Big wave surfers spend their lives chasing and surfing some of the most challenging waves in the world From giant walls of water breaking miles out to sea to 50ft+ beach breaks, big wave surfing has no shortage of variety to challenge its challengers Let’s take a look at our definitive list of the biggest waves in the world filled with gigantic waves and terrifying slabs that can humble even the most experienced surfers
The 12 biggest waves in the world
Cortes Bank, California
Margaret River, Western Australia
Right, Western Australia
The 12 biggest waves in the world Truly breathtaking waves from around the world Nazare, Portugal On the coast outside Nazare is the beach break Praia do Norte
During small swells, this beach break produces shallow choppy waves, but with big troughs coming from September to March, it’s only a matter of time before Nazare starts producing giant surfable waves The oceanography around Praia do Norte is very unique with the large ‘Nazare’ North Canyon channel gathering swells into this amazing big wave spot, placing it as one of the biggest waves in the world All this magic came together in 2022 for Sebastian Steudtner who broke the world record for the biggest wave ever surfed at a whopping 2621 meters or 86 feet in height Head over to Nazare Waves to find out more about this iconic surf spot and the surfers and community that make it so special reef pass in Tahiti, French Polynesia
While it may not be the biggest wave in the world, it makes up for it with its brutal, raw power The swell arrives from very deep water before unloading on Teahupoo’s shallow coral reef with a ferocity that is truly terrifying to behold A powerful left curls over the shallow reef before exploding in as little as 4 feet of water, giving surfers seconds to paddle and catch waves before being eaten by the oncoming barrel The wave was first surfed way back in 1985 by Tahitian Thierry Vernaudon and since then surfers from all over the world have made the pilgrimage to surf this iconic wave The reef pass at Teahupoo is the perfect viewing spot for spectators on boats and jet skis with views right into the death-defying tubes
Jaws, MauiJaws AKA Peahi is a world famous big wave surf spot
It is responsible for more profits from the Wave of the Winter than any other place on the planet With a star-studded local crew including Kai Lenny, Matt Meola, Albee Layer and Ian Walsh, it’s no wonder this wave has gotten all the exposure it has Access to the wave requires some serious 4×4 action where the route up and down becomes treacherous after heavy rain Formerly a drag wave, Jaws has quickly returned to paddle surfing with the names above leading the way Mavericks, California Mavericks is a big wave surf spot located just outside of Pillar Point Harbor, not far from the small town of Half Moon Bay Surfers like Pete Mel and Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker were instrumental in bringing this wave into the surf media spotlight dominantly right-handed with the occasional lefty This wave is not for the faint of heart with its steep drops and massive waves The wave hosted the “Titans of Mavericks” big wave surfing invitational from 1999 to 2016 before the organization went bankrupt due to a combination of little or no funding and some questionable business decisions Unfortunately, Mavericks are responsible for the deaths of some of surfing’s greats, including Mark Fu in 1994 and Sion Millosky in 2011 Cortes Bank, California Cortes Bank is an impressive big-wave surfing spot in the Pacific Ocean, located 110 miles offshore from the Southern California coast It is a large island that rarely breaks the surface of the sea at low tide
Most of the time, the highest part of Cortes Bank (Bishop Rock) is only 6 feet underwater, creating a rare offshore reef This huge range is only accessible by boat and is exposed to swell and wind from all directions, so scoring here requires careful planning and an eagle eye on the wave charts When it all comes together, massive right-handers open up for any brave Aquarian prepared to take them on The most notable of these outings was in 2001 when Project Neptune consisting of surfers Mike Parsons, Brad Gerlach, Ken Collins and Peter Mel all headed out to the break in jet skis and boats Mike Parsons managed to catch a 65ft bomb which was the largest wave ridden in the US at the time
It wasn’t until 7 years later that Mike would surpass this by plunging down a 75ft wave at Cortes Bank and earning the Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever surfed
