Matanzas

Matanzas delivers long left-handers off a rock-anchored mini headland on Chile's central coast, roughly between Cartagena and the Pichilemu zone. It needs S to SW swell with SE to E winds offshore, and works best at low tide when the sand fills in the gaps between the rocks and gives the wave its shape. Above mid tide the sections turn unmakeable. Size range is 3-12ft and consistency is high, though the wave frequently runs too fast to connect properly. Weekend crowds gather, drawn by the long potential rides, but locals know the nearby Pichilemu pointbreaks outclass it on most days. Bottom: mixed sand and rock. Season: year-round, strongest autumn through spring. Consistency: high but quality variable. Arrive early on calm mornings when the easterly is light and the sand banks are fresh from recent swell.