The most beautiful stretch of coastline, possibly on the entire Pacific side of South America, can be found in Pichilemu. And not only that, with Punta de Lobos, Pichilemu also has perfect waves to offer an impressive view of the sea and also attracts many surfers from all over the world. As a result, tourism is Pichilemu’s main source of income.

Relaxed attitude to life

Strongly influenced by the surf community, Pichilemu has a distinct, relaxed attitude to life, which it immediately transmits to us new arrivals. We take a deep breath with the fresh sea breeze around our noses. We are there during the week and in the low season, so many of the beach stores are closed and there are only a few people to be seen. However, we can also see the other side of Pichilemu solely from the infrastructure. At weekends and during the season in December and January, it is probably very busy and crowded. It doesn’t matter, we enjoy the cozy vibe without too many people. In addition to the surf stores and stores for all kinds of water activities, we also like the style of the village. The houses are not built very close together and most of them are made of wood from the nearby forests. The timber industry is probably one of the biggest industries here, if you can call it an industry at all.

Punta de Lobos

The most famous surf spot is Punta de Lobos. About 7km outside the village in a southerly direction, a headland leads out into the sea for about 400m. In front of it are two impressive rock towers in the water, this is Punta de Lobos. Waves up to 10m high form here due to the incoming waves from the Pacific. We have just caught a slightly more relaxed sea situation, but there are still waves. A few surfers that we can watch riding the waves and a few bathers, that’s it. Wonderful! And thanks to the associated bay, there are waves for all categories of surfers: high, fast waves and smaller, slower ones towards the end of the bay. We also see a stand-up surfer venturing far out into the waves. However, as the water is below 15°C, a wetsuit is always necessary. We use this as an excuse not to go into the water.

Our overnight spot is directly above the cliffs with a wonderful view of the waves and the surfers. After many kilometers we have earned a dream spot like this and we enjoy the freedom that traveling with a camper offers. A night in the hotel right next door would cost around 200 US dollars. So, a premium pitch for free – what luck!