The wave of Mundaka: the jewel of the Basque Country

Mundaka the magical left

There is no left so perfect or so long. It is the best wave in Europe and one of the top ten in the world. When the bar really breaks, it can reach five meters in height and four hundred meters in length. We are talking about the wave of Mundaka, a dream that has convinced many professional surfers that in life there is something more than riding rights.

There is no one who has visited Mundaka one of those days when the sea comes in strongly and has not succumbed to the beauty and majesty of its wave, and above all, has not perceived, and even breathed, the legend that surrounds this small fishing town in Vizcaya. When the conditions are ideal, “the bar”, as it is colloquially known, is a spectacle and the lookout point of Atalaya a coming and going of photographers and surf enthusiasts.

Located at the clean and perfect mouth of the Urdaibai estuary, with a very peculiar orientation, the Mundaka wave is a superlative left that breaks over a changing sand bank forming dream tubes. It is undoubtedly an demanding and difficult wave to surf that rises and tubes along a path that seems to never end; a wave that must be read very well and in which you also have to learn to fall, especially if you are inside the tube.

A miscalculation in Mundaka or a carelessness can turn into the worst wipeout of your life. And that’s because the beach of Mundaka is a shallow beach, which, added to the speed at which the wave is surfed, makes the impact a championship one. The accident suffered by Kepa Acero on January 2, 2017 is perhaps the most famous example: two broken vertebrae, one dorsal and one displaced cervical. Kepa himself told Verne his experience from Cruces hospital:

“We know how to fall in a way that doesn’t hurt you, but this time it was out of control. I didn’t expect it. I felt as if the world was turning off. I lost consciousness for a moment and woke up underwater. I tried to swim to the surface, but I couldn’t move. My body didn’t respond. Then I thought I wasn’t going to make it (…) Fortunately, there was a guy nearby who saw me fall. He put me on the board and got me out. He saved my life”.

Everything is different in Mundaka. Every day is different. As Wayne Lynch one of the icons of Australian surfing and also a devoted admirer of “the bar”, you can sit on the outside and wait, but if you get a little on the a esperar, pero si te metes un poco en el inside you can catch the best wave you have ever imagined surfing in the mouth of an estuary. A long ride.

The key to surfing the Mundaka wave is to lean down, lift your butt in free fall, turn and see that you have fifty meters of wave closing in front of you, and also enough time to get into the tube. And then, once inside, stay calm to cover the more than three hundred meters of perfect tubes, trusting that they will spit you out safe and sound.

Those wonderful years

“The extraordinary quality of the Mundaka wave was discovered by foreign surfers who kept it secret, as long as they could, as a small hidden paradise in a small corner of the Iberian Peninsula” , Craig Sage recounts in what is the best book ever written about “the bar”: Mundaka, Surf to live, Live to surf, where this Australian who gave up everything for a perfect wave in a small town in Vizcaya recounts his life in parallel to the history of the most popular surfers’ sanctuary in Europe.

“We were never more than five or ten in the water, almost always five foreigners and a mix of those from Sopelana and the few from Bakio. I remember that we were aware that we were living an unrepeatable moment”

Sage says of the old good times of Mundaka, late seventies-early eighties. And, not without a certain nostalgia, he adds:

“We all knew that it was a wave out of the ordinary and that is why there was a kind of pact of silence between locals and foreigners not to reveal to the rest of the world that there was a magical wave in Mundaka.”

But paradises, and in surfing even more so, are ephemeral. The secret that there was a perfect wave in the Basque Country did not take long to become common knowledge; a massive pilgrimage took place; the World Surfing Championship arrived; Mundaka became a kind of Eldorado for surfers; and as John Ford would say, the legend began to be written.

The best surfers in Mundaka

Of course, the number of surfers who have enjoyed or still enjoy the Mundaka wave with style, power, and intelligence is not small. Tom Curren, Marc Paarman, Ibon Amatriain, Iker Fuentes, the Acero brothers … But if we had to choose one, at El Pico we would go with Txaber Trojaola, whose way of riding ‘the bar’ has a lot to do with the essence of surfing, with the depth – or the potential depth – that one can reach in a wave if one dedicates all their passion and intelligence to it.

PRACTICAL GUIDE TO SURF MUNDAKA

The best time to surf the Mundaka wave:

Fall and winter. In any case, we advise you to check the wave forecasts for the days you plan to travel. Windguru Mundaka and even the webcam can save you from a wasted trip.

What surfboard do we recommend using on the Mundaka wave?

A model specially designed for ‘the bar’ is the Clayton Mundaka , which gives you that extra security you need. But if you’re not convinced by the Clayton, it’s best to pack an all-terrain board in your bag, like the G Skate. Like the one we saw Dane Gudauskas surfing on in Mundaka these past few days.

