The boat departs from Padang, West-Sumatra, Indonesia. You must arrive at Minangkabau International Airport on the first day of your trip as shown on the schedule, no later than 4pm. One of our staff members will be waiting to welcome you at the airport and take care of surfboards and luggage; Our meeting point is usually at a hotel*, where we join all the guests to go to the boat together and begin the adventure. *personal hotel expenses not covered.

Please note: TAX MENTAWAI – Since 2015 the Government of Mentawai charges a fee from all surfers visiting the islands. It cost IDR1,000,000.00 (about USD80) and is valid for 15 days, which can be renewed. It must be paid on your arrival, before boat departure. You can exchange your money for local Rupiahs at the airport and pay the fee directly to our staff. You will receive a wristband and a receipt with your name when arriving on the boat. The boat can only departure with all client’s fees paid.

The clients must arrive in Medan International Airport (KNO) one day before the boat departure date as in the trip schedule.
Due to the airport distance to town and from most hotels, we reccomend the one night stay at the HORISON SKY KUALANAMU hotel located inside the airport, where the client can stay comfortably to get the early flight next morning to Gunung Sitoli (GNS). We reccomend booking it in advance and we can provide support for reservations if needed. (Hotel expenses not included in the boat package)
We recommend our clients to book with Garuda Airlines the first flight in the morning to Gunung Sitoli.

This boat trip, in addition to usual risks of any holiday trip, has some extra risks and dangers which may include physical effort, remoteness to normal from the usual routine and medical facilities, unexpected extreme weather conditions and the difficulties to evacuate the area (you are in the middle of the Indian Ocean in a third world country) for this reason, we kindly ask you to pay attention to the rules and safety procedures on board by listening to the surf guide and the crew.

Make sure you have a Travel Insurance to cover up an emergency like evacuation or hospitalization (we don’t want to scare you but its better be safe than sorry). This will ensure your trip runs smoothly and you’ll have a great time.

Indonesia’s weather is split into two distinct seasons (wet and dry) and always HOT. The dry season (Apr – Sep) generally gets the better surf and favorable winds and it’s not uncommon to get long periods of light to no winds during this time. The wet season (Oct – Mar) is exactly that…wet… Long periods of scattered downpours can occur throughout the season but can be a welcome sight with cooler temperatures. Swell isn’t quite as frequent during the wet season but areas like Mentawai and North Sumatra still produce consistent swells and light winds, and it’s a good option to escape the crowd and surf fun mid sizes waves during the off-season.

The small islands in the archipelago have a microclimate and the local knowledge of our surfguides is a big advantage to get the best waves independently of the macro forecast. We wish we could be the mechanics of the swell engine, but unfortunately we cannot be liable for climatic or weather conditions and cannot always guarantee surf when the weather is not permitting and surf is not available. But it is our mission to always search for the best waves available and do our best to adjust the coordinates to the needs and surfing standards of the group.

We advise you to bring your own medicines as it is a remote place and you will not find any drugstore CVS pharmacy around 😀 – Anthibiotics, prescripted medicine, first aid kit (we have that on the boat), anti- thermal, anti-nausea (in case you get sea sick!), and any other medicine you may need. Better have it and don’t need to use then need it and don’t have it… In case of serious injurie to a guest or crew member involving risk of death or permanent loss, the captain together with the surf guide reserve the right to end the trip earlier and return to Padang to take the person for proper medical assistance (believe me, the Xamans on the islands will not cure a dislocated shoulder – we’ve tried it…).

Our surf guides are surfers themselves and have great local knowledge of the waves and the particular weather pattern of the islands, what makes them able to move the boat and choose the best surf spot according to the forecast and conditions day by day. He will introduce the whole boat crew on the arrival and give an important speech about rules and safety on board and in the water (yes there are a few rules to have the best surf in the Mentawais). Sometimes he will be in the water with the guests and that’s a great opportunity for you to seat near him and learn where is the best positioning on the lineup to get the best wave, so take advantage of that 😉

These are certainly moments to keep forever. For this reason, we work with a selected team of professional surf photographers/videomakers who will register all the special moments during the trip. They work with top quality equipment to shoot from all different angles including from the water. The photo/video packages include high resolution images from surfing, boat life and landscape so our guests can carry home the best memories from their trip.

