If you visit the natural reserve of Paracas, make sure you include a boat trip to the Ballestas Islands. The bright white coastline is in fact entirely covered in guano (bird excrement used as fertiliser or to manufacture explosives). Cormorants, pelicans and Galapagos albatross take refuge here, while sea lions cavort in the sea. The trip will also enable you to observe El Candelabro, an amazing geoglyph whose origins are still shrouded in mystery.