In Arica it never rains, and the sun shines almost every day of the year. This calls for a visit to the beaches of the city, frequented by tourists as well as locals.
To start with, just take the Av. Costanera (coastal road) San Martín, where the city meets the ocean. The road leads from the Morro of Arica to the beach La Lisera, which due to its favorable climate attracts visitors and surfers all year round. This is why much of the city’s commerce also focuses on sportive clothing and beach gadgets.
Right in front of the Morro, the ex-island El Alacrán extends into the ocean. In 1964 it turned into a peninsula and a giant lighthouse was constructed on the land tongue, leading boats and ships through the night or foggy mornings. The curiosity of the locals was triggered by the 460m of land that suddenly connected the city to the island, and they started to spread legends about a pirate treasure. The ex-island owes its name “El Alacrán” (the scorpion) to the population of scorpions that used to live there.
A few meters south of the Alacrán peninsula, one of Arica’s most famous beaches begins: El Laucho. Although this beach is rather small, many tourists come here during summer months. During the rest of the year, the locals spend their time enjoying the fine sands and clean water during a sunbath, a match of volleyball, or a refreshing dip in the ocean.
Driving further south, you will find a much quieter beach. The white sand and beautiful palm trees make it one of the most picturesque beaches of Arica. With basically no waves and a soft current, it allows visitors to swim to a little viewpoint about three meters away from shore. When most of the people have left as the sun sets, divers arrive to enjoy the calm waters.
Apart from the Arica’s coastline, there are two spots slightly further away from the city that are worth visiting, especially if you like biking, surfing or natural landscapes: The caves of Anzota and the wetland of the River Lluta.