A punchy shorebreak tucked inside Caleta Mejía, Tiro Alto is a short-to-medium beachbreak that throws up surprisingly hollow walls when small to medium S-SW swells push into this sheltered southern Peru cove. NE offshore winds clean it up, and it handles all tides, though it gets overpowered fast when swell climbs past 6ft, optimal range is 2-5ft. Beginners get the most from it during those manageable summer swells, and the beach draws far more sunbathers than surfers, keeping the lineup uncrowded. Bottom: sand. Season: austral summer (Dec-Mar). Consistency: high in season. Bring a funboard or longboard for the smaller days, when it goes hollow on a 4ft pulse it can surprise you, but don't paddle out expecting reeling barrels, this one rewards patience over power. Water temps run warm enough for boardies or a light spring suit most of summer.
The beach pulls a resort crowd from nearby Mollendo, but wave-riders are scarce. Localism is effectively zero. This is a low-pressure lineup, you're more likely to share it with bodyboarders than aggressive shortboarders. Dawn sessions in peak summer can be glassy and near-empty.
Caleta Mejía is a short drive south of Mollendo, which has plentiful accommodation. A carpark sits at the beach, but there are no surf facilities on site, bring your own water and wax. No significant hazards or pollution concerns reported.
When Tiro Alto gets overpowered, Mollendo's beachbreaks to the north offer a softer, more forgiving option on bigger days. Punta de Bombón to the south has a similar beachbreak setup that handles swell slightly differently and is worth checking if Tiro Alto is maxed out.
Forecast by Windy.app
