Yachts Asia

In the Mentawai's there are waves peeling everywhere, round every corner and it would probably take a year to explore all of them.

There are dozens of tried and tested world class breaks and names likes Macaronis, Telescopes, Lances Rights and Lefts, have become as famous in the surfing community as Uluwatu and Padang Padang.

Having no airport, the Mentawai islands are only accessible by boat from the mainland of Sumatra and a variety of private charter yachts and purpose-built surf liveaboards depart for the Mentawai islands from the town of Padang, which is accessible by direct flights from either Kuala Lumpur or Singapore or Jakarta.

SAMPLE ITINERARY: MENTAWAI SURFING ITINERARY

Embarkation: Padang, Sumatra
Disembarkation: Padang, Sumatra
Duration: 10 days
Optional Activities: Scuba Diving, Fishing, Snorkeling
Note: There is no "set-in-stone" itinerary as the surf charter will generally be guided according to the prevailing conditions and where to find the best possible surf.
Recommended yachts: See our list of surf boats for an excellent choice of surf charter yachts where you can join-in on a scheduled surf trip or hire the whole yacht for you and your mates.

Day 1: Arriving in Padang you will be met at the airport, and after introductions and a briefing, you can unwind while the boat is underway: crossing from Padang to the Mentawai islands offshore from the Sumatran mainland. The crossing time varies depending on the weather and the surf charter boat you've chosen and will typically be done overnight while you sleep. By the time you wake up, the crew will be ready to serve you breakfast and get you into the surf for the first session of your trip.

Day 2 (and onwards): From the second day on you will be surfing the finest waves the planet has to offer, and the surf guides aboard your surf charter boat will get you into the best surf possible according to the prevailing conditions.

MORE ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL SURF BREAKS IN THE MENTAWAI
There are many more waves in the Mentawai islands which work on different swells and tides, however these are the main breaks. Your experienced surf charter captain will get you to the waves at the right times to maximize your surfing experience.

Macaronis - This is one of the worlds most perfect waves. Very hollow with many shallow spots. The further up the point you start, the faster it barrels when you take-off. Further down this wave offers a magnificently rippable wall.

Burgerworld - A mushy pointbreak-style right which can sometimes offer barrels, but usually long rippable walls with cutback sections.

Pit Stops - This is the righthander coming off the peak at E-Bay and is usually a playful right which can cover-up right from the take off. However it is mostly a high performance wave with air sections which ends in a welcoming channel.

Bank Vaults - This is a heavy right that barrels and spits. Bank Vaults is wsually larger than most spots in the area so watch out for clean-up sets.

E-Bay - A hollow lefthander that barrels from the take off with a short wall further down the line. An ideal option when there is a lot of swell.

Nipussi - This is a shorter, more mellow righthander that sometimes breaks from the point at Bank Vaults. It is fun and rippable and usually has fairly deep water from the take off to the inside. Nipussi is always a good option when there's not a lot of swell. Certainly the most consistent spot in the area.

Hideaways - This is a very hollow left wave that can be quite shalow especially at low tide. It comes out of deep water and breaks on a shallow reef before barreling towards the channel.

No Kanduis - This is barrelling lefthander that wraps around a small island. Sections can line up on the larger swells and there are many barrels to be had, although only makeable for one or two sections before closing out.

Rifles - A long righthander that wraps around the other side of the same island as No Kanduis. This is one of the best waves in West Sumatra. Real hollow once it's a few feet overhead with long rides on offer. But more sectiony on smaller swells. Rifles is rarely makeable from start to finish, however just from section to section you can get rides up to 300 feet!

Icelands - This is another consistent left (most waves in the Mentawai are lefts!) for when the swell is small. At Icelands there is always surf, even when other breaks are practically flat.

Four Bobs - A small peak for when there is really too much swell, Four Bobs is a righthander with a short barrel from the take off.

Telescopes - This is a perfect wrapping lefthander with long walls that wrap around the reef. On larger days the sections can line up making for very long rides. Telescopes mostly breaks in deep water but it will get heavy and shallow on the big days!

Bintangs - This is a short and hollow righthander right across the channel from Lance's Left. When the wave approaches the reef the bottom drops out before barreling towards the channel.

Scarecrows - A wave that breaks off of an island south of Telescopes. Scarecrows has good lefts but can be shifty. A short, wedgy wave that works best on a dropping high tide.

Lance's Left - A long left with walls that wrap down the point before hitting the final section, which is actually the main take-off area. From the take-off area there are great hollow sections which will get you barelled out of your mind.

Lance's Right - One of the rare great righthanders in West Sumatra, Lance's Rights is world famous and rightly so. The main takeoff spot is up the point from where most waves barrel flawlessly down the reef. On larger swells Lances can be shifty and difficult to read.

Thunders - This is another big left that picks up and can hold the big swells.

Rags Left - This is a great left that can hold the really big swells. Very hollow and heavy.

Rags Right - This is a shorter, hollow right at the southern end of Rags Island. Similar to Lance's Right but shorter it is one of the best righthanders in the Mentawai islands.

The Hole - This is another super hollow left located in the southern end of the Mentawai chain.

BEST TIME TO GO: The Mentawai is a year round surf charter destination, but April to October has the biggest most consistent swells.

PORTS OF EMBARKATION/DISEMBARKATION: Padang

HOW TO GET THERE: Fly directly to Padang (West Sumatra) from either Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, or Jakarta