The Cerro Dragón is the giant sand dune that towers over the southern half of Iquique — a natural monument and one of the city's defining features. It is enormous, roughly four kilometres long, and constantly reshaped by the wind off the Pacific. From the top there are sweeping views of the city, the desert behind, and the ocean below.
The dune is the launch point for one of the world's best paragliding sites. Steady onshore winds and reliable thermals mean tandem flights are possible almost every day of the year — pilots leap off the cliff above the city and float down to land on Cavancha beach. Several operators on the seafront run flights for around USD 80 for half an hour.