The Mentawais
One of the most coveted surfing destinations on Earth, the Mentawai Islands remain a source of intrigue for waveriders everywhere. Located off the western coastline of Sumatra, the Mentawais consist of four large islands and numerous smaller ones. The general tone here is classic Indo: powerful but not bone-snapping, fast but not raging. Broad exposure to all reaches of the southern Indian Ocean provides unrivaled swell consistency, well beyond what Bali gets. Background pulses maintain the surf between the stronger hits and during the high-season boom swells often arrive overtop each other. Few push beyond the 10-foot range, though, making the Mentawais a suitable destination for surfers of all stripes looking to test their mettle in proper world-class waves.
The Waves
Lance's Left
Often overshadowed by the better-known Lances Right, Lances Left features a long, rippable wall and occasional barrel sections, fueled by consistent SW swell that funnels straight into the lineup. One of the more consistent waves in the region, Lances Left works when the wind is bad for HTs, which means crowds tend to migrate over (the waves are only a short walk or boat ride apart). Tends to get a bit gurgly and unpredictable as the swell moves into the double-overhead range. Click here to download Surfline's Mentawais Surf Guide pdf.
Lance's Right
Lance's Right is a front-lit tube studio. The barreling right-hander is a must stop for most Mentawai boat trips, which makes it one of the most crowded. The irony is, as perfect as it looks, the wave is deceptively challenging, and a slab of reef known as the "surgeon's table" awaits the flesh of the under prepared.The take-off zone at the top is the only practical entry point, as the wave barrels lightening-fast without much of a shoulder. Turns are mostly reserved for post-barrel cutbacks or the occasional lip bash. Lance's Right is positioned on the eastern side of Sipora, which means it requires a southwest swell big enough to wrap around the southern tip of the island.
Macaroni's
One of the most perfect performance waves in the world, just about everything possible on a wave is possible at Macaroni's. It's a submerged left point that barrels the length of the reef but also tapers into an incredibly rippable wall. Because of the machine-like perfection of both wall and barrel, Macaroni's is arguably responsible for the most amazing advances in performance surfing seen in the Mentawais.It's renown also makes "Maccas" one of the more crowded breaks around. Although it's playful at head high, the takeoff begins to ledge at several feet overhead and only becomes heavier until about triple overhead when it maxes out. Like many area waves, it's best to take off up at the top as the wave gathers speed as it goes. Alternatively, deceptively perfect looking waves can lure surfers further up the point into unmakeable slabs.
Thunders
A heavy, bowly left-hander that can handle more swell than just about anywhere else in the Mentawais, Thunders has a tricky, shifting lineup complete with strong currents that challenges all but the most experienced surfers. That being said, it is one of the bigger waves in the area, and bigger boards make the current manageable.
Telescopes
Most surf charters that originate out of Padang will arrive in the "Playground" area before heading south towards the big-name spots. True to its name, though, there are a number of fun to excellent reefs in this relatively small area between southern Siberut and northern Sipora, including Ebay, Nipussi, Bank Vaults and Scarecrows. One of the more consistent among these is Telescopes, a fun, long, rippable, barreling left that lends itself to a variety of skill levels.
It’s paradise. You go there, and you forget about everything else. It’s the best place to go if you’re looking to surf your brains out.
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The Mentawais According To...
Rio
Waida
Indonesia's most exciting export talks about surfing's Disneyland
What makes the Mentawais a special destination for surfers?
It’s paradise. You go there, and you forget about everything else; it’s all about surfing. That’s all. You won’t go there for hiking or sightseeing. That’s the good thing about the Mentawais. It’s purely a surf trip. It’s the best place to go if you’re looking to surf your brains out. Also, a lot of times, you won’t have reception – so, you can really disconnect from the world, and only focus on surfing. You can’t do that in a lot of places. There’s no distractions in the Mentawais; only surfing.
What kind of waves can visiting surfers expect?
You can find any kind of waves. There are waves for beginners, waves for professional surfers, waves for big-wave surfers, waves that are like skateparks, there’s lefts, rights, barrels – everything you can think of. The Mentawais has, arguably, the best waves in the world. That’s why all the pros go there to shoot their movies.
What’s the vibe?
It depends on the spot, the swell, and the time of year. For instance, this time of year [summer], it’s very busy. It depends on who’s in the water, too. You could get a spot with a bunch of pros who are catching all the good waves, or locals who are holding it down. But, from my experience, there’s a lot of sharing. There’s so many good waves coming in, that there’s enough to go around. The more popular spots will be more crowded. That’s why it’s good to have a guide – they can take you to the places that won’t have as many people, but the waves are still really good.
What should surfers bring?
Any board. You can bring a thruster, a twin-fin, a step-up…really you can bring anything. If it gets smaller, you can have a good time on a funboard, a mid-length, or a twin-fin. Definitely don’t forget your sunscreen. And also ding repair. You might want to bring that, because it’s super shallow. When there’s no waves, you probably want to bring something to entertain yourself, like a book.
When is the best time to score?
From April to October is pretty much the season. But you can also score waves almost all year. This year, I went in February and it was still fun. It won’t be as big, but you’ll still score some fun waves.
What else is there to do when you’re not surfing?
At the resorts, you can play games like ping-pong, you can go explore other islands, you can fish, dive – there’s so much marine life there that you can see and it’s just epic.
What’s your favorite local cuisine?
Where the big ferry stops, you can get some good local Indonesian food. But at the resorts, you’ll probably get Western food. My favorite traditional Indonesian dish is Nasi Campur – it’s rice mixed with whatever you want, like, chicken, fish, vegetables, that kind of stuff.
