Feature photo by REUTERS/Mike Hutchings. Photo above by kanaka
These days, with super advanced equipment, tow in access, and internet swell tracking, a growing number of surfers are getting rides on incredibly powerful waves.
What makes a wave dangerous? Is sheer size an accurate indicator for how hazardous a surf spot is? Read on for our roundup of the top ten most dangerous waves in the world.
1. Cyclops (remote south coast Western Australia)
This ultra square-shaped, below sea level, one-eyed monster tops the list for good reasons. It’s impossible to paddle into on a surfboard and almost unrideable towing behind a jet ski.
If you blow a wave here you’ll be washed straight onto the dry rocks, which is a bummer because the nearest medical help is hours away.
Photo by REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
2. Teahupoo (Tahiti)
The scary thing about Teahupoo (pronounced Cho-poo) is that as the swell gets beyond 10 feet the wave doesn’t so much get taller, it just gets more enormous, often looking like the entire ocean is peeling over with the lip.
Falling off here is almost a guarantee of hitting the razor sharp coral reef below, which wouldn’t be so bad if the locals didn’t insist on using fresh Tahitian lime juice to sterilise the reef cuts. Ouch.
3. Shipsterns (Tasmania, Australia)
Set along a remote length of pristine Tasmanian coastline, you could almost call this area picturesque if the wave itself wasn’t so ugly.
Raw Antarctic swells come out of deep ocean and jack up into a roaring righthander in front of the cliff which gives the spot its name. The uneven reef causes weird steps and bubbles in the wave, which are always a pleasant surprise when you’re still trying to navigate the drop down the face.
Photo by jurvetson
4. Dungeons (Cape Town, South Africa)
It’s not that shallow and it doesn’t break in front of any rocks, but it is located off the tip of South Africa in the freezing Southern Ocean in shark infested waters. Dungeons regularly holds waves up to 70 feet, which is why organisers have chosen to hold the annual Big Wave Africa contest here since 1999.
5. Pipeline (Oahu, Hawaii)
The shallow lava reef that shapes Pipe’s famous round tube is actually full of trenches and bumps -meaning a nasty old time for anyone falling out of the lip from 12 feet above. Which happens with surprisingly regularity, even to the experienced locals.
Perhaps almost as dangerous are the insane crowds that flock to Pipe any time it gets good, with fearless Hawaiians competing with pros, wannabes and tourists for the set waves.
Photo by felipeskroski
6. Desert Point (Lombok, Indonesia)
This beautiful lefthander peels over very shallow coral somewhere off the dusty island of Lombok. The wave is less dangerous than the hazards of extreme boredom during flat spells (there’s nothing on land but a few run down losemans), overcrowding, contracting malaria and the fact that medical access is hours away.
7. The Cave (Ericeira, Portugal)
With all the ingredients that a dangerous wave should have, including a shallow reef, urchins and hot-tempered Latino locals, its not surprising The Cave has been described as Europe’s heaviest wave. It was once the preserve of Portugal’s bodyboarding set, but pros like Tiago Pires have been taking it on in recent years – and surviving.
Photo by bevankoopman
8. Lunada Bay (California, USA)
Perhaps one of the best right handers in California, Lunada is a great performance wave at six feet but it also handles swell right up to 20 feet. It’s not an overly dangerous wave in itself, but the locals are another matter.
Visiting surfers have reported slashed tyres, rocks thrown, fist fights and a seemingly disinterested local police force. You’re on your own here.
9. Gringos (Arica, Chile)
Chile has a bunch of waves as equally as heavy and urchin-infested as this one but El Gringo is included in this list because of the damage it did to the pro surfers who surfed it in 2007’s WCT event. There were numerous broken boards, embedded urchin spines and slashed heads. And they surf for a living. Imagine what it’d do to you?
10. Tarqua (Lagos, Nigeria)
The good news is that this beach break located at the entrance to the Lagoon of Iddo in Lagos is often a fun, wedging peak. The bad news is the 60 million litres of raw sewage and tonnes of industrial waste produced by the 8 million inhabitants of Lagos every year that flows out into the ocean. Other hazards include floating carcasses, rubbish and the occasional mugging on the beach.
Community connection
Looking for waves for mere mortals? Check out Spencer Read about searching for surf in Vietnam with Rhys Stacker’s “China Beach and Beyond” article here.
And for an all around great surf story and guide to Central America, check out Spencer Klein’s classic Another End of the Road.
About the Author
More By This Author
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55 Comments... join the discussion!
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Those are some amazing waves. The pictures are great. I would love to see some videos of these waves in action.
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Teahupoo is not pronounced "chopes" it's pronounced "Cho-pu." the name "Chopes" is it's nickname.
