All you need to know about Mentawai Islands.

In short: Fly to Padang, take a ferry to Siberut and then a fast boat to Nyang-Nyang Island. But here (How to get here) we have prepared a detailed tour description.

It all depends on your needs. If you are a good surfer and want to get big waves, barrels and big swells, then you should come at high season from mid-May to end of September. This is also the dry season and most surfers are around, so the line-up might be more crowded. But since there are so many spots here you will always find waves. Even for intermediate levels we can find spots, but please do not overestimate your abilities.

If your level is intermediate or you are still looking for some swell with less people in the line-up, then April to mid-May or October to mid-November might be a good time. This is the shoulder season, so you might be lucky and can also get some big swells.

From November to March is the low season. So there will be less swell. But there is always some waves somewhere all year around in Mentawai. If you are in the beginning of your surfing career or just looking for empty line ups this is your time. But be prepared for some rain, since it is also the raining season.

The boat for surftrips is included in the full and crown packages. We usually do two trips per day (one far and one near by trip).

As a rule of thumb the first trip starts around 7:30 AM and ends at 11:30. The afternoon trips are from ca. 2:30 PM till 5:30 PM. Of course this can vary depending on weather and tides but we try to stick to them since our boat captains also have a private life.

The boat transfer to the camp from Siberut and back is also included in the full and crown packages.

If you book the basic package neither the transfer nor the surftrips are included. You can book them extra but keep in mind that if space is limited we have to prioritise the full and crown packages.

We usually do two trips per day . One trip to any of the Waves we have in the playgrounds area and one to a close by spot like: Beng Bengs, Pitstop, Goodtimes, Ebay, Nipussi or Bankvaults.

As a rule of thumb the first trip starts around 7:30 AM and ends at 11:30. The afternoon trips are from ca. 2:00 PM till 5:30 PM. Of course this can vary depending on weather and tides but we try to stick to them since our boat captains also have a private life.

Sometimes we do one large trip with lunchbox but this is more of an exception.

Yes you can. But there are some details to know:

We better need to know beforehand so we can prepare the boat with gasoline and crew. If you wake up in the morning and spontaneously decide to take the boat, then if you are unlucky we might have no capacity or no captain around. Then there will be no trip for you unfortunately.

Also if the boats are full we will prioritise the full and crown packages and you might not be able to join the trip.

The boat transfer from Siberut to the Camp and back is also not included in the basic packages. The price is 2.500.000 IDR per boat each way. You can share the boat for the transfer with up to 5 people.‏ For every additional person after tehe 5th we charge another 800.000 IDR.

We made a pack list which you can find here.

Depending on the package you have booked we will either organize the whole way from the airport or parts of the trip. A detailed description and directions you can find here: How do I get to Mentawai.

If you are an absolute beginner then maybe Mentawai is not best place for you to learn. Most of our famous waves are reef breaks. So people come here to get perfect waves and barrels. However, if you are able to stand up and go left or right and know how to act properly in the water, then there is plenty of possibilities for you. Mentawai has a big variety of waves: from slow peeling mellow waves to heavy barrels. So spots for beginner to intermediate level surfers can be found plenty especially in the low to shoulder season. If you are a pro, then you don´t read this and know what kind of waves we have here for you.

There is one guy who can fix boards in this area, and he is pretty good. But it takes at least two days since we have to bring the board to another island. That is the reason why we recommend to our guests to bring Solarez for smaller dings and at least a second surf board.

There is limited supply of surfboards in Mentawai. Still we have a few boards to rent. Please tell us well ahead of time if you are planning on renting and what size you need. So we can organize if we do not have your size here.

Mobile internet in the Mentawais does only work with the local provider Telkomsel (please read to the end). So you can either get a local Sim in Padang or you might be lucky if your home provider uses the network of Telkomsel in Indonesia.

In order to get your mobile interenet working you have to go to the Telkomsel GRAPARI. This is important so they can activate your phone for Indonesia. We recommend doing this first thing after you landed (there are two Graparis in Padang, please google the opening hours).

Another new solution is to buy an e-Sim online that uses the Telkomsel network. Our guests found out that “BIKAGO mobile” has an offer that works.

At the moment we have no Wifi in our Camp. If you really need high speed internet there are one or two options on the Island where you can get Wifi. But from our experience it is not perfect for remote working if you are depending on it.

At the moment we have no Wifi in our Camp. If you really need high speed internet there are one or two options on the Island where you can get Wifi. But from our experience it is not perfect for remote working if you are depending on it.

Mobile internet is unfortunately pretty slow in Mentawai. Check the question above (Is there internet in Mentawai?) for how to get mobile internet.

Easy: Just send us a message via WhatsApp (you can use our buttons) and tell us how many people you are, what package you wish to book and your travel dates. We will be in touch with you very fast.

We preferably use Wise transfer. It is easy to use, has few transaction costs and converts the payment currency into our national currency IDR. You can use it on your phone from everywhere. Alternatively you can use regular bank transfer, which will most probably be slower and more costly.

The reason is that the Mentawai Islands are very isolated. So all goods and persons have to be transported by boat. This makes everything more expensive. On the other hand the isolation makes this place the paradise it is, so it is well worth the price.

Once you made your deposit we close our booking for your capacity. And since our island is a little isolated we have to make sure to get all the necessities before you arrive.

Many of our guests book with us well ahead of time. So if we get a cancellation with short notice we are not able to fill up our spots although there might have been interest. Our terms and conditions you can find here.

Unfortunately not all locals are capable of speaking English. So guys if they don’t understand you: smile and use your and hands and feet to communicate. Also even if they understand English, you might want to use easy, clear and slow language to prevent misunderstandings. Another option is to learn Bahasa Indonesia.

All jokes aside, we actually recommend downloading a translator app on your mobile and downloading the Indonesian language before arrival so you can use it offline and fast when needed.