Where can people learn to surf?
There’s a lot of spots to learn to surf. You probably want to wait for the high tide, so you can avoid the sharp reef. And you don’t want a ton of swell, so it’s probably a bad idea to go during the peak season.
Any other tips?
Be respectful to the locals, and you’ll get respect back. Be happy. Don’t be rude; you don’t want to ruin your trip with bad vibes.
Travel Essentials
Where to Stay
Surfline recommends staying at Vaya Mentawai, which sits beachfront in the Playground zone — 15+ breaks within boat range, with an expert local guide. Another fine option is Kandui Resort, located in the heart of the Mentawai, offering access to some of the most perfect waves on the planet. Nestled on a private island surrounded by crystal-clear waters and white sand beaches, the resort provides an unforgettable experience for surfers and travelers alike. Guests enjoy world-class waves like Kandui Left, Rifles, and countless other breaks just minutes away by boat. The resort features traditional Mentawai-style "umas," modern amenities, gourmet dining, and a laid-back island vibe.
Logistics
Literally hundreds of ridable waves skirt these islands — many are famous; some are known to only a few boat captains; several are perfect; others are way, way up there in the dangerous zone. The handful of surfers who prowled the Mentawais pre-1990 did so by taking an irregular ferry ride from the Sumatran mainland and hoping for the best. Today, almost everyone books a spot in advance on one of the many surf charter vessels that run out of Padang harbor on Sumatra's west coast. Padang is a large, smelly trade town a short plane ride from the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. The planes ain’t big, though, and most experienced Sumatra trippers have some kind of horror story, most involving lost boardbags. It’s a 90-mile boat trip from Padang to the Mentawai fringes, and a daylong cruise between the main breaks.
Culture and Customs
The people that live here are mostly immune to the technologies and advancements of the outside world. And a visit to one of the villages, if the opportunity arises, is a must. As Dr. Dave Jenkins, founder of SurfAid international and a pioneer of surfing in the Ments, explains: "Take a trip to a local village where you’re almost always welcome, but show absolute respect for their culture. Don’t wander around half-naked or in your g-string bikini. And no drunkenness, please. If you get a chance, take a trip up the river with a guide on the island of Siberut, and stay a night with the shaman families. Let them put you into a trance with their ancient chanting, which you’ll appreciate as it will give you a small chance at a good night’s sleep on their bamboo floor. If you have an old watch you don’t want – even if it doesn’t work — bring it along and give it to the shaman. They love those."
Local Scene
The Mentawai Islands couldn’t be more different from the hustle-and-bustle, party-hard, tourist-friendly Bukit Peninsula on Bali. The Indonesian surfing hotspots do have a couple things in common, however: impeccable waves and crowds. Many hotspots in the Mentawais will have multiple charters anchored in the channel on surefire pumping days; but there’s always another wave around the bend with a thinner lineup, if you’ve got the time. There’s not many local surfers to speak of here, but many Balinese, Javanese, Sumbawan and Sumatran surfers have it wired. And you can expect plenty of visiting Australians, Americans, Europeans and everything in between.
What to Bring
Despite the postcard-perfect imagery you see from the Mentawais, you’re gonna want more than just a bathing suit and your high-performance shortboard. It’s hot, like, blistering-in-the-midday hot, so it’s essential to coat yourself in the strongest sunscreen you can get your hands on. Rashguards, too, for sun protection and the sharp, unforgiving seafloor. Speaking of which, a helmet and reef booties aren’t a bad idea, because you will be coming into contact with the reef. If you’re staying on a boat charter, you might wanna have dramamine on hand for seasickness. Bug spray, too. And keep in mind, there’s no surf shops around, so bring plenty of warm-water wax, ding-repair equipment, sunburn ointment, and Neosporin.
Also: Our amazing partners over at FCS have curated a collection of fine products for your next surf trip. Check it here.
How to Get There
Like most off-the-grid locations, getting to the Mentawais is a schlep including multiple flights and a boat ride or two. Padang (PDG) airport on Sumatra is the entryway to the islands, and flights are available from Bali, Jakarta, Medan, Bandung, Surabaya and Kuala Lumpur. From there, most charters or island resorts will pick you up via boat; then you’ll make the 90-mile trek to the greater Mentawai chain.
Downtime
Whether you’re on a boat charter or an island surf camp, you’re in one of the world’s most remote and untouched regions. It’s teeming with natural wonder. Snorkeling and diving, trekking through jungle reserves, fishing for tuna and wahoo, touring indigenous villages… There’s options aplenty for exploring. That is, if you still have the energy after surfing your brains out.
Quick Tips
Travel Time
LAX: 30 hrs+
JFK: 30 hrs+
Heathrow: 40 hrs+
SYD: 25 hrs+
Getting to The Ments is hard. It requires a minimum of 2 flights and a boat ride from Padang. Worth it, but challenging.
Connectivity
Good luck…WiFi likely at resorts, other than that, better pack a satellite phone.
Currency
Indonesian Rupiah. At the time of writing, $1 USD = 14,458.75 IDR.
Avg. cost of...
Cup of coffee: $2.50
Lunch: $10.00
Beer: $4.00
Hotel room: $200.00
Visa Requirements
Get it at the airport for $40.00.
Drinking water quality
Best to stick to bottled. You've spent too much cash to risk it now.
Hazards
Sunburns, monkeys, sharp reefs, Bali Belly, too many Bintangs.
Cash, card, crypto
You probably won’t need much when you get to your resort or aboard your boat. But you might want cash for tipping; ATMs are available for Rupiah withdrawal in most urban centers.
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