Lima Surf Scene

Text by Erika, 30 years old, born in Lima
Photographs by Luca De Santis

Lima is the South American capital of surfing, and as such it presents many surf options, from beaches for beginners to spots that really are for experts. Within Lima, the closest beaches for surfing are found in the Miraflores, Barranco and Chorrillos districts in an area known as the Costa Verde of Lima. There are different beaches such as Punta Roquitas, La Pampilla, Makaha, Redondo, Los Yuyos and Los Pavos, which are perfect for those taking their first steps in the world of surfing. Along this strip of coastline there are different surf schools which teach you how to surf, regardless of your familiarity with the sea.

Again on the Costa Verde, we also find iconic beaches like the La Herradura with its legendary waves that have gone down in the history of Peruvian surfing, reaching up to 3-4m in the season.  Situated a little further to the south, 40km away, is the Punta Hermosa district. Along this stretch of coast, you can find a vast array of waves, with beach brakes at the Conchan, Pulpos, Arica and explosives beaches and solid point breaks at La Isla, El Paso, Playa Norte, Señoritas, Punta Rocas and Pico Alto. This last stop is part of the WSL Big Wave Tour. Continuing south, we come to San Bartolo Beach, a location for the WSL junior category. The waves here are also perfect for getting started in the surf world.

Seventy kilometres away we also find a point break called Puerto Viejo with good waves suitable for both beginners and experts to ride. And last but not least, on the road south of Lima, we find the Cerro Azul, where the waves break to the left in a spectacular way.

There are also various beaches to the north of the capital, such as Bermejo, 200 kilometres away. This beach is untouched by human hand, so the beauty of the nature still captures you when you’re riding the waves. So we can say that Lima is privileged enough to have many beaches for all kinds of surfers.

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