🇨🇴 Punta Gallinas
Colombia · South America · All Colombia spots →
Best directionNE
Wind speed25–40kt
SeasonYear-round (peaks Dec–Apr)
Skill levelIntermediate
WaterFlat desert bays
The northernmost point of mainland South America, past Cabo de la Vela at the tip of the Guajira Peninsula — extreme offshore desert wind and genuinely flat bays, though logistics here are as remote as the wind is strong.
View live 5-day wind forecast →Good to know
Getting thereThe northernmost tip of South America, requiring a genuine 6-8 hour 4x4 journey from Riohacha Airport (RCH) via unpaved desert salt flats and deep sand tracks (recently paved in stretches near Uribia, still rough beyond it). A high-clearance 4x4 is completely mandatory; free parking at the remote Wayuu rancherías near the inland bays. Staging is from the wild sand dunes.
HazardsThis is genuinely several distinct spots, not one uniform wind pattern - worth knowing before assuming the worst everywhere: La Laguna and La Boquita are sheltered, offshore, flat-water zones used for learning, while Taroa Dunes further out is a separate, more exposed wave-riding spot with real onshore/side-shore character, confirmed directly against multiple local sources rather than a single blanket 'strictly offshore' warning. Wind commonly runs 20-35kt. Never ride the more exposed sections without a pre-arranged safety rescue boat contract with a local guide - there are zero emergency medical facilities anywhere near here.
Best time of dayAll day, December-August, when trades blow with real, relentless force across the desert. Early morning gives the most stable wind and glass-flat water before intense desert heat brings thermal turbulence close to the bluffs.