Surf in Peru
Peru is, in everyone’s imagination, an ideal highlander country, with the Andes Mountains, lamas and Machu Picchu.
But, did you knew this? With its largest pacific coast, Peru is one of the best destination known for suffers of the entire world. Locally, surf is on the rise. Reserved during a long time for wealthy persons, the practice of this sport is becoming democratized and touch even more Peruvians.
What are the true origins of surf?
History of surf in Peru date from the Pre-Inca period during Mochica culture. Drawings are present on potteries from this time and show men, in the ocean, on wood planks and on boats made of reeds; the caballos de totora.
To this day, fishermen of certain area of Peru, like Huanchaco, near from Trujillo, use the same boats.
The origin of surf is not obviously from Polynesia, but maybe on the northern coast of Peru… Even more since the Norwegian exploratory Thor Heyerdahi, by crossing the ocean in reed boat from Peru to Polynesia, wanted to demonstrate the contact between this two cultures.
What are the surf conditions in Peru?
The particularity of Peru is to have a very long swell, formed by huge depressions in the Pacific, at the level of fortieth blasts.
The surf conditions are variables depending of the season. In general, from December to February, waves are between 1 and 3 meters high. From March to May, this is the season of big waves, about 2 to 6 meters.
There is almost never rain, very little wind and most of the spots are far away from cities, with landscapes still salvages.
Local surfers are for the most part with an excellent level and very sympathetic.
What are the main surf spots in Peru?
North of Peru
Spots’ name Direction Type Difficulty
Baterias Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
Cabo blanco Left Rock reefs For experimented surfers
Chicama Left Point break For experimented surfers
El Faro - Pacasmayo Left Rock reefs For experimented surfers
El golf Right and Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
El Nuro Left Shoal For experimented surfers
Keys Left Point break All levels
Lobitos Left Rock reefs For experimented surfers
Los muelles Left Shoal For experimented surfers
Organos Right and Left Rock reefs For experimented surfers
Puerrup Right and Left Shoal For experimented surfers
Punta sal Left Rock reefs For experimented surfers
Varadero el Ñuro Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
Astillero Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Balconies Left Point break All levels
El Cape Left Rock reefs All levels
Huanchaco Left Point break All levels
Mancora Left Rock reefs All levels
Nonura Left Point break For experimented surfers
Piscinas Left Point break All levels
Puemape Left Point break For experimented surfers
Puerto veleros Left Sea wall All levels
Punta la Farola Left Point break All levels
Caleta Santa Rosa Right and Left Point break All levels
El hombre Left Point break All levels
La Guerra Right Shoal All levels
Las delicias Right and Left Beach break All levels
Pimentel Right and Left Beach break Novices
Punta Ballenas Left Rock reefs For experimented surfers
Punta Faro Left Point break All levels
Yacila Right and Left Beach break All levels
Malpaso Left Point break For experimented surfers
Panic Point Left Rock reefs For experimented surfers
El Hueco Left Rock reefs For experimented surfers
Peña Redonda Right and Left Rock reefs All levels
Central coast
Spots’ name Direction Type Difficulty
Bermejo Left Rock reefs All levels
Centinela Left Point break For experimented surfers
Conchitas Right Point break All levels
El Pico Right Rock reefs For experimented surfers
El Rebote Right Beach break For experimented surfers
Infiernillo Right and Left Shoal For experimented surfers
Marin Right and Left Beach break For very experimented surfers
Paraiso Left Rock reefs All levels
Pasamayo Right and Left Rock reefs All levels
Playa grande Left Rock reefs For experimented surfers
Puerto Morin Left Point break For experimented surfers
Roka Beach Left Rock reefs All levels
Toma y Calla Right and Left Rock reefs For experimented surfers
Vésique Right and Left Point break All levels
South coast
Spots’ name Direction Type Difficulty
Boca del rio Right and Left Point break All levels
Chala Right and Left Beach break All levels
Chocalla Right and Left Beach break For experimented surfers
El Hornito Right Rock reef For very experimented surfers
El Olon de Ilo Left Rock reef For very experimented surfers
La Cruz Right Point break For experimented surfers
Mejia Right and Left Beach break For experimented surfers
Piedras negras Left Point break For experimented surfers
Playita Brava Right and Left Beach break All levels
Playuela Right Rock reef For experimented surfers
Puerto Viejo Left Point break All levels
San Maloy Right and Left Shoal For experimented surfers
Tacna – Punta Colorada Right Rock reef All levels
Lima surroundings
Spots’ name Direction Type Difficulty
Ala Moana Left Shoal All levels
Arica Right and Left Rock reef For experimented surfers
Asia - Palmas Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Asia del Mar Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Barranquito Left Point break All levels
Boca Leon Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Bujama Left Point break For experimented surfers
Caballeros Right Point break For experimented surfers
Cabezo Norte Left Rock reef For experimented surfers
Camotal Left Rock reef All levels
Caplina Right and Left Point break For very experimented surfers
Cascadas Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Cerro Azul Left Point break All levels
Conchan Right and Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
Donesia Left Rock reef All levels
El Huayco Left Rock reef For experimented surfers
El Paso Right Point break For experimented surfers
Explosivos Right and Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
Izquierditas Left Rock reef All levels
Kon Tiki Right and Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
La Caleta Right and Left Beach-break All levels
La Ensenada Left Shoal For experimented surfers
La Herradura Left Point break For experimented surfers
La Isla Right Rock reef For experimented surfers
La Pampilla Right Point break All levels
La Playita Left Rock reef For experimented surfers
La Timba Right and Left Rock reef For experimented surfers
La Tiza Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Las Brisas Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Las Gramas Right and Left Shoal For experimented surfers
Las Orishas Right and Left Rock reef All levels
Makaha Right and Left Artificial reef All levels
Mar Azul Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Naplo Right and Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
Orillazo Right Beach-break For experimented surfers
Palillos Left Point break For experimented surfers
Paraiso Left Shoal For experimented surfers
Pena Rosa Left Point break All levels
Penascal Right and Left Point break For experimented surfers
Pepinos Left Rock reef All levels
Pico Alto Right and Left Rock reef For very experimented surfers
Playa Blanca Right and Left Rock reef All levels
Playa Norte Right Beach-break For experimented surfers
Playa Sur Right Point break All levels
Puerto Fiel Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Puerto Nuevo Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Puerto Viejo Left Point break All levels
Pulpos Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Punta Corrientes Right and Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
Punta Rocas Right and Left Rock reef All levels
Punta Roquitas Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Puntillas Right Rock reef All levels
Quebrada Right and Left Rock reef All levels
Redondo Left Beach-break All levels
Regatas Right and Left Beach-break All levels
San Antonio (Regatas) Right and Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
San Bartolo Right and Left Beach-break All levels
San Gallan Right Rock reef For experimented surfers
San Pedro Right and Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
Santa Maria Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Santa Rosa Right and Left Point break For experimented surfers
Sarapampa Right and Left Shoal All levels
Señoritas Left Point break For experimented surfers
Silencios Right Rock reef For experimented surfers
Sol y Mar Right and Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
Tercerita Right and Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
Triangulo Right and Left Shoal All levels
Villa Right and Left Beach-break For experimented surfers
Waikiki Left Beach-break All levels
Wakama Right and Left Beach-break All levels
Can we practice Kitesurf in Peru?
Peru is also a very good place to practice kitesurf, moreover during the European summer season (July-August), where the swell is strong and winds from the south are more powerful. The spots still are significantly the same as for the surf.
