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Podcast Show Notes
Let’s talk surfing at Chicama in Peru. Listen to the episode above to hear the full experience.
Chicama – Longest Left Wave in the World
Chicama is a natural bucket list surfing destination located between the ocean and coastal desert of La Libertad Region in the central coast of Perú. It is the longest surfable left wave in the world and is considered to be the longest wave in the world by some.
The town of Chicama is in a rural area of Peru and is not a lush tropical paradise. It boasts a plethora of side cafes and family-owned shops. It’s quiet and not very touristy, and a perfect spot to catch long waves and enjoy a very laid back, Peruvian surf culture.
About the INterview (Listen Above)
I wouldn’t call myself a good surfer. I’ve stood up a handful of times in my life on a very long board, in very small waves. That’s why I’m turning to some long-time surfers to help explain the beauty of surfing Chicama, Peru.
My neighbors here in Bend, Oregon love to travel for surf and we got together to talk about Chicama. Tune in and listen to Matt Gadow, Mark Provost, and Catherine Cummings share their experience of surfing and hanging out in Chicama.
What are the Waves at Chicama Like?
The waves at Chicama aren’t heaviest waves in the world, but they are perfect. They are long and they keep on coming. On their last trip, the waves were knee-high, shoulder high, waist-high, and everywhere in between. If you’re there in good conditions and spend all day surfing, you might surf 50 miles (and walk 14 miles)!
After a few days there, they quickly saw each other making longer runs, cleaner turns and catching waves that were unbelievable.
Who are the Waves for?
The waves at Chicama are for everyone, whether you’re into boogie boards, stand up paddleboards, foils, surfing, but do know this is a surfing destination and is a place you will really appreciate if surfing is your love.
Where is Chicama, Peru and How Do you Get there?
Puerto Chicama is nestled on the west coast of Peru. It is 630 Km north of Lima. To get there, you need to fly to Lima, then take a 1-hour flight to Trujillo, then take a car to Puerto Chicama.
Where should you stay to surf Chicama?
The Chicama Boutique Hotel and Resort is one of the best places you can stay if you want to surf Chicama. They can line up everything you need from transportation, board rentals, booking side excursions and they have fantastic food on-site (and a spa).
They have wifi at the hotel for you digital nomads and bikes to rent as well.
This hotel doesn’t have TV, but who needs TV when you have a community, incredible waves and food.
When is the best time to surf at Chicama?
The best time to surf Chicama is March-November.
Is Chicama ok if you have Limited Mobility?
The main set of stairs to get down is not accessible.
That said, you can get a tuk-tuk to the beach, and to the pier, which is accessible. You can also drive onto the beach. There is an up and coming adaptive surfing culture, so it is possible to make it happen here.
How much does it cost to Surf Chicama?
You don’t need any special permits, visas, or vaccines, so that saves you money right off the bat (you will need your passport as expected). You could easily hang out, eat, surf and enjoy Chicama on $100 a day (plus your airfare).
What type of wetsuit do you need to surf Chicama
The water is cool, and a 3/2 is the recommended wetsuit to surf Chicama. It’s also suggested to bring a jacket for when you get out.
Recommended Things to Do (Other than Surf)
We asked a companion to a seasoned surfer what to do around Chicama and she highly recommended visiting El Brujo and Chan Chan.
El Brujo
El Brujo is about a 35-45 minute drive from Chicama. General admission was 10 sole for both the complex itself and the museum and guide.
History of El Brujo
Found in 1990, El Brujo (translates as Wizard) is a huge complex that has three major huacas (shrines): the Huaca Prieta (brown), Huaca Cortada (short) and Huaca Cao Viejo (old) (the largest). Archaeologists figure there were seven phases of construction spanning the early and middle phases of the 600-year Moche era. (100 -700 AD or CE).
They founded the first Kingdom of the Andes which included a noble class of people = priests and military leaders. Their King then united weaker cultures.
There was NO written language, what has been learned has come from art on walls and ceramics (bowls, jars, plates). Much of the Art depicts weavers on looms, soldiers wielding slings and lances, farming practices, fishing practices and a handful of animals (llamas, frogs, birds, etc)
Mummies and Pyramids at El Brujo
Huaca Cao Viejo is famous for its wall reliefs and mural paintings, of supernatural beings and marine life. The discovery of the Señora de Cao, around 2003/4. Lady of Cao is a female Moche MUMMY. Pyramids, mummies . . . We are not in Egypt, we are in Peru … how could that be?
This has had the biggest impact on the El Brujo complex. Visitors can tour both the burial chamber and the awesome museum, where the Cao mummy is displayed along with the many precious artifacts that were found buried with it.
This whole complex burial site was evidence of her high status and power. It has been determined that she was a female leader with top governmental power, an occurrence that was quite extraordinary.
Also in her mummy bundles were crowns, tiaras, dignitary clubs, nose rings, earrings, ceremonial cups, etc) Her rule was Between 300 and 400 A.D. The Lady of Cao is perhaps the most powerful woman in Moche history and the Andean culture when she took her position as ruler of the kingdom of Chicama.
These structures stood the test of time. They were there when the Incas took over which was about 600 years after the Moche civilization had disappeared. However, the Incas learned from early Moche concepts . . . they learned about irrigation and aqueducts, fertilization using manure and sea bird guano.
Another Place to Visit: Chan Chan
Chan Chan is about a 45-60 minute drive from Chicama. It is just outside the town of Trujillo. Chan Chan loosely means sun/sun. It is located in the mouth of the Moche Valley and was the capital of the historical empire of the Chimor (or the Chimu) from 900 to 1470 when they were later defeated and incorporated into the Inca Empire.
General admission is 11 soles per person and a guide will cost around 30-35 soles per group! You should hire a guide while you’re here. It brings more meaning to where you are standing and what you are witnessing.
History of Chan Chan
600 years ago, Chan Chan was the largest city in the Americas and the largest adobe city on earth. It was once twenty square kilometers (12 sq/mi) city. (There are only 9-sq/mi. left) It was made up of 9-large rectangular complexes (‘citadels’ or ‘palaces’) divided by high thick earthen walls. Within these complexes were buildings used for temples, plazas, cemeteries, dwellings, storehouses, etc. Each citadel was arranged around open spaces, together with reservoirs, and funeral platforms.
It’s estimated population was between 40,000 and 60,000 people. It is located along one of the bleakest coastal deserts, where the average annual rainfall was less than a tenth of an inch. Still, Chan Chan’s fields and gardens flourished, thanks to a sophisticated network of irrigation canals and wells.
There were 10,000 structures, some with walls 30 feet high, were woven amid a maze of passageways and streets.
- Palaces and temples were decorated with elaborate friezes (wall reliefs), some of which were hundreds of feet long. The most common images are lots of fish, crustaceans and mollusks, seabirds and squirrels.
- Chan Chan was enormously wealthy, although it perennially lacked one precious resource: water. They were experts at irrigation.
Today, however, Chan Chan is threatened by too much water, most likely due to climate change. Now torrential rains hit the Moche Valley frequently. It is gradually washing away what is left of the nine-square-mile ancient city.