Peru: A Surfer’s Dream

Learning to Surf in Lima

Lima and its surrounding area has several beaches that are popular among surfers, with the best time of year to go being May through August.

If you’re a beginner and would like to learn something new, your best bests are Waikiki Beach and Makaha Beach, both in Miraflores. (That’s the Miraflores District to the left. Its green seaside cliffs lead down to sandy beaches going into the Pacific Ocean.) If you’re staying in one of our Miraflores locations, the Pirwa Inclan B&B and Pirwa Prada Backpackers, you can stop by the in-house Pirwa Travel desk to ask them to hook you up with some affordable surfing lessons. Classes begin with instructions on using the gear, paddling, standing, dealing with rip tides, etc. Usually they are about 10 percent theory and 90 percent practice and charge by the hour. For a memorable time in Lima, definitely check with Pirwa Travel for surfing in Lima and other excursions!

Chasing the Waves

Surfers with a little more experience can go a little further down to La Herradura Beach in Chorrillos, known for its strong left break, or south of Lima at Cabelleros in Punta Hermosa. More serious surfers can head a little further south to Pico Alto beach in Punta Hermosa, where waves average around 4 meters high. If you’re visiting during the Peruvian summertime, you’ll find that the beach strip south of Lima becomes a party hotspot.

If you’re willing to leave Lima, there are beaches north of the city, such as in Mancora or Cabo Blanco, and really any of the beaches in Chicama, which are considered to have some of the world’s best surfing, as they have some of the longest waves on the planet- the ride you’ve been dreaming of !

 

An Ancient Sport


The ancient Mochica culture, which predates the Inca by two civilizations, would fashion from reads surf craft used for fishing and leisure, which today are known as Caballitos de Totora– Reed Horses. You can find artifacts depicting wave riding which date as far back as 3,000-4,000BC, which is why there are those who advocate for Peru as the origin of surfing rather than the Polynesians. You can still see fishermen using the Reed Horses today, especially in the town of Huachaco.

A Little More About Pirwa Travel

For years, Pirwa Travel has been providing quality traditional, ecological, and adventure tours throughout Peru, eventually branching out into Bolivia as well along with Pirwa Hostels. It’s more than just day trips such as surfing lessons or paragliding in Lima- Pirwa Travel can help you trek the world’s deepest canyons in Arequipa, take you down into the pristine lushness of the Amazon, and introduce you to the Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu.