Praia do Norte (Nazaré)

Praia do Norte, also called North Beach, is a famous beach in Nazaré, in the Oeste region of Portuguese coastline. This beach is known for its very large, powerful waves that roll in from the ocean. These waves are some of the biggest ever seen in the world.

Because of these giant waves, Praia do Norte has been listed in the Guinness World Records for the largest waves ever surfed. Surfers from all over come to try and ride these amazing waves, often using special equipment to be towed into the water by boats. This type of surfing is called Tow-in surfing.

The huge waves are created by a deep underwater valley called the Nazaré Canyon, which focuses the energy of the ocean’s swells as they approach the shore. The beach also has a historic lighthouse near the Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo, adding to its special atmosphere. Every year, the biggest waves here are celebrated in the Billabong XXL awards, making Praia do Norte one of the top places in the world for extreme surfing.

Overview

Praia do Norte is famous for its huge, powerful waves that are great for surfing. These big waves happen because of an underwater canyon nearby, which makes the waves grow even larger.

Every winter, there is a big surfing competition called the TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge. Surfers from around the world come to ride these giant waves, sometimes as tall as a five-story building!

Over the years, many amazing surfers have set records here. In 2011, a surfer rode a wave almost 80 feet tall, and in 2017, another surfer rode an even bigger wave that became famous online. More records have been set since then, showing just how big the waves at Praia do Norte can get.