South America surf hits a zenith with the Atlantic-facing bays of Brazil, a nation that’s currently ripping up the WSL and other surf leagues. For the surf traveler, there’s loads more than that, from the long lefts of Peru to the remote tropical surf bays of Colombia.
An introduction to surfing in South America
Write me a 300-word intro to surfing in South America. Don’t use fluff sentences about places being surfing paradises. Be specific about the pros and cons of the surf in each place and add a little humor in too
South America is a pretty hefty undertaking for any surf traveler. The coastline here totals 15,800 miles. 15k! That’s 15 Portugals, all wedged on to the same landmass. Oh yea, and this continent spills into the Altantic one side and the Pacific the other, so there’s really no let up in the action.
Starting with Peru, the famous left walls of Chicama are among the longest goofy rides going and there are breaks where you can surf in the company of fishing folks who lay claim to being the first surfers, ever. Heading south to Chile, the cold Humboldt Current blesses its shores with consistent swells. Spots like Pichilemu are the standouts, and again its long, peeling lefts that take center stage.
Up in the tropics, in Ecuador, the coastal town of Montañita is probably the closest South America comes to a classic surf town a la Bali or Southeast Asia. It’s a buzzy spot that takes after Tamarindo on the nightlife front, with plenty of surf camps to boot, though Ecuador is a bit rought right now, so check State Department warnings.
The Atlantic side of things is dominated mainly by Brazil. Colossal Brazil, which gave the world Medina and Italo and others. Florianopolis is the star but there’s killer breaks all over, on some of the most stunning white-sand beaches you’ll ever see.
A sense of adventure helps here. As does a willingness to travel hefty distances to chase a swell. Happy shredding, amigos!
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!
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?
We think it’s wise to take it country by country here. Every nation on this vast continent has its own unique surfing opportunities. What’s more, most are vast, with 20, 30, 50 spots on offer. That’s why we’ve got sub guides to each country and even sub-sub guides to the most important surf towns and surf spots in those countries. Click through to start digging…
Colombia
Colombia isn’t the most famous surf destination in South America by a long shot. It’s really all about a couple of remote bays on the western Pacific coast; so remote that you need to boat and prop plane your way there. There are also some okay-ish spots along the Caribbean.
Our two cents? By all means add in a surf if you’re planning on traveling to Colombia anyway, but probably don’t make this the centrepiece of a South American surf adventure. There are better options – Peru, Brazil.
Check out our complete guide to sufing in Colombia
- Prime Surf Season: December to March
- Best Spots: Palomino, San Juan del Sur, Nuqui
- Optimal Swell: Northwest or West
- Ideal Surf Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Peru
Peru is the land of the epic left.
Waves like Chicama have put this one on the front of glossy mags and made it a real destination of choice for goofy footers who just aren’t happy with the 1,000-meter-long walls of Raglan.
But there’s more than Chicama. There are surf towns like tropical Máncora that can offer something more akin to Ecuador – tropical, warm-water beach braeaks on palm-speckled sands. There are towns like Punta Hermosa for escapees out of Lima.
We really rate Peru. Like, really, really rate it. You’ll score epic sets here on gorgeous beaches that spill out of the desert. The downsides are long travel times but that’s really it.
Check out our complete guide to sufing in Peru
- Prime Surf Season: April to October
- Best Spots: Punta Rocas, Chicama, Mancora
- Optimal Swell: South or Southwest
- Ideal Surf Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Chile
Chile continues the Peru theme with its wild bays and long left handers powered by the strong Southern Ocean pulses that come by in the winter months. It also adds a real element of exploration, especially down south, far from Santiago, where the beaches are feral affairs with who-knows-what sort of barreling A-frames just waiting to be conquered.
Most of us will stick to the northern regions and the area around Santiago, which host the main surf centers of Iquique and Pichilemu.
Check out our complete guide to sufing in Chile
- Prime Surf Season: March to November
- Best Spots: Pichilemu, Arica, Iquique
- Optimal Swell: West or Northwest
- Ideal Surf Level: Beginner to Advanced
Brazil
You can’t produce people like Italo Ferreira and Gabriel Medina without laying claim to seriously epic surf. And so Brazil does. From the glistening beaches of Florianopolis all the way to the urban breaks of Rio and the bath-warm waves of Itacaré in Bahia, there’s loads and loads and loads to get through in this massive cut-out of the continent.
Check out our complete guide to sufing in Brazil (coming soon)
- Prime Surf Season: April to September
- Best Spots: Florianopolis, Ubatuba, Itacaré
- Optimal Swell: East or Southeast
- Ideal Surf Level: Beginner to Advanced
Argentina
Argentina is the place for real surf adventurers. Go off the beaten path and scout out the icy bays of Patagonia and the Tierra del Fuego. It’s almost pointless making guides to these regions because no one really, honestly knows what’s down there. There are still gazillions of islets and corners of reef that are unexplored but tantalizingly wrapped by waves according to Google Maps.
Check out our complete guide to sufing in Argentina (coming soon)
- Prime Surf Season: November to March
- Best Spots: Mar del Plata, Miramar, Mar Azul
- Optimal Swell: East or Northeast
- Ideal Surf Level: Beginner to Advanced
When to surf in South America?
Both sides of South America rely on the strong S-direction swells that originate in the lower half of either the Altantic or Pacific. That means the winter months between April and October tend to be the most consistent of all in these parts, though good exposure on both sides means there’s usually a wave about not matter the season.
Of course, the best surf seasons vary a lot across this vast continent – things are different on the west coast to the east; the Pacific to the Atlantic. The best way to deal with it is to break it down region to region, country to country…
In Peru, the peak surf season runs from April to October, when powerful S-SE swells grace the famous breaks of Chicama and Mancora.
Brazil boasts consistent waves year-round, but for the biggest and best conditions, head to Florianopolis and Itacaré between May and September, when the roaring 40s push nice S and SW swells up across the bottom of the Atlantic.
Chile’s surf season kicks off in March and lasts until November, with the middle offering the heaviest sets of all.
Ecuador is a little different. The surf season there runs from December to April, in line with the main NW swells system that helps breaks like Montanita’s beaches and points really hit thier stride.
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!