Teahupoo

Teahupoo breaks over a shallow reef off the southern coast of Tahiti Iti, and what makes it exceptional is the shape of the bottom: deep water runs almost to the reef edge, so swell arrives with no warning and stands up into a wave that is thicker than it is tall, breaking onto coral in very little water. It has a serious injury record. The village at the end of the road is ordinary; the wave is a boat ride offshore.

What you actually see

• The wave - a heavy reef break that stands up thick over very shallow coral.
• The reef pass - the channel beside the break where boats and photographers sit.
• The end of the road - the village where the coast road stops on Tahiti Iti.
• The Te Pari coast - the roadless shore running east from the village.

When to go

May to October is the southern swell season when the wave works. The Tahiti Pro competition falls in this window. Flat spells are common between swells.

Honest expectations

This is one of the most dangerous waves in the world and is not for recreational surfers. Watching means hiring a boat, which is weather dependent. When there is no swell there is nothing to see.

Nearby

Te Pari is east, and Papeete is northwest.