Chanavaya Bay

Chanavaya is a small coastal inlet south of Iquique, where the arid Tarapacá shore meets the Pacific. The sea provided fish, shellfish and seaweed to communities living along a coast backed by steep desert ground. Archaeological remains from the wider shoreline show a long history of fishing, hunting and gathering. The cool waters of the Humboldt Current sustain rich marine life despite the dryness of the land immediately behind the shore.