Asia District, Peru 2.66

The Asia District is one of 16 that make up the Peru province of Cañete. Founded by Beinto Chumpitaz Chavez on July 24, 1964, it was originally part of the Coayllo District. Asia's beaches overlook the Pacific Ocean making it a popular summer getaway for the residents of Lima, the Peruvian capital, which is an hour drive north.Asia is bordered by Mala District to the north, Cerro Azul District and Quilmaná District to the south, and Coayllo District to the east. Its principal town is 97.5 kilometers south of Lima, approximately a two-hour drive.DevelopmentDevelopment of Asia's beaches began in the mid-1970s, with the creation of Las Palmas, the first condominium to be built on the beach. Kerosene lamps lit buildings, as electricity did not arrive until a second condo, Los Cocos, was developed. For many years, running water was not available, and water had to be trucked in.By the 1990s, a reasonable level of housing development had been reached, but there were few businesses on the Camino Real, the road that connects Asia's beaches to the Panamerican Highway. Among the first businesses were a night club called Ibiza, the Sur Market, and a supermarket called Los Tres Chanchitos. Over the course of the decade, a movie theater and an E. Wong supermarket came to the city, along with many small shops and restaurants. Today's Asia has stores offering nearly all the products and services available in Lima.