Peru: a newly discovered surfing country in South America | Photo: Haugen/Creative Commons

Peru has over 1,400 miles of coastline, where the surf breaks year-round, and all types of waves can be found.

The points, reefs, and beach breaks receive their swells from storms in the South Pacific and major storms in the North Pacific.

In the summer (our winter), the surf averages 4 to 10 feet, with some days easily reaching 20 feet.

In the winter (our Summer), the surf averages 8 to 15 feet, with days in the 20-foot plus size very common.

Peru has an extremely large swell window, which can receive swells from the south, southwest, west, and northwest.

Peru is located on the West Coast of South America.

Topographically diverse, Peru has many distinct regions, from the Andes Mountains to the Amazon River basin.

Located 10 degrees south of the equator in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed.

Winter is from May to November, and summer is from December to April.

The coastline in Peru is extremely arid, and air temperatures in the winter range from 60-70 °F (15.5-21 °C).

In the summer, the air temperatures range from 80-90 °F (26.6-32.2 °C), with bright sunny days.

Northern Coast: Talara and Mancora

Tropical beaches and year-round sunny weather make the perfect setting for excellent waves.

Many point breaks offer fast, hollow tubes: El Hueco, Cabo Blanco, Organos, Mancora, and Bayovar.

The surf is pumping all year round.

But besides surfing, this area is also renowned for many other activities, amongst others: deep-sea fishing for tuna, marlin, or other big game fish and spear diving.

This "Easy-Going" region also offers superb seafood.

A spring wetsuit is recommended for Talara, and just a lycra is recommended for Mancora.

Central Coast: Centinela, Huanchaco, Chicama and Pacasmayo

This area is a little warmer than Lima Region, nearly all waves are lefts, and most of them are very long.

This is the case of Chicama (the longest left on earth and Pacasmayo, which look like buses chasing you in water).

This is the area of the Mochica people, ancient Peruvians that dominated this area 3,000 years ago, so we can find many archaeological sites around this area.

These people are known to be the first surfers on earth, using their ancestral "Caballitos de Totora" (fishing boats made from the totora cane, similar in shape to surfboards).

Temperatures here vary between 57-86 °F (14-30 °C), but the seawater temperature is colder most of the time, and it is necessary a full wetsuit (3/2 mm).

Lima Region

Punta Hermosa, just south of Lima, is famous for being Peru's big wave location.

This area of headlands, reefs, and coves tends to focus the swell energy creating ideal surfing conditions.

The largest wave in South America can be found at Pico Alto.

Wind conditions in Peru are often very light, and this, in turn, creates glassy waves year-round.

Because most of the surf spots in Peru are reef point breaks, paddling out when it's big is not a problem.

Water temperatures are comfortable. In the summer you can wear just baggies or a spring suit. In the winter, either spring or full suit, depending on conditions.


Words by Olas Peru Surf Travel

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