Costa Sur

Peru shares the nickname ‘Land of Lefts’ with neighbouring Chile, as groundswell from the Roaring Forties produces primarily left-handers on countless points. Complementing this is prevailing southerly wind, supplied by high pressure over the Pacific and often thermally or topographically strengthened to rideable strengths. A small coastal strip between the Pacific and Andes, the ‘costa’ stretches over 2,500km from the Atacama Desert on the Chilean border to Ecuador. About halfway, 7-million people – a quarter of all Peruvians – live in the capital of Lima. Being the main economic and travel hub makes it a good start to any Peruvian trip. From here there’s a choice: either go north to the longest waves on the globe or south where the wind’s a little more reliable and there’s sheltered flat water beside the breaks. Let’s look south, to Costa Sur...