Elly Shofia
Huacachina is an oasis in the middle of the desert in west of the Ica city, Peru. This oasis is in the form of a small village with a lake in the middle of the village.
This village is about 5 hours from Lima, Peru’s capital, by land. The people of Lima city often visit this small village.
This village is surrounded by a dry and hot desert. Additionally, the desert area of this region contains the largest dunes in North America.
The scenery in this village is very contrasting, a stretch of desert, and in the middle, there is a village with a lake and trees.
However, the sunset view in this village is very famous. The best place to watch the sunset is on the edge of the village by climbing on one of the existing dunes.
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Village in the Middle of the Desert
Huacachina Village is circular around the lake in the center. This small village is not inhabited by many people.
To explore this village in the desert, people usually use jeeps. This jeep is also used to go in and out of the village through high dunes.
Many communities also do sandboarding. The high dunes in this area are the best locations for sandboarding.
Tourism as a Major Source of Community Income
The main livelihood of Huacachina villagers is tourism. This is because the village’s location in the middle of the desert limits their sources of income.
There are 100 residents living in this village. Almost all residents have resorts, hotels, or other lodging places.
Some residents in this village also have a boat. This boat is used to surround the lake in the middle of the village.
This village is a favorite place visited by urban residents.
Lake in the Middle of Huacachina
The lake in the middle of the village of Huacachina is the only natural lake in the desert region of South America.
However, the future of Lake Huacachina is in a state of serious threat. The water level that consistently continues to decrease makes people try to increase their water by flowing water from other sources.
This effort is of course very costly, to maintaining the sustainability of this lake is one of the efforts that is not easy for the surrounding community.
The Sand in Huacachina is Believed to be Good for Health
The people in this village believe that the mud and water from this lake can be used for health therapy. Therefore, many people bathe by covering their bodies with mud.
They believe that the mud bath can cure diseases such as arthritis, arthritis, asthma, rheumatism, and bronchitis.
The sand in Huacachina is believed to be beneficial for health.
Angela Perotti, a paramedic from Italy, researched sand in this area. The result is that the sand in this area can cure rheumatism and skin diseases.
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The Story Behind Huacachina
This village has a legend that is believed by the local people. It is said that there was a young girl named Huacay China who fell in love and had a special relationship with a mighty warrior.
Huacay then heard of the death of the young man she loved. Missing the young man she loved, she went somewhere.
In that place, she took out a mirror and saw the shadow of the young man she loved. She got scared and then ran.
As she ran, she dropped his mirror. That said, the mirror turned into a lake in the village of Huachina.
The girl then turned into a mermaid and lived in the lake. The story is still believed by local people.