The good thing about being on a boat instead of being on a land camp is that the trip has no fixed itinerary! The surf guide has the latest forecast in hands and will sail the boat according to the weather and swell conditions, always aiming to catch the best waves around. The boat will sail from North to South (or South to North) and will make stop at the world class surf spots favored by the current forecast and also the secret spots and less known waves. This way you will be able to surf the best waves around in their best conditions. The only surf spot that requires a pre-booking for boat charter is Macarronis and due to that the dates for this spot are pre-scheduled before the trip and sometimes before the forecast is available. We usually stay there for 2 days so you can have enough “pasta”!

The Mentawais archipelago counts with about 50 surf spots from which 10 are worldclass waves, plus several secret spots. If will make you feel safer, bring on your surf boots and a surf helmet. The majority of the waves break over sharp reef and in lower tides you may find the equipment very useful even to walk to the beach if you lose your board. The water temperature is tropical (about 26C) and the sun really strong, so bring your UV shirt and lots of sunscreen like Zinc and other waterproof. You may also bring a light wetsuit (1.5 or 2mm) for the rainy days. We do not rent surfing equipment, so bring wax, extra fins and leashes to make sure you will have all you need in hand, or you may end up having to seat at the deck with an icy Bintang and watch your friends getting barreled (which doesn’t seem like a bad idea )

The phone signal is limited to some areas around the Islands and with a local SIM card you can get some internet in a few areas during your trip to post that perfect sunset picture and make all your Instagram friends jealous. A satellite phone is available for emergency calls (or to say hi to your mom) and has a fee of USD4/minute. Only a few resorts allow surfers from the boats to come in and use their internet (subject to charge), so be ready to disconnect from the wifi and connect to everything else around you.

The sleeping cabins are equipped with air-con, small cabinet for storing your personal items, electric plugs and we provide towel, pillows and bedcover. According to the boat you are in, there can be cabins for 2, 3 or 4 people. Remember you will be on a boat and space here must be smartly used. So travel light and bring just the necessary to enjoy the tropics. You won’t need those fancy shoes and leather jacket around here…

Our chef on board will provide a diversified menu with 2 big meals a day plus breakfast. For the meat lovers, there is beef, lamb, bbq, chicken, fish, prown, squeed… We also make special meals for vegetarian (please notify in advance if you have some food intolerance). The drinks available are soft drinks, juices (natural and boxed), filtered water, tea, coffee. Each charter has 15 cartoons of Bintang beer (more available under previous request). Wine and other alcohol are also available under previous request. You are free to bring your own alcoholic drinks but be aware of Indonesian laws that allow only 1 bottle to enter the country (do not open it before you cross immigration, remember you are visiting a Muslim country and laws here are very strict). You are welcome to bring your own snacks if you like!

Our boats are equipped with fishing gear, snorkel and mask for amateur diving, Stand up Paddle board and Kaiak (only on Moon Palikir), all free for our guests to use. If you like to fish and dive seriously, you are welcome to bring your own gear and chase the big ones. The tender boat and speedboat are primary available for taking clients to the lineup and picking them up from surf, but you may ask our crew to take you out on a fishing ride, just make sure you bring back some nice Mahi-Mahi for the night time sashimi dinner

Well the trip has finished and you are crazy to go back home and show your friends and family all the amazing pictures of you surfing the best waves of your life right?! No worries… The boat will arrive early in the morning of the last day booked on the schedule. We take care of your transfer to the airport which is about 1 hour drive from the port. Please book the return flight no earlier than 10am. For clients traveling to the Mentawais, flights departure from Padang (Sumatra). For clients traveling to Banyaks, flights departure from Gunung Sitoli (Nias)