Nazaré is where surfing's largest waves are ridden—a Portuguese beach break that produces mountainous surf thanks to the Nazaré Canyon, an underwater trench that amplifies Atlantic swells to terrifying heights. Waves of 80-100+ feet have been documented here, and the world record for largest wave surfed continues to be broken at this spot. The wave breaks on sand, making it marginally more forgiving than reef breaks, but the size, power, and chaos are beyond anything else on Earth. Tow-in required at size.
Difficulty
6/10
Crowd level
3/10
Access: Beach/jet ski
How well swell angle matches the spot
Wave height in the ideal range
Each spot has different period requirements. Points and reefs can handle longer periods than beaches.
Offshore/glassy conditions