Teahupo'o
Tahiti, French Polynesia
Reef breakExpert
Arguably the most terrifying wave on Earth, Teahupo'o thunders over a razor-sharp shallow reef on Tahiti's south coast, producing a wall of mutant thickness that has redefined what is possible in surfing and generated the sport's most iconic imagery.
Typical Conditions
The Surf Window
Swell Window
OptimalN (0°)
WindowW–E (270°–90°)
Wind
Offshore winds
Tide
Varies
LowMidHigh
Season
Varies
The Wave
Type
Left
Bottom
Sharp, shallow coral reef (reef as shallow as 30cm at low tide)
Shape
Thick, square-lipped barrel, the wave doesn't so much break as detonate, the lip throwing out with terrifying mass
Length
30–80m (short, but the most intense seconds in surfing)
Skill Level
- •Who it's for: Expert
- •Why: The reef is literally ankle-deep at low tide, the lip weighs tonnes, and a wipeout at size is genuinely life-threatening.
Hazards
- •Razor-sharp coral reef, nicknamed "the guillotine" by locals
- •Extremely heavy wipeouts, hold-downs are violent and prolonged
- •Strong channel current
- •Boat traffic in the channel during contests
Local Tips
- •Access is strictly by boat from Teahupo'o village, you cannot paddle out from shore at size.
- •The channel alongside the wave is deep and safe to watch from a boat, a front-row seat for one of nature's most awe-inspiring performances.
Location
-17.8667, -149.2537