The city Puerto de Arica is situated in the heart of the Andean Macro-region which is bordered by Peru, Bolivia and the Pacific Ocean, considered one of the most active in the planet. Arica is situated 2,085 km north of Santiago, the capital of Chile and is the gateway to one of the most enigmatic and driest deserts in the world: The Atacama Desert.
At the present time the city of eternal Spring is the link between some very renowned tourist routes, namely Machu Picchu, (Peru) and San Pedro de Atacama (Chile). It is a sacred place with a very rich millenarian culture (Chinchorro with 9,000 years of history).
In addition, the city is visited by thousands of tourists who arrive in the cruise season from Central and North America, considered one of the most emblematic surf destinations in South America, a fact for which it was chosen the headquarters of the world championship WCT (ASP), Rip Curl - The Search, "Somewhere in Chile" in 2007, as well as the WST (ASP) championships which are organised every year in the wave "El Gringo", Bodyboard Slam and wave championships "El Buey", event which brings together the best surfers in one of the largest and perfect waves in the south cone, gradually gaining more protagonism in the world surfing scene.
The history of modern surfing in Arica dates to the 1970s.
However, there are records that the city of Arica became known prior to that thanks to the movement of mental expansion and spiritual illumination "Arica School or Institute", founded by Oscar Ichazo at the end of the 1960s, an academy that attracted followers in search of a destination with unique characteristics. On the other hand, archaeological remains of the Chinchorro and Huanchaco culture (to the north), confirm activities similar to surfing more than 1,000 years ago.
Lately, Arica has consolidated itself as one of the fastest growing surf destinations thanks to the variety of quality breakers in the last year and for all levels, extensive beaches, sub-tropical climate, increasingly more specialised services and the hospitality of the local people, are some of the ingredients that attract travellers from all corners of the world in search of the perfect wave.