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About

You can choose to stay at the luxurious Chicama Surf Resort or you can stay at any of the cheaper hotels along the beach front.  The Chicama Surf Resort has the benefit of the tow boat that only upsets those that are snaked by it.  Personally, I like to paddle and walk, but blaming your lack of courtesy on the tow boat is justified since there are more than plenty of waves for everyone and the tow boat is a problem for everyone, while it is a lifeline for the unexperienced (kooks) and older surfers.  Remember: someday you too might be unfit and  want to throw money away to keep up with the good surfers , though unable to paddle such an amazing distance.  Walking is for those that want to be blessed by the gods of Chicama, those brave souls willing to sacrifice like the legendary surfers that pioneered the place.  Walking and paddling is also for the budget travelers that can't afford or refuse the laziness of the boat.  Your best bet is to visit Chicama with Machapu Adventures, since we are the locals and we will make sure you have a great experience either walking or by boat.  Good luck to those that still want to venture here on their own,

Atmosphere:
Chicama is one of the best waves in the world and visitors should be respectful towards the locals and the environment.  We are serious about protecting the town's greatest natural resource and visiting surfers are always welcome when they arrive with good vibes and friendly, respectul intentions.  Chicama has been populated by native peruvians for more than 6,000 years and it is the ancestors of the local people that first started surfing on reed surf-craft thousands of years ago!  Among the best local surfers are Juan Arroyo, aka Pajarete, a good friend that owns one of the hotels in front of El Hombre.  El Zorro is also a greatly respected surfer that was one of the first local chargers and a great photographer.

Additional Info:
Chicama is a natural wonder of the world and would be a mecca for the surfing world if more people remembered that it exists.  Thankfully it remains off the high-profile surfing circuits thanks to its difficult access and the cultural barriers that foreign travelers often experience when visiting Peru unaccompanied.

The wave begins far from the town, some 2 kilometers out to the cape.  The wave breaks along the cape and tends to hit its first reforming section at the point.  The point is a large rock outcropping, where the wave tends to close-out as it arrives from the cape, but experienced surfers can often make the long barelling section in front of the point and begin the longest ride of their lives towards the pier.  Taking off from the point, the ride takes you flying past the sand dunes and the hotels, arriving at the section known as El Hombre, which peels right in front of the infamous El Hombre motel/hostal.  When the section from the point connects with the El Hombre section, you can ride the wave all the way into the town, right up to the pier!  Most people don't have the legs to keep up with this fast rifeling wave for that entire distance.

Location

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Access

Walk	Good walk (15-30 min)
Public access	Yes
4x4 required	No
Boat required	Yes

Wave Characteristics

Type	Point break
Direction	Left
Bottom	Sandy with rock
Power	Hollow Fast Powerful Fun
Frequency	Very consistent (150+ days/year)
Normal length	Very Long (300 to 500m)
Good day length	Exceptional (>500m)

Ideal Conditions

Wind direction	East NorthEast
Swell direction	SouthWest South
Swell size	Less than 3ft - 12ft
Tide	All tides
Tide movement	Rising tide

Crowd

Week	Crowded
Weekend	Crowded

Dangers

Pictures

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