South America Surf - A Complete Guide

Read all about South America surf. We have guides to the top spots on this vast continent, from Peru to Chile to Brazil. Take a look at the most famous spots – Chicama, Florry, Pichilemu – and ones less known.

An introduction to surfing in South America

South America has the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atlantic to the east, and nearly 16,000 miles of shoreline linking the whole thing up.

There’s plenty to surf.

From the warm-water bays of northern Brazil all the way to the Robinson Crusoe beaches of Chilean Patagonia, where you’ll score left points in the company of penguins, there’s something for all levels, all types of surf traveler.

There’s history here, too. Some stories tell of Pre-Incan civilizations riding reed-bound fishing vessels more than 3,500 years ago. And the Moche peoples of northern Peru are known to have ridden long wooden planks as far back as 1,800 years ago.

There are some hubs of surfing in South America. There’s Brazil’s Florianopolis, a city ringed by punchy Atlantic beach breaks. There’s Mancora, Peru’s semi-tropical resort town with its beginner-friendly beaches. There’s Montañita in Ecuador, where morning surfs blend into party nights.

But if we had to highlight the real pull of South America, it would be in the possibilities.

This is a real frontier. The long coastline of Chile and Peru join to offer endless point breaks that fire in when south swells creep up from the Antarctic. You can cruise the jaw-dropping roads to find empty bays and unnamed waves, all with the snow-capped Andes keeping watch overhead.

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South America surf at a glance

The good:

Chicama – the longest left in the world
The consistency of Brazil
True frontier surfing in Chile and Argentine Patagonia

The bad:

Long distances between surf breaks
Some sharks in some places

What will I find in this guide to South America surf?

Where to surf in South America?

Colombia

Colombia wouldn’t be our first choice for surfing in South America. There is Pacific coastline here, and there are a few decent surf spots on it – specifically at Nuquí and Playa El Amargal – but they are way harder to reach than compadres in Peru or Chile.

The Caribbean is also doable, though waves are fickle and rely on hurricanes passing up through Cuba.

Honestly? Colombia is better for coffee tasting, touring volcanos, and wandering immersive colonial towns.

Check out our complete guide to sufing in Colombia

Peru

Peru hits the headlines because of one break in particular: Chicama.

It’s the longest left in the world and it’s gone viral loads of times because there’s nothing quite like the sight of long lines marching into the dusty bay one after the other. (Surf there if you can. It’s novelty, especially since they now offer boat rides back to the take-off zone. Yep, it’s that far.)

But Peru also has MUCH more than just Chicama.

The northern part of the country does well with summertime NW swells and it’s generally better for beginners and learners. The main town is Mancora, but there are lots of options packed into the region, like the lefts at Lobitos to name just one.

Lima has surf within city limits. It’s good for learners especially and can be fun if you’re hitting Peru for trekking and have only a day or two before a changeover. If you have longer, choose somewhere like San Bartolo as a base, which has more wave variety and better surf stays.

Check out our complete guide to sufing in Peru

Chile

With a coastline over 4,000 miles long, Chile is one of the great unchartered surf territories out there – and we don’t just mean in South America, we mean the whole world.

The northern regions and the area around Santiago are the most accessible so have become the best known.

They include towns like Arica, Antofagasta, and Portofino, which together offer real variety – think XL barrels like El Gringo near to long beaches with peaks and left hand points. It’s gorgeous up there too, as the Atacama Desert creeps towards the coastline.

Pichilemu is the main hub of it all. It’s near to Santiago (<3 hours’ drive), has the biggest array of surf camps in Chile, and is the gateway to the uber-famous left point of Punta de Lobos, plus a string of good A-frame beach breaks.

If you head south in Chile then things get wild fast. This is surf roadtripping territory and it’s one for those who like it off track. 4X4s are advised. And you should know what you’re doing. It’s about long days of driving under rainforest-clad mountains to wild beaches where there’s not another soul in sight.

Check out our complete guide to sufing in Chile

Brazil

Brazil is the home of modern South American surfing. It’s given us more WSL champs than anyone can count in the last few decades and shows no signs of slowing down.

It’s easy to see why they do so well here: 4,600 miles of coastline whacked by consistent NW-SW Atlantic swell means there’s loads to get through.

Rio de Janeiro is a bucket-lister of a metropolis with urban surf spots that are oftne busy and a bit polluted. Venture north of there for XL waves at Saquarema, or head to Florianopolis for multiple beach breaks and point breaks fringed by lush hills and white sands.

Northern Brazil is in season November to March while southern Brazil works best from April to October.

Check out our complete guide to sufing in Brazil (coming soon)

Argentina

Argentina is seriously off the beaten track surf territory. You’ll need a car and you’ll need to be willing to drive pretty long distance. There’s one exception: Mar del Plata, the hub of 45km of shoreline that has loads of great beach breaks that suit pretty much everyone.

Check out our complete guide to sufing in Argentina (coming soon)

When to surf in South America?

There is surf all year round in South America. Different countries – and even different parts of different countries – are in season at different times.

Here’s a rough breakdown:

Colombia – April to October on the Pacific. Unreliable hurricane swells May-Sept in the Caribbean but also some wind swells between Dec and March.
Peru – October to March for the northern region (NW swells) and April to September for the southern and central regions (S swells work best on the famous left points)
Chile – Same as Peru. Northern coasts tend to work better in winter (Dec-March) but the southern regions are in their prime from April to August
Brazil – Northern Brazil and the iconic Fernando do Noronha archipelago gets swell from NW Atlantic channels, which work best November to early April. The southern region relies on S swells so is better in the South American summer, from April to October.