Chicama, human settlement in Peru
Chicama is a surf spot on the northern Peruvian coast famous for its exceptionally long wave that stretches for several kilometers. The small village consists of simple houses, guesthouses, and surf schools scattered along a wide, flat beach where the water invites surfing year-round.
Chicama was a quiet fishing village for years until a pilot named Chuck Shipman spotted the extraordinary wave from an airplane in 1965. In the following years, surfers sought out the area and made it an internationally known surf destination starting in the mid-1960s.
The name Chicama comes from a discovery in the 1960s when surfers found the famous wave and named the area after a nearby river. Today, the village is a relaxed place where surfers from around the world gather and share space with local fishermen and food vendors in a laid-back community.
The water stays warm enough for surfing without a wetsuit year-round, with the best conditions from May to August when waves are larger and more consistent. Visitors should get in the water early in the morning to catch the best waves, and it is best to stay in simple accommodations near the beach since everything is within walking distance.
A special feature of Chicama is that the wave is so long that surfers use boats to get back out quickly and spend more time riding. This makes the spot unique among surf breaks worldwide and allows riders to catch dozens of rides in a single day.
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