CI G SKATE

The best surfboard for Mundaka is the CI G Skate. A loose and fun board that, although designed for small waves, amazes anyone who tries it on vertical and powerful waves like the Mundaka wave.

If you still have doubts about whether this board is for you, we leave you our review of the G Skate . As well as our recommendation for Gudauskas surf fins .

And if you like twin fins, here is our recommendation:

✓ AL MERRICK FISHBEARD

The Al Merrick Fish Beard surfboard from Channel Islands is an easy-to-use fish that has its origins in the CI Neckbeard 2 model.

The choice of wetsuit will depend on the time of year you travel.

From January to February, the water temperature is around 12 degrees. In this season, we recommend using a wetsuit that is 5 mm thick. That is, a 5/4/3 or a 4/3 with a hood, booties, and gloves. If you travel to Mundaka

from March to April, the water temperature is somewhat more pleasant and rises to 13 degrees. Even so, and if you don’t want to be cold, we continue with the same wetsuit recommendations. 4/3 or even 5/4 depending on the outside temperature. From May to June, the water rises to 15 degrees.

This allows us to switch from a 4/3 mm to a 3/2. The best 3/2 wetsuit we’ve had the chance to try is the Oneill Hyperfreak 3/2 mm with chest zip . A suit that has captivated us after testing it and whose full review you can read in our Wetsuits section or by clicking here . .

From July to August, is the time of year with the warmest water. Around 19 – 21 degrees. Here we recommend a 2/2 mm like the Oneill Hammer . or even surfing in boardshorts on sunny days.

Between September and October, you can continue with the 2/2 or if you feel colder switch to a 3/2 mm suit. Our recommendation for elasticity, comfort, and price is the Hurley Advantage Plus 3/2mm.

And finally, November and December, it’s time to take out the 4/3 mm wetsuit

The best wetsuits for surfing in Mundaka

✓ Hurley Advantage Max 3/2mm

If you plan to go to the Pro France, we recommend you bring a good surf wetsuit in the trunk. Although the outside temperature can reach 30 degrees, the water is already starting to get cold. For example, we usually use (at this time) the Hurley Max 3/2mm . A wetsuit that you can buy at a 45% discount at our OUTLET WETSUITS.

OUTLET WETSUITS

The Hurley Max is a slightly warmer suit than the Hyperfreak 3/2 from the Oneill brand, whose review you can read in our wetsuit section.

✓ Hurley Advantage 3/2mm 2021

If you prioritize comfort and elasticity over warmth, we recommend the new Hurley Advantage. The new Hurley suit is super light, comfortable and elastic. With a price of 215 euros, we are sure that it will soon become the best-selling wetsuit model from the American brand.

✓ Hurley Advantage Plus Women

For women, our recommendation for price, warmth, elasticity, and comfort is the Hurley Advantage Plus 3/2mm.

 

How to get to Mundaka?

Buses: Line A3515 (Bilbao-Amorebieta/Etxano-Gernika-Bermeo) from Bizkaibus. Departure from Hurtado de Amezaga street next to the Abando station. Bizkaibus buses run every half hour on weekdays and every hour on weekends and holidays.

Trains: Bilbao-Bermeo from Euskotren. Departure from the Atxuri station or connection with the metro at the Bolueta station. Every half hour on weekdays and every hour on weekends and holidays. The journey takes less than an hour.

By car: from Bilbao, it takes approximately 40 minutes to reach the town of Mundaka. Road BI-631 towards Munguia.

Where to eat in Mundaka?

Restaurant Asador Portuondo. Traditional cuisine based on fish and meats. Once satisfied, the views remain, one of the most beautiful in the Basque Country: the Mundaka estuary, the beach, the sea… Watching the sunset from the Portuondo viewpoint is something that must be done at least once in a lifetime.

Restaurant La Fonda. Homemade food. Spectacular cheesecake. The daily menu costs 12.50 euros.

Where to stay in Mundaka?

The best hotels to stay in Mundaka are Hotel Atalaya, Hotel El Puerto, and Mundaka Hostel & Sports Café.

What to see in Mundaka?

Some people think that Mundaka is the most beautiful village on the coast of Biscay. And without a doubt, it is one of the most evocative and pleasant to visit. The tiny port, narrow as a well, its Santa María church, large and gray next to the estuary, its beautiful marine landscape of unforgettable greens and blues… have a charm that is not even altered by the rain.

“La barra” is the main landmark of Mundaka and, of course, its “greatest monument”. You can see it from the inside, surfing it, or from the Atalaya viewpoint, next to the beautiful church of Santa María. But Mundaka also has an unexpected treasure: the hermitage of Santa Calina, a small church transitioning between Gothic and Renaissance. What stands out the most is the harmony of the temple with the landscape.

≫ Other mythical waves

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