World Tourism Day: Waves of the Norte Grande

From Arica to Antofagasta, we travel through some of the most outstanding spots of the Norte Grande of Chile, where the power of its waves and the surf and bodyboard culture have turned this area into a destination for riders from all over the world.

Guillermo Satt in a tube during competition at El Gringo. ACB : Scarlett Pinto

The Norte Grande of Chile not only stands out for its desert landscapes and its extensive coast facing the Pacific. Arica, Iquique and Antofagasta have also built a strong identity linked to wave sports, with breaks that are part of the history of national surf and bodyboard and that each year receive athletes who arrive in search of new sessions.

From VROZZ Films we invite you to discover this selection that brings together spots from three regions, without establishing a ranking: each wave has its own characteristics, level of demand and conditions to work.

Arica y Parinacota

1.El Gringo / Flopos

In front of the Morro of Arica is El Gringo, also known as Flopos, one of the most recognized waves of Chile and one of the great stages for surf and bodyboard due to its international character. Its rocky bottom together with its fast and powerful tubes, have turned this break into a challenge you must experience to tell.

In addition, visiting El Flopos also allows knowing one of the most representative places of Arica. The wave is located in front of the historic Morro, so a session can be part of a tour that combines sport, heritage and the particular coastal landscape of the city.

Matilda Bulto competing at El Gringo. ACB : Yerko Vásquez

Gustavo Neira competing at El Gringo. ACB : Yerko Vásquez

El Buey

El Buey is another of the emblematic breaks of Arica and a wave associated with demanding conditions, especially when swells of greater size arrive. Its location in front of the coast and its exposure to the Pacific turn it into a highly sought stage by those who love big waves.

The experience of arriving to this sector allows discovering one of the most particular characteristics of Arica: the contrast between the desert and the ocean. The arid landscape that surrounds the coast delivers a completely different postcard to other surf destinations and is part of the attraction of traveling through the extreme north.

Lucas Magna at El Buey. Yerko Vásquez

Guillermo Satt during a tube at El Buey. Yerko Vásquez

Tarapacá

Punta 2

Iquique is one of the great references of Chilean bodyboard and has a coast marked by numerous breaks. Among them is Punta 2, a spot known for its fast and powerful conditions, which can offer tubular sections when the swell accompanies.

For those who arrive to Iquique following the waves, Punta 2 is part of a tour through a city where the ocean is deeply integrated into local life. Its beaches, the coastal edge and the permanent presence of surfers and bodyboarders allow knowing a sports facet of the city that has been built for generations.

Constanza Soto at Punta 2 competing at the 2025 Bodyboard World Championship

Viviana Araya surfing at Punta 2. Bodyboardroneiquique : Germán

El Bajo

Located in front of the peninsula of Cavancha, in Iquique, El Bajo is a wave of great size and power, recognized for its demanding conditions. This oceanic break can offer tubes and challenging sections, turning it into a spot reserved for surfers and bodyboarders with ample experience.

Its location in front of the Iquique coast allows appreciating the force of the Pacific ocean and the coastal landscape of the city. For those who visit Iquique following the waves, El Bajo is part of the identity of a destination where surf and bodyboard are deeply linked to local culture. Due to its level of difficulty, it is a wave to admire from a safe place if you do not have the necessary experience.

Matilda Bulto surfing at El Bajo

Isidora Bulto surfing at El Bajo

Matías Díaz surfing at El Bajo. Verticaliqq

Antofagasta

La Nilda

La Nilda is one of the most recognized waves of Antofagasta and an important stage for bodyboard. Its powerful conditions have led it to receive competitions and to become a meeting point for local, national and international riders.

The spot also allows discovering the particular landscape of Antofagasta, where the desert practically meets the ocean. For those who visit the city, traveling its coast following the waves offers a different perspective of a territory marked by the contrast between the arid landscape and the Pacific.

Gustavo Neira competing at La Nilda 2026. Sunset Magazine

Constanza Soto surfing La Nilda. VROZZ Films

La Cúpula

La Cúpula is another of the breaks that are part of the surf and bodyboard scene of Antofagasta. When conditions accompany, it can offer waves of great quality and sessions that attract riders familiarized with the local coast.

Its environment reflects again one of the most characteristic postcards of the Norte Grande: mountains and desert a few meters from the sea. Knowing La Cúpula and the other breaks of the area allows traveling through a less explored coast from the touristic point of view and discovering the relationship that Antofagasta maintains with its waves.

Isidora Bulto competing at La Cúpula. ABF

Viviana Araya competing La Cúpula. ABF