Punta de Lobos, ChilePunta de Lobos is a left hand point break that works all the way from 3ft+ to 30ft+
Pro surfer Ramon Navarro calls this wave home and we really can’t blame him By breaking just outside two rock pillars it makes for a pretty good lineup and the waves easily match the surroundings On smaller days, Punta de Lobos is a fast barrel left that opens up into a long wall perfect for turns and maneuvers
As the swell rises, the break is pushed further back out to sea with the launch zone placed dangerously close to rocks ahead Punta de Lobos is considered one of Chile’s best waves, its varied range is complemented by the fact that it is one of the few surf spots where you can escape the dreaded south-westerly winds that blow almost daily in this area Mullaghmore Head, Ireland No list of the biggest waves in the world would be complete without this Irish monster
Mullaghmore Head rarely breaks but when it does it produces slabbing starts followed by death defying drops and epic rides Mullaghmore is very exposed to all the swells that roll in from the North Atlantic but this also makes it exposed to the wind which makes finding a surfable window quite the art Local and traveling big wave surfers will carefully scan the charts looking for any respite in storms that might give them the little chance they need When it arrives, massive powerful lefts break over a rock bottom with treacherous cliffs directly in front of their launch site Despite these challenges, some of Ireland’s best surfers regularly head here to try and tame Mullagmore’s angry swells Check out our guide on how surfers survive in giant waves for an insight into the equipment and skills these individuals need to ride giant walls of water The Cribbar, England The Cribbar is a large wave spot in Newquay, England’s surfing capital It only breaks a few times a year through autumn and winter
It needs at least 8ft of swell to get going and can be surfed in the 30ft+ range The long paddle and sharp jagged rocks on the inside mean it’s strictly for Britain’s best surfers, but you’ll regularly see a crowd watching from the cliffs above Don’t miss our guide to surfing in Newquay to find out more about the other great surf spots in this area
Margaret River, Western AustraliaMargaret River may well be WA’s most famous wave
A high-performance right-hander hosts the annual WSL World Tour each year Although it works on small swells, the Margaret River is famous for the big rolling lumps of water that come straight up out of the depths before unloading on the reef Break hosts most of the surfing with the ability to go right or left
The left hand is a rolling wall that breaks into deep water making it a bit more accessible than the right which can end up on dry rock at the end of the wave Belharra, France Belharra is a reef break near a small fishing village called Saint-Jean-de-Luz nestled in the northern Basque Country Belharra first surfed in the early 90s and quickly established itself as one of Europe’s best spots for big wave surfers The wave is created by an underwater plateau covered in seaweed
When swell and wind conditions align, this plateau acts as the perfect reef for large incoming swells Located 25km offshore, it is best surfed with a boat and jet ski support over 30ft, below which you regularly see a line of surfers on guns just waiting to paddle into the next set of wavesShipsterns Bluff, TasmaniaThis mutant of a wave sits in a very isolated part of Tasmania which makes it even scarier than it already is Breaking in front of a giant cliff, this reef breaks slabs to create massive mutant waves, not for the faint of heart While it may not be able to compete with some of the biggest waves in the world on this list, it more than makes up for it with power The shape of the reef creates steps in the waves that surfers need to navigate as they try to escape the jaws of the barrel behind them On big days, these steps can turn into 6-foot air drops in the middle of the waves, making for quite a spectacle
Right, Western Australia The right is a huge barrel 16 km into the sea
It’s an unforgiving gladitroial arena with broken boards and nearly impossible rides
First surfed in 2007 by a group of bodyboarders The Right quickly grew in infamy
Since then it has been surfed by many of the world’s top big wave surfers with notable standouts such as Taj Burrow, Kelly Slater and Mark Matthews The waves aren’t the only danger here either, you’ll be sharing the ocean with some of the biggest sharks in the world, most notably the Great White Head over to our guide on surfing and sharks for a closer look at the top predators we share our seas with