Octopus Surf Tours: Northern Peru SURF
Photos by Matias Polonco (www.vivamancora.com) and TJ Barrack

Peña Redonda "Round Rock" :

Location : Kilometer 1212 of the Panamerican North (close to Punta Mero).
Characteristics : Barreling beachbreak with short lefts and rights. It can be tricky to catch this place with good conditions. It is ideal to arrive very early before the wind picks up. When there are no waves at any other break you will find a little rideable wave here.
Swell Direction : Mainly surfed with north or northeast (October- April) but can be surprisingly good with strong south swells.
Experience Required : Intermediate - Advanced.

Mancora :

Location : Kilometer 1163 Panamerican North.
Characteristics : Left-hand pointbreak with reef bottom. Shorter than Mancora but always bigger and more aggressive. Occasional tubes. Breaks especially well with north swells and some south. The wave is intense. There may be a
longer wait between sets than in Mancora, but it`s worth the wait. We
recommend surfing it at higher tides and special care is to be taken on the
inside section where jagged rocks wait for any mistake.
Swell Direction : All
Experience Required : Novice - Intermediate.

Punta Ballenas "Whale Point" :

Location : Km 1164 of the Panamerican North (Mancora).
Characteristics : Left-hand pointbreak with reef bottom. Shorter than Mancora but always bigger and more aggressive. Occasional tubes. Breaks especially well with north swells and some south. The wave is intense. There may be a longer wait between sets than in Mancora, but it`s worth the wait. We recommend surfing it at higher tides and special care is to be taken on the inside section where jagged rocks wait for any mistake
Swell Direction : Best with south swells (April- September).
Experience Required : Intermediate- Advanced.

Organitos (El Codito) and Casablanca :

Location : Kilometer 1149 of the Panamerican North (Los Organos).
Characteristics : Both waves are ideal for beginners. They are lefts and not very dangerous. When the waves are big (in summer), Casablanca can be a fun, good sized, long wave.
Swell Direction : Casablanca works best with north swells (October- April). Organitos works with all swells.
Experience Required : Novice - Intermediate.

Organos :

Location : Kilometer 1150 of the panamerican North (Los Organos
Characteristics : Powerful tubing left reefbreak. One of the best waves in Peru. It holds up to two and a half meters (8ft.) with various tube sections. It is definitely a memorable wave when the conditions are correct.
Swell Direction : North (October- April).
Experience Required : Intermediate - Advanced.

Cabo Blanco:

Location : kilometer 1137 of the Panamerican North (Cabo Blanco).
Characteristics : Left reefbreak that is strong magical and tubular. Cabo Blanco is world famous for its long, perfect tubes. In a few words, it's a perfect wave with heights up to 3 meters (10 ft.). The best wave in all Peru.
Swell Direction : North (October- April).
Experience Required : Advanced.

Cabo Blanco:

Location : kilometer 1137 of the Panamerican North (Cabo Blanco).
Characteristics : Left reefbreak that is strong magical and tubular. Cabo Blanco is world famous for its long, perfect tubes. In a few words, it's a perfect wave with heights up to 3 meters (10 ft.). The best wave in all Peru.
Swell Direction : North (October- April).
Experience Required : Advanced.

Panic Point :

Location : Kilometer 1137 of the Panamerican North (Cabo Blanco).
Characteristics : Lefthand reefbreak that is very strong and has excellent tube sections. One of the best waves in the north along with Organos and Cabo Blanco. A very long wave with sets up to 4 meters (Approx 13 ft.). One of the waves most preferred by the best surfers from Lima.
Swell Direction : South (April- October).
Experience Required : Advanced.

La Piscina "The Pool" :

Location : Kilometer 1104 of the Panamerican North (Lobitos entrance).
Characteristics : Left breaking wave with sand and reef bottom. A fun little wave with tubes that form best in the second section. It is a good option when Lobitos is too small to surf. You will need a good form of identification to get onto the beach because it of a military facility.
Swell Direction : South (April- October).
Experience Required : Novice - Advanced.

Lobitos "Little Wolfs" :

Location : Kilometer 1104 of the Panamerican North (Lobitos entrance).
Characteristics : Long powerful left that regularly forms tubes as it breaks over a bottom of sand and rock. An increasable wave that was discovered only a few years ago. Almost the whole bottom is composed of sand. You will encounter strong winds every afternoon that can either make the wave better or worse. The wind here is strong, especially in the afternoons.
Swell Direction : South (April- October).
Experience Required : Advanced.

El Hueco "The Hole" :

Location : Kilometer 1104 of the Panamerican North (Lobitos entrance).
Characteristics : When the conditions are right it's a beginning to end barrel, with the final section connecting with its neighbor wave (Lobitos). It is one of the best waves in the area with surf practically all winter. The bottom is sand and rock with some dangerous sections of pointy rocks. It is definitely a great left, a big tube...
Swell Direction : South (April- October).
Experience Required : Intermediate - Advanced

Baterias "Batteries" :

Location : Kilometer 1104 of the Panamerican North (Lobitos entrance).
Characteristics : Left reefbreak. A good wave to surf when Lobitos and El Hueco are not working.
Swell Direction : South (April- October).
Experience Required : Intermediate - Advanced

El Golf "The Golf" :

Location : Kilometer 1085 of the Panamerican North (Talara).
Characteristics : A-frame beachbreak. A sick break with big sets and magnificent A-frame
tubes. There is almost never a crowd because the conditions are rarely perfect. The current here is strong.
Swell Direction : South (April- October).
Experience Required : Intermediate - Advanced