Perth Metro Surf Guide: Trigg vs. Scarborough vs. Cottesloe

Perth's metro beaches all sit on the same stretch of coast and pick up the same SW groundswell, but they are not the same wave. Trigg, Scarborough, and Cottesloe sit roughly 10km apart north to south, and each one plays a different role depending on how much experience you're bringing.

Trigg Beach: the quality benchmark

Trigg is regarded locally as Perth metro's most consistent, best-quality break, with a right-hander off the point that can hold a genuine face and the occasional barrel on the right swell and tide. It needs a bit more size and period to really turn on than the other two beaches on this list, which is part of why it has the reputation it does.

Scarborough Beach: the all-rounder

Scarborough is Perth's busiest and most popular beach, and its sandbanks make it workable across a wider range of conditions than Trigg — summer swells are gentle enough for learners, while winter can bring size that turns the same beach dumpy depending on how the banks are sitting. It's the middle option: a lower bar to clear than Trigg, but it can still get challenging.

Cottesloe Beach: the easy one

Cottesloe is the classic Perth beginner spot, and it's calibrated that way for a reason — it needs the least swell and period of the three to be surfable at all. The tradeoff is that it's also often flat in summer when the other two still have something to offer, and it's genuinely one of the most crowded beaches in the city whenever it does have waves.

Which one should you check

If you're newer to surfing, start with Cottesloe and treat Scarborough as the next step up once you want more consistency. If you're chasing quality and already comfortable with some size, Trigg is the one worth the drive on a solid SW groundswell.

Related reading: Groundswell vs. Windswell: What's the Difference? and What Kind of Waves Are Actually Best for Beginners.

Closest spot guides

• Yallingup, about 210 km away
• Margaret River, about 240 km away

Or browse every break we cover in our Australian surf spot guides by region.