Point

left

Level 5/10

Huanchaco - Sunkella

Huanchaco, La Libertad, Peru

🪨Rocks🌀Strong rips

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Sunkella is a left point break near the ancient Chan Chan ruins - the largest adobe city in the pre-Columbian Americas. Surf history meets archaeological history at this unique spot.

Huanchaco - Sunkella surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today3

Fair

1.6mSW@14s

18km/h

1.6m@14s

18km/h

Wed4

Fair

1.8mSSW@14s

16km/h

1.8m@14s

16km/h

Thu5

Good

1.9mSSW@12s

10km/h

1.9m@12s

10km/h

Fri6

Fair

1.7mSSW@10s

13km/h

1.7m@10s

13km/h

Sat7

Fair

1.8mSSW@11s

14km/h

1.8m@11s

14km/h

Sun8

Fair

1.9mSSW@11s

13km/h

1.9m@11s

13km/h

Mon9

Fair

1.7mSSW@11s

14km/h

1.7m@11s

14km/h

Tue10

Poor

1.5mS@11s

14km/h

1.5m@11s

14km/h

Wed11

Fair

1.3mS@14s

13km/h

1.3m@14s

13km/h

Thu12

Fair

1.6mSW@14s

11km/h

1.6m@14s

11km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 12 km/h · PM 18 km/h · Tide at 6am (0.4m)

Swell

1.6m

SW(219°)

Score: 21/25

Period

14s

Groundswell

Score: 14/25

Wind

18km/h

SSE(165°)

Score: 5/25

Weather

26°C

0.0mm65%

First light 5:17amSunrise 5:47amSunset 6:12pmLast light 6:42pm

Windswell

0.6m@3s

Secondary

0.6m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.6m @14s SW in window

Wind18 km/h SSE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 7:15am–4:38pm · through highIdeal tide: 0.4–1.5m

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

24°

27°

26°

25°

24°

27°

26°

25°

24°

27°

26°

25°

24°

27°

26°

25°

24°

26°

27°

26°

24°

26°

27°

26°

25°

26°

27°

26°

25°

26°

27°

26°

25°

26°

27°

26°

25°

26°

27°

26°

2m1.0

sec

12s

15s

17s

14s

13s

12s

11s

10s

11s

10s

11s

12s

10s

15s

14s

13s

14s

swell

windkm/h

11g20

14g32

21g48

21g45

16g39

15g27

16g36

18g41

16g35

14g30

9g17

8g23

11g35

11g31

10g24

10g18

11g28

16g41

14g37

13g26

11g18

13g31

15g41

17g41

15g38

10g19

10g28

13g36

15g37

17g35

11g23

14g32

16g41

13g37

12g36

12g23

12g30

16g40

17g44

14g41

11g22

11g28

14g41

15g43

13g38

10g20

10g26

13g36

12g39

9g36

tidem

6:20am0.4m

11:42am0.8m

5:40pm0.4m

7:03am0.2m

1:00pm0.9m

6:52pm0.3m

1:03am1.1m

7:42am0.1m

1:56pm0.9m

7:48pm0.3m

1:46am1.1m

8:15am0.1m

2:36pm1.1m

8:40pm0.3m

2:24am1.1m

8:50am0.0m

3:19pm1.1m

9:19pm0.2m

3:02am1.0m

9:20am0.0m

3:51pm1.1m

9:57pm0.3m

3:35am1.0m

9:50am0.0m

4:30pm1.2m

10:30pm0.3m

4:06am0.9m

10:20am0.0m

5:02pm1.2m

4:42am0.9m

10:50am0.1m

5:36pm1.2m

5:10am1.0m

11:18am0.3m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

6:20 am

Low · 0.37m

11:42 am

High · 0.79m

5:40 pm

Low · 0.36m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Fair

Components

Swell Direction14/25

Swell Size21/25

Swell Period14/25

Wind5/25

Raw Score54/100

Adjustments

🌊 Tide+3

💨 Gusty Wind-5

Adjusted Score52/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score52

🌊 Mostly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to TRU, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.6m @14s SW in window

Wind18 km/h SSE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: SSW (202°)
Direction range: 180° - 225°
Size range: 1.2m - 2.4m
Ideal size: 1.7m - 2.1m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 16s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: SE (135°)
Offshore range: 110° - 160°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: mid
Optimal range: 0.4m - 1.5m

Water temp

18°C

Wetsuit

3/2mm fullsuit

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

4/10

Access: South section of Huanchaco.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Huanchaco - Sunkella?

Huanchaco - Sunkella is a point break in Huanchaco, La Libertad, Peru, that mostly breaks left.

What swell works best at Huanchaco - Sunkella?

Huanchaco - Sunkella picks up swell from the S round to the SW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the SSW. That's a tight window, so it needs the swell direction to line up. It starts working at around 1.2m and handles up to about 2.4m, with the sweet spot around 1.7 to 2.1m. Period matters too: aim for 16s or longer, as anything under 12s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Huanchaco - Sunkella?

A SE wind is dead offshore at Huanchaco - Sunkella, and anything from the ESE round to the SSE keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Huanchaco - Sunkella?

Huanchaco - Sunkella is at its best around mid tide, roughly 0.4m to 1.5m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Huanchaco - Sunkella?

The most reliable run of swell at Huanchaco - Sunkella comes Apr to Oct. There's a second window in Mar and Nov too. Near Chan Chan ruins.

How cold is the water at Huanchaco - Sunkella?

The water at Huanchaco - Sunkella averages around 18°C, so you'll want a 3/2mm fullsuit. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Huanchaco - Sunkella good for beginners?

It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 5/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (4/10) when it's on. Rocky sections.

How do I get to Huanchaco - Sunkella?

The nearest airport on our list is TRU, then it's roughly a 15-minute drive. South section of Huanchaco.

What other surf spots are near Huanchaco - Sunkella?

The closest breaks we track are Huanchaco (0.3 km), Huanchaco - El Boqueron (0.8 km) and Chicama - Malpaso (55 km), handy when Huanchaco - Sunkella isn't working.

Best Season

Peak: Apr-Oct

Secondary: Mar, Nov

Near Chan Chan ruins.

Getting There

Airport

TRU

Drive time

15 min

Data quality

community

🤙 Strike Specialist

The Strike Specialist in Peru is Peru Surf Trip And Soul. Get in touch with them for the best chance of scoring the best waves in Peru — and don't forget to tell 'em Barrel D sent ya.

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