Explore Chicama, Peru—home to the world’s longest surfable wave. With rides lasting up to three minutes and stretching over two kilometers, it’s a dream destination for surfers chasing the ultimate ride.
A Dream Wave That Looks Too Good to Be True
At first glance, Chicama might seem like a myth or a trick of Photoshop—an impossibly long wave that wraps along a desert coastline. But this surfer’s dream is entirely real. Found in northern Peru, the wave at Chicama stretches an astonishing 1.6 kilometers from the point to the pier and peels consistently across a cape that spans about 4 kilometers in total. On the best swells, surfers have clocked rides lasting up to three minutes, a feat few breaks on Earth can match.
Aerial Discovery by a Curious Hawaiian
Chicama was discovered in 1967 by Hawaiian surfer Chuck Shipman. While flying over the Peruvian coast, he noticed a series of perfectly lined-up left-handers stretching far down the point. Captivated, he recorded the coordinates and relayed them to his Peruvian friends, encouraging them to explore it from the ground. When they finally found it, the wave delivered exactly as promised—and like many early surf spots, it remained a closely guarded secret for years.
Ride the Wave of a Lifetime
Surfing Chicama isn’t just about catching waves—it’s about endurance. Rides lasting over a minute are common, and on rare, perfect days, you might connect sections for a ride over 2.2 kilometers long. But be warned: these marathon rides are leg-burners. It’s not unusual for surfers to call it quits not from lack of waves, but from sheer physical exhaustion.
Solitude in the Lineup
Unlike many famous surf spots, Chicama isn’t plagued by heavy crowds. Even during good swells, you might share the water with just a dozen other surfers. After catching a wave that takes you hundreds of meters—or possibly the full length of the point—you’ll find yourself far from your starting place. Most surfers do a “run around,” jogging or hopping in a shuttle back to the point. It’s common to ride a wave so long you lose sight of your surf buddy for the rest of the session.
