Best Surf Destinations in the World
The world's best surf, from Hawaii's North Shore and Indonesia to Australia and the beaches of Portugal.
Surfing is a lifelong chase for the perfect wave, and that chase can take you to every corner of the coastal world, from tropical reef passes to cold, wild points wrapped in fog. Few pursuits so completely shape a place’s culture and rhythm, and few reward travel so richly, since the best waves demand the right combination of swell, wind, tide and sandbar that only certain coasts deliver. Surf travel is a pilgrimage as much as a sport.
The world’s waves come in every character. There are mellow beginner beach breaks where you can learn on soft, forgiving whitewater; long, peeling point breaks that offer rides of hundreds of metres; hollow, powerful reef breaks that barrel over shallow coral; and the giant, heaving slabs that only a handful of big-wave surfers dare to ride. Matching your ability to the wave is everything, both for the experience and for safety.
Swell is seasonal, driven by distant storms, so the same break can be flat for months and then fire for weeks. Planning a surf trip means understanding a coast’s swell window and prevailing winds, whether that is the northern-hemisphere winter lighting up Hawaii or the southern-hemisphere winter powering Indonesia and West Africa. The destinations below span the globe’s finest surf coasts, from gentle learning bays to the most feared waves on earth.
The World's Best Surf Spots#
The North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii The proving ground of world surfing, Oahu’s seven-mile miracle mile packs the heaving barrels of Pipeline, the perfection of Sunset Beach and the giants of Waimea into one legendary stretch. When the winter swells arrive, these are among the most powerful and dangerous waves ridden anywhere. The season runs November to February, and the reef breaks here are strictly for experts.
The Mentawai Islands, Indonesia This remote Sumatran archipelago is the tropical dream of consistent, world-class reef breaks, ridden mostly from liveaboard charter boats drifting between empty lineups. Warm water, perfect barrels and sheer quantity of quality waves make it a bucket-list trip for intermediate and advanced surfers. The April-to-October dry season brings the most reliable groundswell.
Jeffreys Bay, South Africa J-Bay’s Supertubes is one of the finest right-hand point breaks on the planet, a fast, hollow, seemingly endless wall that peels along the Eastern Cape coastline. It is a powerful, high-performance wave best suited to experienced surfers, and a fixture of the world tour. The southern-hemisphere winter, June to August, delivers the biggest, cleanest swells.
Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia Beneath the clifftop temple on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula, Uluwatu unfurls long, powerful left-hand reef waves that helped make the island a surfing icon. The setting, culture and consistency draw surfers of all levels to the wider region, though Uluwatu itself favours the confident. The dry season from April to October brings clean offshore conditions.
Teahupoo, Tahiti One of the heaviest waves in the world, Teahupoo breaks over a shallow reef into a monstrously thick, below-sea-level barrel that has become the ultimate big-wave test-piece. This is a wave for elite surfers only, ridden and towed in by a select few. The southern-hemisphere winter, April to October, brings the powerful swells, and it will feature in the Olympic surfing.
Hossegor, France The barrelling beach breaks of France’s southwest Atlantic coast make Hossegor the powerhouse of European surfing, with heavy, hollow waves and a vibrant surf-town culture. The shifting sandbars offer everything from manageable peaks to serious barrels depending on the swell. Autumn, September and October, brings the cleanest, most consistent conditions.
Nazare, Portugal Nazare is synonymous with the largest waves ever surfed, monstrous mountains of water generated by a deep underwater canyon that focuses Atlantic swell into towering peaks. This is pure big-wave and tow-in territory, awe-inspiring even to watch from the headland. The giant swells arrive with winter storms from October to March.
Raglan, New Zealand On the North Island’s west coast, Manu Bay at Raglan is a classic long left-hand point break, a beautifully mechanical wave that can offer rides of extraordinary length. Its consistency and laid-back surf-town vibe make it a New Zealand institution. The autumn and winter months bring the biggest and most reliable southwest swells.
Puerto Escondido, Mexico Known as the Mexican Pipeline, the beach break at Puerto Escondido on the Pacific coast produces huge, hollow, sand-bottom barrels that draw the world’s most fearless barrel-riders. It is a serious, heavy wave when it is on, with strong currents and no reef to blame for a wipeout. The May-to-September south swell season is when it fires.
Taghazout, Morocco This laid-back Moroccan fishing village fronts a coastline of long, peeling right-hand point breaks like Anchor Point, ridden against a backdrop of desert hills and Berber culture. The variety of breaks suits everyone from improvers to advanced surfers, all within a short drive. The winter months, October to March, deliver the reliable North Atlantic swells.
Byron Bay, Australia At the easternmost tip of the continent, Byron Bay offers mellow, welcoming point and beach breaks in a sub-tropical setting, making it one of the great places to learn or longboard. The relaxed culture and warm water add to the appeal, though popular breaks get crowded. It works much of the year, with autumn bringing cleaner conditions.
Chicama, Peru Peru’s cold Pacific delivers what is often called the longest left-hand wave in the world at Chicama, where a single ride can run for well over a kilometre along the point. It is a long, walling, not overly steep wave, ideal for surfers who love to carve and cruise. A wetsuit is essential in the chilly water, and the swell is most consistent from April to October.
Bundoran and Thurso, cold-water Atlantic For those chasing empty, powerful waves in dramatic settings, the cold Atlantic coasts of Ireland and northern Scotland hide world-class reef and beach breaks like Bundoran and Thurso East. The waves are heavy and the water frigid, demanding a thick wetsuit and commitment. Autumn and winter storms light them up, rewarding the hardy with uncrowded perfection.
Tamarindo and the Nicoya Coast, Costa Rica Costa Rica’s Pacific coast is one of the world’s great surf-learning destinations, with warm water and consistent, forgiving beach breaks around Tamarindo alongside more serious waves like Witch’s Rock and Ollie’s Point. The reliable swell and surf-camp infrastructure make it ideal for progressing surfers. The rainy-season months from May to November bring the biggest, most consistent surf.