Southern Lima and Ica
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Positives
- Consistent S swell
- San Gallen righthander
- Empty region
- Never rains
Negatives
- Long distance between breaks
- More onshores
- Desert terrain
- Often too big
Southern Lima and Ica surf travel guide
Few bother to make it all the way down to the points of Southern Lima and Ica regions for some isolated, desert exploration. Certainly Cerro Azul and San Gallen should be on any Peruvian itinerary and there are many little fishing villages where the waves can get really good when the sand is all lined up. From Puerto Caballas in Ica to Playa Molendo in Arequipa lies the real desert frontier and 450kms of potential to explore by 4x4. Onshores buffet the long exposed sandy stretches and often the sand envelops the road like drifting snow, then suddenly it’s all steep cliffs, rocks and little access to a coast that is savage and unappealing to the surfer.
Surf spots in Southern Lima and Ica
Research the 8 surf breaks in Southern Lima and Ica and discover what spots suit the current conditions.
Break lowdown
We’ve collated the wave data giving you a unique insight into the 8 breaks in Southern Lima and Ica.
When to go
Surf and weather statistics to help plan your surf trip to Southern Lima and Ica
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Travel Information
General
- Current Time
- Tourists
- 4,419,000
- Population
- 32,971,854
- Tourist Info
- Tourist Info
Security
Health
Money
- Currency
- PEN
- Exchange rate
- $1 = 3.18 PEN PEN
Cost of living
Communication
- Dialing in
- +51
- Dialing out
- 00
- Language
- Spanish, Quechua
Electricity
- Plug Type
- ac
Visas
Visa free travel for nearly all nationalities for stays of up to 183 days. EU countries get 90 days.
Getting There
See Costa Verde zone. Arrive in Lima and grab a rental or jump on a bus south.
Getting Around
The northern part of this zone is still close to Lima and urban transport systems, but beyond Cerro Azul the PanAm heads inland so rental cars are a necessity. Hiring a boat out to the Islas Ballestas is difficult and expensive as most are for sightseeing tourists (fr$13).
Accommodation
Asia has exploded with expensive holiday homes, resorts and hotels. Summers are packed and prices are high (fr$75 Hotel Las Palmeras de Asia). Cerro Azul has more options for budget travellers. Further south, the coastal city of Pisco is considered the home of pisco sour.
Activities
The Paracas National Reservation, (aka the Peruvian Galapagos) includes the Islas Ballestas, which are off limits to people, but boat tours can get close to see the many birds, including pelicans, penguins, cormorants, Peruvian boobies, and Inca terns. There are also sea lions, turtles, dolphins, and whales. The largest SurfStream wave pool was installed at Boulevard de Asia, 97.5 km south of Lima.
Hazards & hassles
There's plenty of sea-life but shark attacks are unheard of. The sharp rocks, picos de loros and currents are more of a problem. There may be some hassling at breaks like Cerro Azul and San Gallen. In August of 2007, the Pisco area was devastated by a 7.9 earthquake from which some communities are still recovering.
Handy Hints
Lima has the bulk of the surf shops so get all your gear before heading south. Take booties and a range of rubber for protection. Summer is party time around the resorts of Asia.
Bring a medium size board plus a gun for some breaks! Peruvian boards are good and inexpensive (surf shops in Arequipa and Lima). Bring ding repair and extra leash. During austral winter, fog named 'garua' is quite depressing and water is cold so bring a 4/3 wetsuit and booties. Camping not recommended (winter is cold). Basic Spanish essential if you’re unguided.
Due to global pandemic, Visas, Getting There, Getting Around or Accommodation information and pricing may have changed. Always check Government Travel Advice before travelling.