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Those look really fun
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I'm curious how you would rank Cortez Bank along these other rides
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Really? No Mavericks?
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No Hughmunga Cowabunga from Downunda?
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What about Mavericks?!! Half Moon Bay, CA, USA should have been on this list too…
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no mavricks?
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No Mavricks ??? what kind of list is this???
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Wow these are some great pics of some huge waves. Glad I found this , I will for sure bookmark! Being from Alabama I don't get to see many waves like these!
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what about Jaws, Cortes Bank and Mavericks??? come on !!!
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I'm a bit bummed about the lack of photos. "Top 10" implies there's gonna be 10 items. I see 10 things in the list but only 4 pics. WTF? Seriously. You couldn't even find 10 photos on all the surf sites around the world? I also agree with the comments about Mavericks. Serious fail.
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yip, glad you liked them dude
Core Africa Experiences
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That photo under #1 is actually from Dungeons. It showed up last week.
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no maverick = fail
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I've heard many pro's and photographers say that Pipeline is more dangerous than Chopes. In terms of deaths, Pipeline has killed or seriously injured more people than any other wave. Nothing even comes close.
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No Mavericks? Of course the author is from Oz.
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The photo for Cyclops is incorrect, it's Dungeons in Cape Town, and the surfer is Anthony Tashnick of the U.S.
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This reads as if it were written by a complete kook. Lunada Bay? WTF? The photos are all over the place too. Seriously though, stay out of California.
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The writers here need to pay attention to detail but some of the blame must lie with the editors. They obviously don't fact check and trust too much in the writers to self-edit. There is way too much emphasis in these lists. Who among us is really qualified to make a list of the world's best anything? Try creating some content that explains your choices instead of posting photos you collected on the internet. It is the editors who need to offer better leadership here. It is my believe that lists are lazy…by and large. And they are taking over this website. Maybe create a seperate page: http://www.matadorlists.comand let trips get back to promoting creative destination features and good writing?!
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Awesome article…makes me wanna jump on my board and start paddling out…..
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List is WAY off!!! Do a little more research bro…Tarqua in Nigeria? I'm sure Laird Hamilton and Co. is all over that one…how about Cortez Bank, Jaws, and massive Puerto Escondido? Those waves will make you shit your boardshorts.
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the pictures should correlate with the waves way better… pretty incoherent and confusing as is… Good work though Rhys, London huh, …hope she's worth it
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kook
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Photo #2 is actually Mavericks!
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Photo #3 used for Shipsterns is the real mavericks according to wiki
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WOOOOOOOOOW!!! Amazing… I am speachless.
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Where is the Right
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Pico Alto, Peru from 7 to 24+ meters doesn't mean something?
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doesn't mean anything?
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skip u guys
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Punta de Lobos, Chile! ” target=”_blank”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X1zUFXOgDA
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I would have probably put OURS and shark island up in the top 5 for sure! nice list though!
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The picture from Cave wave in Portugal is wrong… it’s a right, not a left!
Go and see: http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Europe/Portugal/Central_Ericeira/cave/↵ -
Hey Croc, photo is from Desert Point, not the Cave. Sorry for the confusion.
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v.v.v.v.vdangerous
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to much danger
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THE’RE RIGHT, FIRST FOUR ARE CORRECT NOT DUE TO SIZE BUT 2 WHAT’S IN THE WATER. MAV’S, JAW’S, G. TREE.
THE LIST IS INCORRECT.
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Cape Town’s (South Africa) – Dungeons seems to be ranking very high on the big wave circuit winning the Billabong XXL 2009. Also won in 2007 and in the finals for 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuVhtEcz1Bw
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“latino locals” in portugal?
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I think some people forget to factor in Sharks and Cold water. Cold water is desnser and hits harder,,and great whites eat you whole.
This has to put shipsterns bluff up there?
Marty from the World Boardriders Club↵ -
you dude
check out cardiff bay
waves are bigger than any of the above….
we aint welsh for nothing !
yo dudes keep safe
love
charlie the surfer↵ -
How can you not inculde Mavericks. Please don’t use a title like “Top 10 Most Dangerous Waves in the World” that shows up first on a google search when you don’t have a clue mate
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when im older im going to be like kelly slater but as a girl
wish me luck?
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Great ARticle but terrible photos …
Please try and get some clearer photos if you can,
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It’s a bit out of date. Aileens is probably one of the worlds most dangerous too.
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Teahupo’o is pronounced chopo not chopoo (or chopu), you’re supposed to say the “teahu” part fast so it sounds like a “ch” sound. Locals won’t get offended if you pronounce Teahupo’o wrong but they do appreciate it if you at least try to get it right.
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I honestly think Puerto Escondido should be on that list!!! that spot scares the life outa me, more than pipeline! awesome list!
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