Khalaktyrsky Beach

Khalaktyrsky Beach is one of the most otherworldly surf destinations on Earth—a black volcanic sand beach on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula where active volcanoes tower over the lineup and brown bears roam the shore. The waves arrive from typhoons and Pacific storms, breaking in water so cold it demands the thickest wetsuits made. The short summer/autumn season limits surf time, but the setting defies description: black sand, steaming volcanoes, the Pacific Ocean, and the knowledge that you're surfing in one of the planet's most remote and wild places.