My last week in Santiago was tough. The reasons are I was sick and the temperature was 37 degrees every day. Thus, I am exhausted and fed up with the heat. I want only to escape the heat and pollution of the city for resting. I have been recommended Pichilemu.

Preparation

The city

It costs 6,000C$ and takes 3h30 from Santiago to go to Pichilemu. I discovered the website Recorrido for comparing and booking bus trip in Chile. I arrived on a Saturday afternoon. Immediately, I felt the difference, it is cooler and windy. Now, I am not too hot anymore. But be careful with the sun, it is still strong.

As the city is close to Santiago, many people take a weekend off here. Thus, the place is more crowded from Saturday to Monday.

The city is not big and you can walk to each interesting point. As a tourist city, it is filled with restaurants, bars and cafes. Unfortunately for me, as I was sick. I had a very strict diet for recovering and I didn’t try that much.

Choose where to leave

I stayed 3 days in Surf Eat Sleep hostel. Hopefully, I booked in advance with Hostelworld, because the place is easily full during the weekend.

The hostel is rather simple for the price of 7,000C$. As the night are really fresh (don’t miss a sweater), I admit that the bed was warm and amazing. However, I was surprised that the hostel didn’t provide WiFi. In any case, it was the cheapest of the area.

As the hostel has no WiFi, there is place close to for catching WiFi. It is called Cafe Maldita. The WiFi is working well and the place is comfortable inside close to the windows.

The atmosphere of the hostel was festive. Regularly, people cook and eat together and continue sharing a drink. I tried there my first Israeli dish called Shakshuka (Israeli eggs).

Get the surf equipment

You can either get the equipment at the hostel or at the shop called Manzana 54. The price for the swimsuit and the board for a full day is 8,000C$.

Choose your spot

I have been to 2 spots.

Punta de Lobos

Punta de Lobos is a bit out of the city. You need to take a Colectivo. Usually, Colectivo is the name of a bus but here it is a taxi. Chilean style! The price was 3,000C$ each for 3 persons from Pichilemu. You put your board in the back and let’s go for a 10 mins ride!

The place was quiet for a Monday. Thus, we were surfing not the one over the other. The only drawback is that we were waiting sometimes quite a long time for having good waves. Don’t be afraid if the weather it bad in the morning, it will probably change in the afternoon to a fully sunny day.

Pichilemu

Instead of going far away, you can stay in Pichilemu. However, the beach and the surf spots are more crowded. The day I wanted to do it there, there was a strong wind coming from the beach that broke the waves. Another time for sure.

Practicing

Warming Up

Beginning of the day, time to warm up

Going to the waves

Waiting for the wave

Surfing the waves

And the final gift, a video of my friend surfing on a bodyboard. Thanks to him, I have all that pictures!