Surf spot

El Gringo

Forecast conditions and map view for El Gringo in Chile, Tarapaca. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Chile, Tarapaca
Coordinates: -18.4813, -70.3328

Metric
Metric	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00
Wave height (m)	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.9	1	1.3	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.3	1.3	1.3	1.2	1.1	1.1	1.1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.9	0.9
Wave direction	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW
Wave period (s)	7.3	7.2	8.5	10.5	10.1	6.2	10.2	8.2	8	7.8	7.8	7.8	7.8	7.8	7.7	7.5	7.2	7.3	7.3	7.3	7.2	7.2	7.2	6.9	6.7	6.7	8.7	8.6	8.4	12.3	12.1	11.8	11.7	11.3	11.2	11.1	10.9	10.8	10.8	10.7	10.6	10.6	10.4	10.3	10.3	10.3	10.3	10.6	10.9	10.9	10.9	10.8	10.8	10.9	10.8	10.6
Wave energy (kJ)	93	83	112	163	123	62	192	234	241	235	225	212	212	212	207	205	197	194	183	178	165	144	133	119	105	97	156	146	137	303	290	278	261	247	231	207	192	173	163	154	151	142	133	130	129	123	111	115	145	152	152	158	166	131	171	166
Wind speed (km/h)	3.8	6	6.3	4.6	13	16.8	12.5	7.7	6.6	3.3	2.2	0.7	13.8	14.8	12.2	4.7	1.3	3.1	3.4	0.8	10.3	13.7	8.7	2.8	3.4	3.6	3.1	3.1	6.8	10.9	11.2	4.2	1.6	1.3	3.8	3.9	12.7	13.3	6.9	5	3.3	2.4	2.5	4.8	10.9	16.3	7.3	2.5	4.7	6.3	3.4	14.1	10.5	12.2	11.6	11
Wind direction	SWGlassy	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWGlassy	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWGlassy	NGlassy	SGlassy	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SSWGlassy	NWGlassy	SSWGlassy	SSWGlassy	ENEGlassy	WSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWGlassy	SSWGlassy	SWGlassy	SWGlassy	SWGlassy	WSWOnshore	WSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SSWGlassy	WSWGlassy	SWGlassy	SEGlassy	SWGlassy	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	ESEOffshore	WGlassy	WNWGlassy	WGlassy	SSWGlassy	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWOnshore	SGlassy	WSWGlassy	WSWOnshore	SSEGlassy	ENEOffshore	WOnshore	WSWOnshore	SWCross-on	EOffshore

El Gringo is one of Chile’s most famous and powerful surf breaks, located in Arica, in the Tarapacá region on Chile’s far northern coast.

Overview

Type of wave: Fast, heavy reef break
Best for: Advanced to expert surfers
Reputation: Known for barreling waves, serious power, and shallow reef
Vibe: World-class but intimidating; not ideal for beginners

Wave Characteristics

El Gringo is a short, intense, high-performance wave that can produce long, hollow barrels when conditions line up. It’s a predominantly right-hand reef break with very little room for mistakes. The wave is often compared to some of the heaviest point-break/barrel setups in South America because of its speed and quality.

Conditions

Works best with swell from the south or southwest
Prefers clean offshore winds and a well-formed swell
Tends to be best when the sea state is organized and the tide is favorable
Can be extremely shallow and dangerous on low tide

Hazards

Sharp reef
Heavy wipeouts
Strong local currents depending on conditions
Powerful surf that can make paddling out difficult

Access and Setting

El Gringo is near the city of Arica, so it’s relatively accessible compared with remote surf spots. Arica is known as one of the driest places on Earth, with a desert backdrop and a strong surf culture. The area attracts experienced surfers from around the world.

Summary

If you’re looking for a world-class, barrel-heavy, unforgiving reef break, El Gringo is one of Chile’s signature waves. It’s famous for quality, power, and risk, and it rewards only those with the skill and confidence to handle a serious reef break.