Ritoque Surf Guide

Ritoque Surf Guide

Ritoque is the birthplace of Chilean surfing. Back in the early '70s, professional divers Luis "Lucho" Tello and Isaac "Icha" Tapia started charging the frigid beachbreak peaks after discovering them during a harmless Sunday BBQ. A beautiful little south-facing sandy cove with a super easy paddling channel, the spot is very handy in wintertime when hoodless duck-diving isn't advisable.

The wave itself is nothing special. A soft left that meanders into the channel. It allows for a couple top turns and a closeout floater on the inside. The right off the other side can be pretty fun, though it's less powerful than it looks and can leave you caught inside for hours. It gets bigger as you head south down the beach, but as there aren't any channels and it is more exposed, surfers tend to stick to the known peak(s) at the north end of the beach.

While you wouldn't fly all the way to Chile to surf Ritoque, it's a pleasant place to spend an afternoon, especially as it's only a half hour or so from the cities of Vina del Mar and Valparaiso.