The ultimate guide to surf in the mentawai
Close your eyes and imagine one of those photos and videos about the most perfect possible wave. No, it’s not a wave pool, or better, it is, but it’s a natural one.
The Mentawai Islands in Indonesia are renown worldwide among surfers for having the most perfect waves on Earth and they are immersed in such a beautiful tropical paradise that it looks almost unreal.
The many legendary world-class breaks around Mentawai handle different swell and wind combination, which makes this area a year-round surfing destination for all surfing levels.
Where are the Mentawai:
The Mentawai Islands are a chain of about seventy idyllic tropical islands located approximately 150 km off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia.
They can be divided into three main surfing regions:
- North Islands: The majority of the spots are located around the islets south of Siberut, in an area called Playground. This is also the most crowded region, due to the presence of many camps and easier accessibility from Padang via public ferries, but the variety and quality of waves are excellent.
- Central Islands: push yourself a bit more south and get lost in paradise. Sipura is the main island and home of legendary waves as Lance’s Left and HT.
- South Islands: What you come for is Macas, the only wave in the Mentawai with limited access to a certain amount of surfers. This area is still very pristine and not so developed. Not a lot of charters push themselves until the far south and when they do surf sessions with your friends only are guaranteed.
Photos by Megan Costello – @avalanchevocals
When to go:
Mentawai are a year-round surf destination due to their exposure and swell consistency. There isn’t a No time to go! Every season has something to offer. While low season (December to March) can be perfect for beginners and prime season (May to September) is the every charger dream (with average swells of 7ft, long periods and high percentage of forecasted 5 star rated days), Shoulder Months are the best pick for intermediate to advanced surfers that want to stay away from the crowds and still score fantastic waves!
How to get there:
Padang is the international airport where you would have to arrive. Daily flights land here from Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. Garuda Indonesia is the best airline company based on punctuality and free surfboard allowance! Surf charters depart from Padang harbour during the late afternoon to undertake the crossing during the night. If you have chosen to stay in a land-based camp, Fast ferry boats leave the city of Padang every day. If you choose public transfer ferries try to do it on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to get the best rates. Arrive in Padang the day before your Ferry departure day!
Getting Around:
Although dozen land camps have been established in the past few years and many more are planned, the best way to get around Mentawai is no doubt a charter boat. Long distance travelling is mainly done at night to be able to be at the surf spot already at dawn. All charter boats have a dinghy to drop you on and off the surf spot. Surf charters offer unrivalled flexibility to be in the right place at the right time and to surf from dawn to dusk.
What is the Mentawai Tax:
To surf in the Mentawai you need to pay a Tax. The Mentawai Tax has been introduced by Mentawai’s governor to benefit the local community and it requires each surfer to pay 1 Million Rupiah (around US$75) upon visiting the region. The tax lasts for 15 days, but it’s extendable, in case you want to stay longer. The Tax has been thought to improve management of carrying capacities of surfers in each region, reduce overcrowding, and improve the overall experience of visiting surfers.
Handy Hints:
Bring spare equipment
Spare surfboards, tropical wax, leashes, fins, ding repair kit are an essential here! Remember that you will be in a remote area, there are no shops around here! Do not forget the sunscreen and even a surfing hat for the hottest hours!
Disconnect from the world!
Phone signal and internet are very rare and limited too few resorts or areas only. What a better way to rest your mind from the busy city life? We are for surfing and we can post that barrel surf pic on Instagram once we are already on our way home
Find a group of your same level!
The Mentawai Islands are a surfing paradise and offer waves for every surf skill and taste! Once there you really want to surf the best suitable wave for your expectation and don’t want to find yourself watching the others getting barrelled in triple overhead sets or, opposite, have to surf mellow longboard waves if you went to score! Try to find out the level of the group and join accordingly.
Better with big waves!
Don’t be scared of big waves. Having a big swell means that all spots are working, so many more options for everyone and fewer crowds! Small days can mean a bunch of surf charters surfing the same swell magnet spot!
Respect the surfing etiquette!
Be friendly and respect others! We have all travelled a long way to score these perfect waves!
The most famous WAVES (from South to North!)
The Hole:
Gnarly left mincing machine, it starts barrelling off the take-off and never really stops until the closeout section. The Hole needs very specific conditions to make it safe enough to surf.
Thunders:
Named for the raising noise it makes, it’s the most consistent left in the Mentawai and it’s always bigger than how it looks. Nice and deep at all time, it’s at the same time powerful and heavy and requires a bigger board to make the drop.
Roxies:
Forgiving and heavy at the same time, this fun right-hander breaks in deep water on a flat reef and delivers proper open barrels when it gets overhead.
Greenbush:
Super hollow left for tube masters only! It’s fast and shallow, needs a lot of speed and commitment to make it out!
Macaronis:
Voted the most rippable and funniest wave in the world, Macas Left is a machine, predictable, perfect and challenging at the same time!
Lance’s Left:
The sister of HT is a long left that delivers some barrels and thrilling rides with overhead swells.
HT:
Hollow Tree or Lance’s Right is the classic Mentawai right barrel, mechanically perfect. Be careful in the inside, where the shallowness of the Surgeon Table awaits.
Scarecrowds:
Left-hander with different sections, fun rippable and wedgy alike with plenty of water depth.
Telescope:
World-class left-hander with a steep take-off that allows you to enter in a flawless tube. It’s predictable, deep and long, suitable for intermediate and advanced surfers alike.
Iceland:
Named so for the watercolour after the wave breaks leaving a fizz of air bubbles in the water, Iceland is powerful and moody and delivers a cavernous barrel when the swell is big. When everywhere else is flat, here you will still find a rippable wall.
Rifles:
Race on the most perfect right of the Mentawai, or even of the world. Rifles it’s all about hollow barrels and straight-line speed!
A Frames:
Short right and playful left in a beautiful set up right in front of an idyllic island.
4 Bobs:
Fun right-hander for the less intrepid surfers, with a whackable wall and deep water.
No Kandui:
Probably the most difficult and technically demanding left in the Mentawai, No Kandui is super fast and works better with large swells. You will be rewarded with the best barrel of your life if you have the guts to paddle for it!
Bankvaults:
Fear-inducing right-hander for chargers only, it gets better when it’s double overhead.
Nipussi:
Juicy right-hander that gets the end of Bankvaults swell train. It breaks in deep water and produces barrels even in a very little swell.
Hideaways:
Big, hollow and shallow, this intimidating left-hander is suitable for advanced surfers only and change its shape depending on tide and swell.
Burgerworld:
Point break right-hander with a long workable wall. It’s a swell magnet and you always find a wave here even when everywhere else is flat. No words can describe the beautiful background making this the perfect spot for the classic Indo photos.
Pitstops:
Laid-back vibes for this super fun right-hander that breaks over flat reef and sands for over 100 mt. Perfect wave to practice manoeuvres and eventually a little cover-up.
Ebay:
Spectacular and barreling world-class left with a vertical drop and a race to the exit. Short but spice ride, bigger the swell, better it gets. Watch out from the two rocks in the inside.
Beng Bengs:
Friendly and playful left-hander mechanical and rippable that works with all sizes also when other waves are not on. Best at low tide, watch out for the sharp reef on the inside!
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