Mancora Surf Guide – All You Need to Know in 2025
Mancora is kinda like Montanita, a bit like Tamarindo, only without such good waves and a bit more of a chill vibe.
That’s the best way I can explain it: A party town with long beaches and the odd left point (this is Peru, remember) that’s okay-ish quality but never the best in the country.
Known for its warm waters – this is the only tropical place to surf in the whole of Peru – this coastal town is a beloved destination for folk at the beginner end of the spectrum especially.
It manages that by offering a few really great surf hotels and some of the more mellow lefts and beach breaks around.
The good news is that Mancora is also close to other Northern Peru gems like Lobitos. You can escape there in under an hour to catch some epic lefts and other beach breaks that are a bit more challenging.
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This is just one part of our guide to surfing in Peru
Surf spots in Mancora
Mancora has its own left hand point break and a town beach that’s generally great for beginners up to intermediates.
You can travel south to find more beginner spots but also some classic north Peru lefts that work frickin awesome in the summer months. Here’s a look at the whole lot…
Mancora Beach/Mancora Main Point
Mancora’s main surf spot is the iconic Mancora Main Point, which is usually just called Mancora Beach becuase it’s right in the middle of the main playa.
It’s a left-hand point but it’s a mini version of any other left hander point you get on the north side of Peru – it’s a baby compared to Chicama, for example.
Generally not very busy and very accessible. The water is warm, the shoulder isn’t too fast and you can see all the cobbles underfoot to steer clear of them.
You can also get some smaller peaks up the main playa if you want something that’s little more than whitewash to practice on before moving to the left point.
South directional swells are ideal here. They long-fetch from right down in the Pacific throughout the Peruvian winter and filter into the left point to give the longest rides. Winter can work too with bigger NW swells but it’s less reliable and you don’t get those long left walls that most people come for.
Punta Ballenas
Punta Ballenas is one of the rare advanced waves in the Mancora region. It’s a very fickle wave that needs size to work.
When it does – usually with the big summer southerlies – it can fire off slabby barrels that are really nice to thread. It’s defintiely not for beginners, though.
Punta Ballenas is a short drive south of Mancora town, only a few kms.
Pocitas Beach
Located just south of Mancora, Pocitas Beach is known for its pristine sands and crystal-clear waters – it’s a real looker.
The beach offers smaller, mellow waves ideal for beginners and imrovers, but also longboarders who want to trim all day in the sun.
It’s a more peaceful alternative to the busier Mancora Main Point and not all that far away at all – it’s like an hour’s walk or a short taxi that costs like 15 soles.
Vichayito
Vichayito a super-chill beach resort area that strings south of Mancora. It’s a nice place to come for yoga and sunbathing and great if you want a stay in the surf zone of north Peru but don’t want the hecticness of the nightlife towns of Lobitos or Mancora itself.
There are waves here: Lots of wedgy beach peaks that are generally pretty small, and one point break left that is more challenging and only works on bigger swells.
Los Organitos
The extreme south point of Vichayito meets Los Organitos in the town of Punta Veleros. It’s a great place to stay I’d say because it’s MEGA chill and the wave out front can get really really good.
A lot of the time it’s a mushy mellow left off the reefs under the high hill on the south end of the beach. If a big S swell thumps up it can be a stunner of a wave for good goofies who want to rip and tuck in.
The town here has its own smattering of pretty decent surf camps/schools.
Where to stay? Going here could be an excuse to stay at the incredible Casa en el Aire. Think an infinity pool overlooking a stunning beach and sky-blue seas.
Lobitos
It takes about an hour to get from Mancora to Lobitos but we’d say it’s 100% worth the trek if you get a solid south swell in and you’re more intermediate.
To be honest, I’d say that Lobitos is just an all-round nicer surf town than Mancora. Mancora is more for complete beginners and people who are determined not to pull on a single piece of rubber throughout thier trip.
If you want a real left-hander that’s pure quality on the doorstep then Lobitos is the place to go. It’s got better surf infrasctructure and a better vibe.
We have a complete guide to surfing in Lobitos that you can check here
When’s best to surf in Mancora?
The Peruvian winter is the best time to surf in Mancora. That means April-March. This is the time that brings the best south swells, which hook around the heads of north Peru to give the famous lefts.
That said, there’s pretty much waves all year here. I’ve been up in December and found fairly decent beach breaks as I cruise the coast to the south of town. It’s just less likely you get southern swells, more likely you get NW swells, which are more head-on to the beaches and won’t fire up the left points quite as well.
Mancora boasts warm temperatures year-round, with air temperatures ranging from 24°C to 32°C (75°F to 90°F). The late winter months can be cold enough to warrant a wetsuit in the water, but never more than a 3/2 and the local will not be joining you.
Surf camps in Mancora
Although it’s definitely not the best surf town in Peru, Mancora has arguably some of the most established surf camps in the country.
The reason for that is twofold: 1) The breaks here tend to be best for beginners and improvers, which are largely the surf camp crowd and 2) warm water (it makes all the difference when trying to convince people to come for a full week’s surfing).
If you want to go the surf camp route here, then we’d reccommend…
- Algae Surf Camp – These guys are one of our top pick surf camps in the country. You stay in a really cool eco hotel on the beach of Mancora and get five surf lessons and four yoga lessons included, plus daily breakfasts.
Where to stay in Mancora?
Mancora has TONS of options on the seafront becuase it’s a major sun and sea destination as well as a surf place.
- Eco Lodge Mancora – Our all-time favorite in Mancora is this beautifully done out eco hotel. It’s luxury meets ecology. Woodwork everywhere, super relaxing hangout spaces and a fantastic breakfast offering.
- Casa Colibrí – This isn’t a surf hotel or anything. It’s just a solid, beachfront stay with a spot right on the main beach (within walking distance of the left point). You rent the whole thing – it sleeps up to 14 people across five bedrooms!
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
