I was blown away by this country and truly believe it to be one of the most untouched countries in the world as far as natural beauty. I mean, Chile is home to the legendary “Patagonia”, where though you cannot surf, you’re able to see a part of nature that only a handful of people have seen.

When you look at the length of the coastline, it seems like Chile should have the longest coast in the world—actually, not even close. Chile ranks 19th in the world for coastal length and the top three countries with the most coastline are: Canada, Indonesia, and Greenland (USA is 8th).

Ok, let's get back to Chile. The water is an electric bluish gray, barely any life can sustain existence, and the air is so clean it almost brings backpackers to tears.

Chile has a special place in my heart. From the heavy lefts I surfed in Pichilemu to the fresh vegetable markets of Valparaiso, Chile will forever be one of my favorite places to visit.

As far as authentic Chilean culture is concerned, Pichilemu and Punta de Lobos are two of the best surf towns to visit. You’ll catch a view of how this part of South America does business; hot dogs with mayo, chilly water, Pisco sours, and some of the tastiest lefts in the entire continent.

The people of Chile rarely sport anything but a smile, making surfers feel right at home as they travel around with their clanky board bags and salty hair. I spent 3 weeks traveling around Chile and saw the good, the bad, and the just straight up bizarre.

I partied in Valparaiso for New Year's, took a chick to the ER on New Year's, and surfed into 2015 in some of the chilliest water I’ve ever come across.

The entire country of Chile is a pretty gritty place, but as long as you don’t mind authentic Spanish culture and bit of poverty, you’ll feel right at home in this mountainous country. Chileans have a very unique style and charisma, it’s a very positive vibe that they’re transcending to visitors, which is what made my experience so amazing.

While you’re in Chile, it’s nearly impossible not to see some of the most incredible landscapes in the world. You can drive four hours and find yourself in deserts, mountains, beaches, cities, snow, sunshine, caves, and just about everything in between.

Alright, the waves of Pichilemu are going to be more geared towards the more beginners, while Punta de Lobos is the hotspot for intermediate and advance surfers. Both towns are going to be giving you a solid left and the wave is pretty heavy.

Anyone who has ever surfed Punta de Lobos will tell you how incredible of a wave it is. It’s a consistent left that can push you a few hundred yards and when it’s really working, barrel you to the third dimension.

There are a few different points at Punta de Lobos, so if you aren’t entirely comfortable with a barreling left, don’t be worried. You must be aware that Punta de Lobos is home to Quicksilver’s Big Wave Invitational, so the wave can reach over 20-30 feet without warning.

Also, you won’t be surfing above a soft pillow, there’s a ton of rocks at Punta de Lobos, but there are by no means dangerous if you have quality surf experience. Let's check the surf right now . . .

Surfline Surf Forecast

Regardless of your surf level, the glassy waves of Pichilemu and Punta de Lobos will surely have you shredding daily and having a great surf adventure in Chile.

Most surfer fly into Santiago, Chile and move forward from there. You can either rent a car or travel by bus.

I found several flights with one stop for under $1000—which is damn good considering that it cost me $750 to fly to El Salvador a few weeks ago and the flight to Chile is 13 hours versus 5 to El Salvador.

The bus system is incredible in Chile and you can get just about anywhere on public transit (and the public buses are super nice), so I recommend busing around the country. From Santiago, you’ll be able to find several buses heading to Pichilemu, probably 4-5 per day.

The bus ride is about 3 hours and it’ll take you about a mile from the hostels and cabanas of the town. However, if you have a car, traveling around will become much, much easier and you’ll be able to hit a ton more beaches.

Also, if you find that the wave isn’t working in the area, it’s super easy to just pack up the car and head further north or south.

Though they speak Spanish in Chile, beware that the tongue and dialect they use here is nearly impossible to understand if you don’t have some serious Spanish background.

As a fluent Spanish speaker, even I found it hard to understand a lot of the Chileans I came across. But luckily Chileans are just about the raddest South Americans in the game, so as long as you sport a smile and know how to properly share your space in the lineup, life is easy.

Pichilemu SurfHostal: This is where I stayed. It’s a small little surf friendly hostel, located right on the beach. You get your own room and it's great for couples and people that just want to chill, but not as good for surfers who just want to drink Pisco sours and rip overhead waves.

It’s about a 10-minute drive from the main Punta de Lobos surf break, so barrel hunters should find a cabana closer to Punta de Lobos. You get free breakfast and the safety of clean hostel at an affordable price, but the overall atmosphere of the hostel is pretty laid back.

Cabanas Buena Vista: This is where I’ll stay if I ever return back to Pichilemu. It’s pretty close to the Punta de Lobos surf break, it has a hot tub (it’s so cold in Chile, trust me, you want a hot tub), spacious cabanas, and from what I remember, was fairly cheap.

You really want to be able to speak some Spanish if you want to reserve one of these cabins, because the lady who owns them is 100% Chilean and knows very little English.

Hotel Rocas del Pacifico: This is going to be your standard hotel in the Pichilemu area. Not what I’d recommend, but if you need a hotel, this is an option. You have to remember that you’re in a desolate Chilean town and there isn’t going to be a Ritz or Four Seasons.

That’s why it’s best to just splurge on your own cabana. Buy your own bottle of rum, eat your own food, which in the end will save you a ton of money.

My best advice is to look for accommodation in Pichilemu, because Punta de Lobos is strictly for surfing. Accommodation is nearly non-existent here.

Pichilemu is where everything is happening anyways, so finding a nice little cabana here is your best bet for a great surf trip.

Pichilemu is a pretty small town and is fairly easy to access, so don’t worry about renting a car while you’re in Chile, unless you want to hit numerous beaches on the coast. Pichilemu, like the majority of other Chileans cities is going to be super gritty, dusty, and authentic.

Horse drawn carriages and Chileans smoking the peace pipe are not uncommon sights here. The vibe in Pichilemu could be described as hippie/surf/dirt bag, but that’s how I’d describe half of my surfer friends, so I’m not sure how much that’ll help.

One thing that you really should remember about Pichilemu and Chile in general is that it can be fairly expensive.

Obviously if all you eat is empanadas, you’ll be able to live very cheaply, but from my experience in Valparaiso and Pichilemu, meals were very expensive.

The best thing you can do for your wallet and stomach is prepare a few meals of your own each week.

Pichilemu is the place where you’re going to want to rest your head, rage your face, and stuff your mouth, while Punta de Lobos is where you really want to be to surf. There’s a ton of hotel/hostel/cabana accommodations in the surrounding areas, so choose a place that you think will fit your crew’s needs.

Also, depending where you’re coming from, the water is super cold. I’d been surfing Central America for eight months before I went to Chile and the water was unbearable for the first day or so.

Honestly, the more neoprene you have the better; I rode with a 3/2 full suit, booties, and gloves. But, there ain’t nothing wrong with a few hard nipples if Punta de Lobos is going to send you barreling 200 yards left!