Thorli

Thorli offers a uniquely forgiving introduction to Icelandic surfing, thanks to its deep paddling channel that spares you the usual duck-diving grind. This right-hand point break peels over a boulder bottom, rewarding intermediate surfers with long, workable walls when swells push above chest high. On bigger days, expect smooth, linking corners; smaller swells produce crumbly cutback sections that still entertain. The spot handles southeast swells up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) and cleans up best with a northwest wind. Tides matter little here—low, mid, or high all can deliver. While summer often brings flat spells, winter offers more consistent energy. About a 30- to 40-minute drive from Reykjavík, access is simple: take Highway 1, turn right toward Thorlakshofn after 15 minutes, then follow the road straight through town to the lighthouse. Crowds are sparse by Icelandic standards, so you’ll likely find plenty of room even on busy days.

Best Surf Season (October - March)

Thorli is an east-facing beach, so the ideal swell window comes from the northeast through southeast quadrant, while offshore wind blows from the west and southwest. The best surf arrives when the North Atlantic storm machine is at full tilt. From October through March, the average swell height sits between 7-12ft (2.1-3.7m) and the average period climbs into the powerful 10-14 second range, with the Icelandic low pulling a succession of deep low-pressure systems toward the island. The catch is that these same systems often pin the wind in the onshore northeast-to-southeast quadrant, and only 12-16 percent of the time features ideal offshore flow. Still, when a west/southwest wind grooms that NE-ENE-E-ESE-SE swell, Thorli can see heavy, pumping, long-period surf.