The 10 Best Pointbreaks for Surfing on Earth 

Looking to score the longest wave of your life? Try these spots.

Written by: Dashiel Pierson

A pointbreak for surfers is like a fresh powder day for skiers. Like a Bugatti on the Autobahn. Or like a pitch right down the middle with bases loaded. Yeah, you get the idea.

While other types of waves – beachbreaks, reefbreaks, slabs, etc. – have their desirable qualities, there’s nothing quite like a long, reeling pointbreak. And unlike other waves, pointbreaks are specially designed to produce thigh-burners — they wrap around a jutting land mass, peel across the sloping bottom contour, and allow surfers to ride from the top of the point all the way to the inside. And that’s relatively rare.

So, in honor of these unicorns of the surf world, feast your eyes on the list below featuring some of the best lactic-acid-stimulating waves across the globe, in no particular order:

Jeffreys Bay

When it comes to perfection, matched by high-performance possibilities, few pointbreaks shake a stick at South Africa’s Jeffreys Bay. At its best, the wave is a speeding blur of hollow sections, wide-open walls, and a grooming offshore wind. Professional surfing history at J-Bay runs about as deep as any other competitive tour stop on earth; from Terry Fitzgerald to Shaun Tompson, Curren to Occy, Slater to Fanning.

Located in: South Africa
When to go: May to September

Malibu

What Malibu lacks in hollowness, it makes up for in surf history legend. For decades, this was the epicenter of progression in surfing and surfboard design. And in fact, the famed righthand pointbreak has such a rich history that, as of 2018, it was officially recognized by the United States government on the National Register of Historic Places.

Located in: California
When to go: California summertime

Chicama

The wave at Chicama holds the honor of being the first surf spot to be protected by national law. In 2016, a Peruvian law was instated prohibiting any building within one kilometer of the wave at Chicama, which may impact the shape of the wave or the wind. And now, the impossibly long pointbreak at Chicama – which some claim is the longest wave in the world – will be preserved for the foreseeable future.

Located in: Peru
When to go: April to October

Rincon

As far as world-class pointbreaks go, Rincon is the best California’s got. And when it’s on, it’s also one of the best pointbreaks in the world. But because of that superior quality, the lineup at Rincon can get incredibly crowded during a large winter swell. It’s pretty rare for someone to ride a wave all the way from the top of the point to the inside near the freeway (unless your name is “Tom Curren”).

Pseudonyms: “The Queen of the Coast” & “The Crown Jewel of California”
Located in: California
When to go: Fall and Winter

Raglan

The pointbreak at Raglan in Manu Bay offers something for every type of surfer. There’s speedy sections, a rippable lip-line, the occasional tube, and even soft rollers in the bay. But beyond the variety, the most striking thing about Raglan is the consistency of quality surf – you can pretty much catch a wave at Raglan year-round.

Located in: New Zealand
When to go: September to November

Punta de Lobos

Chile’s iconic Punta de Lobos is as much known as an XXL hotspot as it for its buttery perfection. This wave is more of a giant roller, versus a bowling slab. When it’s under double-overhead, Lobos really turns on – the lineup moves further in, the middle section features long walls and tubes, and rides spanning 200 yards are not unheard of. Adding to the perfection, the looming cliffs protect the wave from the dreaded – and almost daily – southwest wind.

Located in: Chile
When to go: June to August

Anchor Point

Since it was first discovered and surfed by Aussies in the 1960s, Anchor Point in Morocco has changed quite a bit. First of all, there’s a lot more heads in the water. And secondly, the town has boomed to cater to traveling surfers. But the wave itself still produces some of the dreamiest righthand walls available in this region of the world.

Located in: Morocco
When to go: Fall and wintertime

Barra de la Cruz

Once a well-kept secret by locals and traveling surfers in the know, Barra de la Cruz (or simply “Barra”) has been exposed to the surf world multiple times over. Blame it on the endless stream of images in surf publications, all bearing the same caption: “Somewhere in Mexico.” Or more likely, blame it on the 2006 Rip Curl Search held at Barra – aka some of the best waves ever seen in a CT event. But still, the wave continues to mesmerize.

Located in: Mexico
When to go: April to October

Kirra Point

Capping off the northern edge of Queensland’s famed Coolangatta, there’s the sand-bottom righthander at Kirra Point. The wave is a product of two rock groins, at either end of Kirra Beach, which bookend the sandbar and the supertubes that come careening off it. To get an idea of how perfect the wave can be, just look to Shane Beschen and his perfect 30-point heat total from 1996 or Griffin Colapinto’s perfect 10 at the 2018 Quik Pro.

Located in: Australia
When to go: Fall and Winter

Skeleton Bay

Wavepools may be on the rise, but Skeleton Bay is making a case for Team Nature when it comes to the perfection debate. The wave is sand-bottom, almost-impossibly steep, and endlessly tubing. For, like, a mile-and-a-half…literally. Why do you think you’ve seen so much GoPro footage from Skeleton Bay? It’s because filmers on the beach can’t track a surfer for such a distance.

Located in: Namibia
When to go: May to September