Pacasmayo

Pacasmayo grew as the port for the Jequetepeque valley and for the railway inland, and its wooden pier - built in the 1870s and once one of the longest on the Peruvian coast - still runs out into the sea, in reduced and repaired form. What brings visitors now is wind and water. The point produces long left-hand waves that on a good south swell run for hundreds of metres, and the afternoon wind is reliable enough that Pacasmayo has become one of the main kitesurfing and windsurfing destinations in South America, with schools and rental operating from the beach. The malecón has old republican houses in various states, and the town is quiet outside the season. The water is cold, this being the Humboldt current, and wetsuits are standard year-round.

History

People have lived here for over 10,000 years, living from the sea, and the Spanish founded the town in 1775 by order of Viceroy Teodoro de Croix. Work on the pier and the Pacasmayo-Chilete railway began in 1871 and opened a golden age that lasted until 1967, when the railway stopped; since 1959 the Cementos Pacasmayo company has been the centre of the town's economy (Wikipedia, Pacasmayo).

What's there

• The pier - an 1870s wooden structure running out into the sea.
• The left-hand wave - long rides on a south swell off the point.
• The wind - reliable afternoon breeze driving the kite and windsurf scene.
• The old town - republican houses along the malecón in varying repair.

When to go

April to October for swell and wind. Two to four days. Wind builds in the afternoon; mornings are calmer for surfing.

Things to know

Cold water year-round - a wetsuit is not optional. The wave is long but for experienced surfers, and crowds gather on good days. The town is quiet with limited food choice. The pier is closed or restricted in parts.

Nearby

Pakatnamú is on the bluff north; San José de Moro is inland in the Jequetepeque valley.

Key facts