Best Reef Breaks in the World

Uluwatu is Bali's most famous wave, a long, walling left-hander that breaks over a shallow reef at the base of dramatic limestone cliffs. The wave offers multiple sections—from...

G-Land (Grajagan) is one of surfing's most revered lefts, hidden in the jungles of Java's remote Alas Purwo National Park. The wave offers multiple world-class sections—from the...

Padang Padang is Bali's version of Pipeline—a short, violent, left-hand barrel that explodes over a dangerously shallow reef. Unlike Uluwatu which works on small swells, Padang...

HT's (Hollow Trees, named for the casuarina trees on shore) is the Mentawai Islands' most famous right-hander—a long, mechanical barrel that peels down a pristine coral reef on...

Lagundri Bay (The Point, Nias) is one of the world's most celebrated right-hand barrels—a mechanical reef point that produces tube rides of up to 9 seconds when solid SW swells...

Macaronis is the Mentawai Islands' most user-friendly world-class wave—a forgiving left that produces 4-6 second barrels followed by rippable walls, working in virtually any...

Greenbush is the Mentawai's heaviest square barrel—a shallow left slab that only works on the highest spring tides but produces some of the thickest tubes in Indonesia when it...

Desert Point is one of the longest, most perfect barrel rides on Earth—and one of the most fickle. When SW swells combine with low tide and offshore winds, this Lombok left...

Impossibles earned its name because it's usually too fast to make—the wave races down a shallow reef so quickly that most sections close out before you can reach them. But with...

Rifles is pure Mentawai magic—a flawless right-hand barrel that can run for 200+ meters when the swell angle is dialed. The wave requires a precise South swell direction to...

Lakey Peak is one of Indonesia's most reliable and photogenic waves—a perfectly symmetrical A-frame that splits into quality left and right options. Located on Sumbawa's south...

Cloudbreak is a world-renowned left-hander that breaks over a pristine coral reef in the open ocean off Fiji's Tavarua Island. The wave can handle virtually any size—from fun...

Restaurants is Fiji's hidden gem—a perfect left-hand tube that serves as the go-to alternative when Cloudbreak gets too intense. Named after the resort restaurant overlooking it,...

Namotu Lefts is one of Fiji's most consistent high-performance waves—a hollow left-hander that breaks right in front of the Namotu Island Resort. The wave produces powerful,...

Frigates is Fiji's Coral Coast answer to Cloudbreak—a heavy left-hand barrel that breaks over a mushroom-shaped reef in the remote Kadavu Passage. The wave is powerful and hollow,...

Margaret River is Western Australia's undisputed wave capital—a stretch of rugged coastline where powerful Indian Ocean swells meet a minefield of world-class reef breaks. The...

North Point is Margaret River's big wave venue—a long, powerful right-hander that handles massive swells when other spots close out. The wave breaks over a shallow reef shelf,...

Strickland Bay is Rottnest Island's premier wave—a quality left-hander that breaks along a limestone reef shelf off Western Australia's quokka-inhabited island paradise. The wave...

Cactus is Australia's most remote quality surf zone—a collection of breaks at the edge of the Nullarbor Plain in South Australia, where the Southern Ocean delivers raw power to an...

El Quemao is the "Pipeline of Europe"—a thick, square-barreling left that breaks over ultra-sharp volcanic lava reef in La Santa, Lanzarote. The wave produces some of the heaviest...

Bundoran Peak is Ireland's premier reef break—a horseshoe-shaped rock shelf that creates perfect A-frame peaks in the heart of County Donegal. The wave offers both left and right...

Easkey Right is one of Ireland's most consistent and forgiving reef breaks—a long, peeling right-hander in County Sligo that handles everything from playful 3-footers to solid...

Coxos is arguably Portugal's best wave—a heavy, hollow right-hand reef/point break in Ericeira's World Surfing Reserve. The wave produces thick, grinding barrels over a rocky...

St Leu is one of the world's best left-hand barrels—a fast, hollow reef break on Réunion Island that produces some of the most intense tubes in the Indian Ocean. The wave is...

One Eye is Mauritius' most famous wave—a world-class left reef break at Le Morne that has become equally renowned for kitesurfing and windsurfing. The wave breaks over shallow...

Sultans is one of the Maldives' most consistent waves—a long, peeling right-hander in the North Male Atoll that works on a wide range of swell sizes. The wave offers multiple...

Pipeline is the proving ground of professional surfing—a shallow, left-breaking barrel that has defined generations of surfers. The wave breaks just 75 yards from the beach over a...

Sunset Beach is one of surfing's most revered and challenging waves—a football-field-sized playing field of shifting peaks and deep-water power. West Peak is the classic heavy...

Popoyo is Nicaragua's flagship surf destination—a reef break that catches virtually every SW swell and offers multiple peaks to choose from. The setup is perfect for a surf trip:...

Tres Palmas is the Caribbean's big wave proving ground—a powerful right-hand reef break in Rincón, Puerto Rico, that transforms into a legitimate big wave arena when massive...