As perhaps the premier big wave break on the planet, Nazaré, Portugal has become a coveted destination for elite athletes in big wave surfing. When massive swells arrive, the wave shows what it’s capable of. Emerging from an underwater canyon, behemoths of 70 feet and up erupt just offshore of the town’s iconic lighthouse. Nazaré is where the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ ride for Largest Wave Surfed was accomplished, and it hosts the TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge presented by Hurley.

A big wave colossus located on the north coast of Maui, Hawaii, Pe’ahi, also known as “Jaws,” is a proving ground for the big wave surfing community and the site of the first successfully ridden 35-foot wave. Jaws comes alive during the fiercest North Pacific storms and will occasionally hit 40 feet or more. It is fronted by steep cliffs adjacent to the sugarcane fields where spectators watch the WSL’s paddle-only competition at the Quiksilver Jaws Big Wave Challenge presented by TUDOR.

Just north of the town of Half Moon Bay sits California's big wave epicenter - the dark, cold, spooky surf spot known as Mavericks. Though not a frequent event, when the winter swell season peaks in the Pacific Ocean, Mavericks can come alive and attract the world’s best surfers for some truly massive rides. It’s a unique place built around its big wave heritage and retains its charm as a sleepy surf village despite its close proximity to one of the most vibrant cities on the West Coast, San Fra

Puerto Escondido is mainland Mexico’s renowned surf break and a hub for global surf talent during the summer months. Puerto Escondido has been a popular pilgrimage for big wave adventurers since the early 1970s. By 1974, the wave's potential had been realized and it earned the honor of being called the “Mexican Pipeline.” Through the decades its status in the big wave surfing community has grown as great as the waves themselves.