostly informal and can be unsafe. Taxis on the street are not metered, so you must agree on a price before you go on a ride. They will usually charge foreigners more and may not be safe as they are not highly regulated.
Neighborhoods: Lima is divided into districts; the tourist and safe ones are: Miraflores, San Isidro, Magdalena, Pueblo Libre, Barranco, San Borja, Surco, and La Molina. Try to stick to these areas!
Safety: Like any other big city, use caution and common sense when moving around Lima. The following are some recommendations:
Don’t walk around late at night (better to grab a ride service after 8/9 PM)
Don’t wear flashy jewelry (silver jewelry is fine as that is what most people there wear)
Put your wallet in the front pocket/carry purse in front of your body
Unless completely necessary, don’t carry passport, valuables, or a lot of cash on your person
Avoid using ATMs at night if possible
Currency/Credit Cards/Exchanging money:
The name of the currency in Peru is the “Sol”, which means sun. The plural is “Soles”. In December 2024, the average exchange rate was 3.7 soles for 1 dollar.
All major credit cards are accepted. In all cases, the POS device will be brought to you. Unlike the US, the card never leaves your sight.
If you need to exchange dollars, it is best to withdraw soles at the ATM or exchange your dollars for soles at the bank (check with your US bank to see if they have a partner in Peru so the fees to withdraw aren’t as high). There are also a few exchange centers located in Miraflores. Some people will exchange money on the street. If you decide to use them, make sure it’s in a safe location and during the day.
Tipping: Locals typically tip 10% for good service. If the service is excellent you can tip 15%. Let the server know what tip you would like to add when they bring the POS device.
Electrical: Peru uses 220v, unlike the US which uses 110v for electrical current. Make sure the device you are plugging in can handle 220v. Most chargers for phones and laptops can handle from 100v to 240v. https://www.tripsavvy.com/peru-electricity-outlets-and-voltage-1619913
Phone Service: All US mobile carriers have arrangements with Peruvian mobile carriers. Check with your carrier for roaming charges in Peru. If you have an unlocked phone, you can get a local SIM card relatively inexpensively. WIFI is widely available. Whatsapp is widely used in Peru, so it would be good to have a subscription to this service.