Best Beach Breaks in the World

La Graviere is arguably the world's heaviest beachbreak—a freight-train of a wave that breaks with reef-like power over shifting sand banks in Hossegor, France. The Gouf de...

Supertubos is Portugal's answer to Pipeline—a savage beachbreak that produces some of the heaviest barrels in Europe. The wave breaks over sand banks shaped by the Nazaré Canyon...

Hoddevik is Norway's most spectacular surf beach—a remote fjord setting surrounded by dramatic peaks where you can surf under the midnight sun in summer or chase Northern Lights...

Westerland is Germany's unlikely surf capital—a beach break on Sylt Island in the North Sea that receives consistent swells from autumn through spring. The water is cold, the...

Þorlákshöfn (Thorlakshofn) is Iceland's most accessible surf spot—a black volcanic sand beach on the south coast that receives consistent North Atlantic swells. The water is...

Varberg is Sweden's unlikely surf capital—a beach break on the west coast that catches North Sea swells and has developed a passionate local community against all odds. The waves...

São Torpes is Portugal's quirky surf anomaly—a consistent beach break made famous by a nearby power plant that warms the water several degrees above normal. While this industrial...

North Narrabeen is Sydney's premier beach break—a long stretch of sand where lagoon run-off creates ever-shifting sandbanks that produce world-class lefts on their day. The...

Bondi Beach is Australia's most iconic beach—a crescent of golden sand flanked by sandstone headlands that has defined Australian beach culture for over a century. The surf is a...

Duranbah (D-Bah) is the Gold Coast's swell magnet—an east-facing beach break that picks up energy when everywhere else is flat. The wave produces punchy A-frame peaks that offer...

South Stradbroke (TOS - The Other Side) is the Gold Coast's secret weapon—a hollow A-frame beach break that requires a 350-meter paddle across the treacherous Seaway channel. The...

Manly Beach is where Australian surfing began—an iconic crescent of sand just a ferry ride from Sydney's harbor that has been the heart of Australian surf culture for over a...

The Wedge is one of surfing's most terrifying freaks of nature—a shore break in Newport Beach where swell reflects off a jetty, doubling in size and creating massive, violent...

Black's Beach is Southern California's power center—a world-class beach break where Scripps Canyon focuses and amplifies swell energy to produce some of the heaviest waves on the...

Ocean Beach SF is California's cold-water crucible—a powerful beach break directly exposed to the full fetch of the North Pacific, where San Francisco's most committed surfers...

Honoli'i is the most consistent wave on the Big Island's east side—a rivermouth break near Hilo that creates strong, reliable peaks year-round. Sharp lava rocks demand respect,...

Cox Bay is Canada's surf capital—a beautiful beach break surrounded by old-growth rainforest on Vancouver Island's wild west coast. Tofino has become a surfing mecca, drawing...

Puerto Escondido is the "Mexican Pipeline"—a brutally powerful beach break on Oaxaca's Pacific coast that produces some of the heaviest closeout tubes outside of Pipeline itself....

Witch's Rock is Costa Rica's most famous wave—a perfect A-frame beach break inside Santa Rosa National Park that gained worldwide fame in Endless Summer II. Getting here requires...

Colorados is Nicaragua's answer to boat-access exclusivity—a perfect beachbreak on a remote island that's only accessible via boat from Las Penitas. The resort setup keeps crowds...

El Paredón is Guatemala's emerging surf destination—a black volcanic sand beach on the remote Pacific coast that catches SW swells consistently from March-October. The fishing...

Cacimba do Padre is Brazil's Pipeline—a world-class beach break on the remote island paradise of Fernando de Noronha. When North swells hit this UNESCO World Heritage Site, the...

Playa Grande is Argentina's surf capital—the most consistent beach break in the country, located in the resort city of Mar del Plata. When South Atlantic storms deliver swell, the...

La Barra is Uruguay's most famous surf spot—a beach break near the glamorous resort town of Punta del Este. The wave breaks near the iconic undulating bridge and offers fun,...

Riyue Bay is China's flagship surf destination—a consistent beach break on tropical Hainan Island that hosts WSL Championship Tour events. The Chinese government has invested...

Donghe is Taiwan's surfing showcase—a rivermouth break on the island's wild Pacific coast that hosts international competitions and represents the heart of Taiwanese surf culture....

Weligama Bay is Sri Lanka's gentle introduction to tropical surfing—a protected crescent bay where soft, rolling waves provide the perfect classroom for learning. The fishing...

Piha is New Zealand's most iconic surf beach—a dramatic sweep of black iron sand framed by the distinctive Lion Rock formation on Auckland's wild west coast. The beach produces...

Busua is Ghana's surf hub—a friendly beach break in the Western Region that has become the center of West African surf culture. The waves are typically small but fun, with SW...

Bat Yam is Israel's surf hub—a Mediterranean beach break just south of Tel Aviv that has developed a passionate local community. Winter storms from the northwest bring the best...