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Mundaka is one of Europe's best left-hand waves, a world-class rivermouth barrel break in the Basque Country of Spain. The wave peels along a sandbar shaped by the Urdaibai river estuary, producing long, hollow lefts that can run for 200+ metres on their best day. It has hosted professional world tour events and draws surfers from around the globe when it fires. The picturesque fishing village above provides a charming backdrop.
Needs a large north or north-westerly groundswell (6ft+ on open coast) combined with the right sandbar configuration. A southerly wind is offshore. Best at mid to high tide on a dropping flow. The 4-10ft range produces its famous barrels. October through February is prime season. Mundaka can be fickle; the sandbar changes and some seasons it barely works while others it is perfection.
The take-off is at the end of the harbour wall where the swell hits the sandbar. The left then runs along the bar towards the beach. Position yourself near the harbour wall but not too close (currents). The peak is tight and well-defined. On bigger days it shifts slightly further out.
The harbour wall is solid stone and currents can sweep you towards it. The wave is powerful and fast, with heavy barrels that hold you down. The sandbar can be shallow on bigger swells. Getting caught inside means a long paddle back out through the impact zone. Strong tidal currents through the river mouth.
Park in Mundaka village (limited spaces on good days, arrive early). Walk along the harbour wall to view the wave. Entry from the harbour end, paddling out through the channel. The paddle out can be long on bigger days.
Very crowded when it works. Mundaka's reputation means surfers travel from across Europe for the rare good days. The local Basque crew have priority and the lineup can be tense. 30-50 people on a classic day is common. Competition for waves is intense.
Mundaka is fickle and you may need to wait days for it to switch on. Book flexible accommodation. The sandbar changes year to year and some seasons produce better waves than others. The harbour bar (Kape Xeria) is the gathering point where locals share information about conditions. If Mundaka is flat or too crowded, the coast east and west has numerous quality alternatives.
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Based on historical weekly averages
Combining historical conditions with school holiday crowd pressure to find the sweet spot.
How busy each week is based on school holiday overlap from feeder markets.
The timing score combines two signals: historical conditions quality (how good the skiing or surfing typically is in a given week, based on 5 years of weather data) and crowd pressure (how many of this destination's feeder markets have school holidays that week).
Crowd pressure is weighted by each feeder country's share of visitors. If 40% of a resort's visitors come from France and France is on holiday, that contributes 0.40 to the crowd pressure score. Crowds can reduce the timing score by up to 35%, ensuring conditions still matter most.
Scores: 5 = great conditions with low crowds (the sweet spot). 4 = great conditions with moderate crowds, or good conditions with low crowds. 3 = average. 2 = below average conditions or very crowded. 1 = poor conditions or peak holiday chaos.
Last 29 days of logged conditions.
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Create Profile →Current conditions refresh every 3 hours when the cron runs. Hourly data updates every 30 minutes. The 7-day forecast, luck factor, and packing notes are all pre-computed at the same time.
We compare the 7-day forecast to the last 5 years of marine data for the same week at Mundaka. The delta tells you whether conditions are shaping up better, worse, or about the same as a typical mid-June.
We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.
Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).
Honestly, no. Every break has tide windows, swell directions and reef contours that a global model cannot see. Treat the score as a starting point, then check a local cam.
The best week for surf at Mundaka is the week of 16 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Next to nothing in the water. Check back tomorrow. Light onshore crumble taking the edge off. Best conditions early morning before the sea breeze arrives. Not enough swell to get this spot firing properly.
Heads up: rocks exposed at low tide.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
Crystal clear water: ~22m visibility
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Mundaka
See timing scores, school holiday busyness, and lift pass pricing to find the best time to book.
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