Peru is the home of the long lefthander and one of surfing’s best-value frontiers. Bridging Ecuador’s tropical coast and Chile’s wild desert, it packs more than 2,400 kilometres of Pacific shoreline, warm points up north and cold, swell-rich reefs in the centre and south, and some of the longest, most makeable lefts on the planet. Chief among them is Chicama, the longest left-hand wave on Earth, a mellow wall that peels for over two kilometres. Add tropical Mancora, the peeling lefts of Lobitos, the Uluwatu-like left of Pacasmayo and a fast-growing, affordable surf-camp scene, and you have a goofy-footer’s dream that most people still skip in favour of Machu Picchu. It sits high on our guide to the world’s best places to surf. Here’s Peru, region by region, plus when to go and what to pack.
Which Peru surf spot fits you?
From the warm points of the north to the endless left of Chicama and the cool city breaks of Lima, answer three quick questions and we'll match you with two Peruvian waves.
Quick surf guide to Peru
- Best season: April to October for the big S and SW groundswells that light up the long lefts and the Lima and southern reefs; the southern summer (December to March) is smaller, warmer and best up north and for beginners
- Best for beginners: Waikiki (Lima), San Bartolo, Mancora, Huanchaco
- Best for advanced: Chicama, Cabo Blanco, Lobitos, La Herradura, Punta Rocas
- Water temp: 22 to 27°C in the tropical far north (boardshorts to a springsuit); 15 to 19°C from Lima south, cooled by the Humboldt current (3/2 to 4/3)
- Gateways: Lima (LIM) for the centre and south, Piura (PIU) and Talara for the far north, Trujillo (TRU) for Chicama, Pacasmayo and Huanchaco
- Budget: $30 to $60 a day, Peru is one of the most affordable surf trips going
Where to surf in Peru
It helps to split Peru’s coast into halves: the warm, tropical north above Lima, home of Mancora and the endless lefts of Chicama, and the cooler centre and south, where the Humboldt current bites and the contest reefs and remote points hide. We’ve broken the country into five regions, running north to south. Tap a marker to preview a spot, then click its name to jump straight to it below.
The far north: Piura and Tumbes
Peru’s tropical corner, less than 80 miles from Ecuador, is the country’s warm-water exception: boardshorts, palm-fringed points and buzzy beach towns. It runs from the busy left at Mancora down to the world-class lefts of Lobitos and the fearsome reef of Cabo Blanco.
Mancora
Mancora is Peru’s one truly tropical surf town, a buzzing strip of beach bars, hostels and surf camps less than 80 miles from the Ecuadorian border. Its main point is a long, mellow left that plumps up best at high tide, wrapping past punchy beach peaks, and the warm water (a rashie, not rubber) makes it the easiest, most sociable place in the country to learn or cruise. The trade-off is crowds and a party-town buzz, so come for the vibe as much as the wave.
Los Organos
A quieter, more laid-back alternative just south of Mancora, Los Organos (and neighbouring Vichayito) serves up wedgy warm-water beach peaks and a gentle point with far fewer people than its famous neighbour. It’s a lovely place to log easy hours in boardshorts, with whales passing offshore in season. Best on a clean NW swell and a morning offshore, it’s a relaxed base for families and improvers.
Cabo Blanco
Peru’s fast and barrelling Pipeline, Cabo Blanco is a heaving left that detonates over a shallow, foreboding reef when a solid NW swell hits the old fishing village. Once Hemingway’s marlin haunt, it’s now an expert-only barrel that draws a committed crew whenever it turns on, mostly in the southern summer. Shallow, powerful and unforgiving on the take-off, it is not a wave to underestimate, but on its day it is one of the finest tubes in South America.
Lobitos
Look at Lobitos on a map and you’ll see a wonky headland that funnels both S and N swells into two fantastic peeling left points, long, bowly walls that ride like mini Chicamas. Add the barrelling A-frame of El Hueco nearby and this windswept former oil town is one of the best and most consistent setups in the north, at its finest on a winter south swell. Long lefts, few crowds and huge fun for trimming longboards and midlengths alike.
The northern desert coast: La Libertad
This arid, wave-rich stretch north of Lima is the true home of the long lefthander. Here the desert headlands bend S and SW swells into some of the longest, most makeable lefts on the planet, crowned by record-breaking Chicama.
Pacasmayo
We get visions of Uluwatu watching Pacasmayo, only much, much longer. This is a deceptively forgiving left that reels off the El Faro point for a minute or more, walling and crumbly rather than gnarly, so it offers enormous rides without demanding a slab-rider’s nerve. You’ll need real strength and turn discipline to chase the pocket over such a distance. Upper-intermediate and advanced heaven, if not the prettiest town on the coast.
Chicama
The poster boy of Peruvian surf, Chicama forms on a cape that juts two miles into the Pacific at just the right angle to bend S and SW swells into the longest lefts on planet Earth, rides that can run for well over two kilometres. And they’re not gnarly slabs: it’s a mellow, makeable wall, which is why goofy-footers make the pilgrimage and boats ferry surfers back to the top like a surfing ski lift. A genuine bucket-list wave, and still nowhere near as crowded as its fame suggests.
