Sports travel bucket list: surfing the ‘Supertubos’ wave in Peniche, Portugal
In March 2025, the world’s best surfers descended on Praia de Supertubos, south of Peniche, for the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal – one of the most unpredictable and exhilarating stops on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour.
Supertubos, the name given to both the beach and the iconic wave, is revered as one of the best beachbreaks in the world, often earning comparisons to Hawaii's Banzai Pipeline. The wave is powerful, hollow, and fast, forming thick-lipped barrels that explode over shallow sandbanks. This phenomenon is due to the unique bathymetry of the seabed and a combination of strong Atlantic swells, offshore winds, and precise tidal movements.
Unlike reef breaks that maintain consistent wave forms, Supertubos' quality depends on the shifting sands beneath the water. Se...