Huanchaco
Huanchaco has nowhere near the best waves in the north, but it’s a town we love and a World Surfing Reserve. Surf heritage runs deep here: the locals and their reed caballitos de totora fishing craft have a claim to being the earliest surfers on Earth. Today it’s a friendly, gettable spread of peaky beach breaks plus a consistent left point, with a great boardwalk, surf schools and cheap ceviche. A perfect base near Trujillo and one of the best places in Peru to find your feet.
Lima and its beaches
The capital is a genuine surf city: the clifftop Miraflores district drops straight into the Pacific, and there’s a wave within a taxi ride of your hostel. The water turns cold here, cooled by the Humboldt current, so the rubber goes on from Lima south.
Waikiki
Named (optimistically) after Oahu’s, Waikiki is the main beginner break beneath the Miraflores cliffs, where a shallow shelf tempers the swell into soft, rolling waves ideal for a first surf. The water is cool and the setting is pure city, and the quality is modest, but it’s endlessly convenient, with surf schools and board hire right on the Costa Verde. A handy fix between museum visits and ceviche lunches.
Makaha
Just along the Costa Verde from Waikiki, Makaha is another forgiving Miraflores peak that’s popular with longboarders and improvers, with easy paddle-outs and a friendly crowd. It picks up a touch more push than Waikiki on a bigger swell. It’s not a wave to travel for, but it’s a fun, sociable city surf and a great place to log hours between the bigger missions. Cool water and a 3/2 all year.
La Herradura
When a big south swell wraps into the bay at Chorrillos, La Herradura transforms from a sheltered cove into one of Lima’s finest waves: a long, fast, hollow left that peels down the point into a serious wall. It needs real size to break, and when it does it draws the city’s best surfers and a protective local crew. A cold-water gem for experienced surfers who time their trip to the right swell.
South of Lima: the contest coast
Just south of the capital, where the city pollution finally clears, a cluster of reef points and beach towns forms Peru’s contest heartland. This is where the national scene revolves, from world-tour reefs to friendly weekend beaches.
Punta Hermosa
The beating heart of Lima’s surf scene, Punta Hermosa is a small town fronting a string of horseshoe bays, each with its own wave. The best are the lefts off Playa Senoritas and the rare, quality right at Caballeros in the centre of town. It’s the country’s surf-camp and coaching hub, close enough to Lima for a dawn session, with waves for improvers right up to experts. Think of it as Peru’s surf-town all-rounder.
Punta Rocas
A powerful, high-performance reef just south of Punta Hermosa, Punta Rocas is Peru’s contest wave, a regular host of national and world-tour events thanks to its punchy walls and reliable form on a solid south swell. It handles size and rewards strong, committed surfing, with a serious pecking order in the water. One for advanced surfers who want proper power within easy reach of the capital.
San Bartolo
A whitewashed fishing town turned weekend resort, San Bartolo fronts a conch-shaped bay with a couple of reliable, crumbly peaks over sand that work on almost any SW to NW swell. San Bartolo Norte has the most punch, mellowing as you head south. Easy to reach from Lima and forgiving on the paddle, it’s a favourite of city learners and a relaxed spot to build confidence away from the heavier reefs down the road.
The deep south
Beyond the Lima cluster the coast empties out fast. This is Peru at its wildest and least surfed: a scattering of classic left points and cold, remote beach breaks that reward those willing to drive the long desert highways to reach them.
Cerro Azul
Immortalised in the Beach Boys’ Surfin’ Safari, Cerro Azul is a classic, cruisy left point that peels around a headland below an old pier in a scruffy-charming fishing town. It’s a fun, forgiving wall on a clean south swell, popular with weekenders and surf camps, and a great step up for improvers moving from the beach to the points. Cold water, a low-key scene and a genuine slice of Peruvian surf history.
Puerto Inca
Down in the sun-baked deep south near Chala, Puerto Inca is a remote left point tucked into a historic bay once used to run fresh fish up to the Inca capital. Reached down a desert track off the Panamericana, it peels long and empty when a south swell runs, with little more than a small lodge for company. A wild, off-grid mission for surfers chasing solitude and a proper point away from the crowds.
Mollendo
The surf outpost of the deep south, Mollendo is a faded seaside resort near Arequipa with punchy beach-break peaks that pick up plenty of cold Southern Ocean swell. It’s a world away from the tropical north, a hardy, uncrowded scene for road-trippers exploring Peru’s far coast, often surfed en route to or from the Chilean border. Bring a good wetsuit and expect to share the peak with almost nobody.
When to surf in Peru
Shoulder
Southern summer (smaller NW, warmest water, best up north)
It’s almost never flat in Peru. The prime window runs from April to October, the southern-hemisphere winter, when big S and SW groundswells march up from the Roaring Forties and light up the long lefts of Chicama, Pacasmayo and Lobitos, along with the Lima and southern reefs. The waves are bigger and more powerful then, the water is at its coldest, and it’s the best time for intermediate and advanced surfers chasing the marquee points.
The southern summer (December to March) brings smaller, less predictable W and NW swells and glassier, lighter winds. It’s the warmest time in the water and the best window for the tropical far north (Mancora, and Cabo Blanco when the NW fires) and for beginners everywhere. Wherever and whenever you go, the Peruvian sun is fierce and the Humboldt current keeps the central and southern water cool, so pack strong sunblock and the right rubber.
What are the best surf camps in Peru?
Peru is on the cusp of a surf-camp boom, and the scene is already excellent value. Mancora leads the way with tropical, all-inclusive week-long packages (surf, yoga and nightly good vibes) that feel more Sri Lanka than South American desert, while Punta Hermosa near Lima is the coaching hub for beginners and improvers, with beach villas and daily lessons a short drive from the capital. Huanchaco, Lobitos and Chicama all have good surf-stay options too, often paired with excursions to Inca ruins, sandboarding and city tours. Learn on the warm northern points or the mellow Lima beaches, then work your way onto Chicama’s endless wall. It’s also easy to bolt onto more Latin American surf for a bigger trip.
Compare surf camps in Peru on BookSurfCamps
What to pack for Peru
Two very different climates, warm and tropical up north, cold and Humboldt-cooled from Lima south, plus fierce UV and rocky points, mean you should pack for both. Your Peru packing checklist:
- A wetsuit: a 3/2 for the centre and south year-round, a 4/3 for the coldest winter months, and just boardshorts or a springsuit for the tropical far north
- Booties for the rocky, urchin-covered points (Cabo Blanco and the Lima reefs), plus a spare leash
- Strong, reef-safe SPF and a surf hat: Peru’s UV is deceptive, even on grey, cool days
- A surf watch to track the tides that make or break the long points
- The right board: a longboard or midlength for the cruisy lefts and beach breaks, a shortboard or step-up for Cabo Blanco and the reefs; see our best beginner surfboards and check your board volume
- A set of fins and a spare, plus a leash you trust for the powerful spots
- Your best outfit from your favourite surf brand: see our best surf clothing brands
- A dry bag and a lock: keep valuables out of sight in the cities and on night buses, petty theft is the main hassle in Peru
Getting to Peru
Most surfers fly into Lima (LIM), the hub for the capital’s beaches and the whole southern coast, and the jumping-off point for the desert highway south to Cerro Azul, Puerto Inca and Mollendo. For the far north, fly on to Piura (PIU) or Talara for Mancora, Lobitos and Cabo Blanco; for the long-left country of Chicama, Pacasmayo and Huanchaco, fly to Trujillo (TRU). Distances are big and buses are the budget way to link it all, though a hire car helps in the north and the deep south. Peru also pairs beautifully with a trek to Machu Picchu, just build in time to adjust to the altitude switch. Keep valuables close in the cities and on night buses, and watch the strong rips on the exposed beaches: relax and float, raise a hand, and ride the current until it weakens.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to surf in Peru?
April to October, the southern-hemisphere winter, is prime: big S and SW groundswells power the long lefts (Chicama, Pacasmayo, Lobitos) and the Lima and southern reefs, in the coldest and most powerful conditions. The southern summer (December to March) is smaller, warmer and best in the tropical north and for beginners.
Is Peru good for beginners?
Yes. Warm, forgiving Mancora in the north and the gentle Miraflores beaches (Waikiki, Makaha) in Lima, plus San Bartolo and Huanchaco, are ideal for learning, with plenty of surf schools and camps. Save the reefs (Cabo Blanco, La Herradura) and the long points for once you have some experience.
How good is Chicama?
World-class and unique. Chicama is the longest left-hand wave on Earth, a mellow, makeable wall that can run for over two kilometres, with boats to ferry you back to the top. It’s a bucket-list wave, especially for goofy-footers, and still remarkably uncrowded for its fame.
Do I need a wetsuit in Peru?
In most places, yes. From Lima south the Humboldt current keeps the water cool (15 to 19 degrees Celsius), so a 3/2 or 4/3 is essential. The tropical far north around Mancora is the exception, warm enough for boardshorts or a springsuit most of the year.
Is Peru mainly for goofy-footers?
Largely, yes. Peru is the home of the long lefthander, and its marquee waves (Chicama, Pacasmayo, Cerro Azul, Lobitos) are almost all lefts, a dream for goofy-footers. Regular-footers still get the right at Caballeros in Punta Hermosa, the beach breaks and Cabo Blanco’s barrels, but the classics peel left.
Is it safe to surf in Peru?
Generally yes, with common sense. The main hazards are cold water, strong rips, shallow reef and urchins at spots like Cabo Blanco, plus petty theft in the cities and on buses. Respect the localism at the contest reefs (Punta Rocas), keep valuables out of sight, and the surf itself is welcoming.
Peru is the home of the long lefthander and one of surfing’s great-value frontiers: the record-breaking wall of Chicama, the warm tropical points of the north, the desert lefts of Lobitos and Pacasmayo, and the cold city reefs of Lima. Pack for two climates, chase the south swells up an empty coast, and refuel on ceviche and Pisco Sours each night. See you in the line-up.
