Mentawai

Mentawai ~ Island

Overview of Mentawai's

 The mentawai's is an island chain situated about 100km off the west sumatran mainland, the island group consist of 3 main large islands and many smaller islands, surrounded by coral reefs and white palm lined beaches, on land the islands are barely populated with hardly any roads and only the odd small village.

The waves

 If you haven't heard or seen how perfect the waves get in the mentawai's then it's highly likely you haven't picked up a surf mag or watched a surfing DVD in the last 15 years.

The mentawai's has arguably the highest number of world class breaks in one area anywhere, with many of those waves being in the top 10 in the world, waves like HT's, Macaronis, Rifles, Kandui, Green bush, Telescopes, the hole etc

But the other good news is there is plenty more waves that are super fun and rippable, waves like Pit stops, Beng bengs, Pussy's, A frames, 4 bobs, Bat cave, Lances left, Scarecrows etc So no matter what your level of surfing, there is a perfect wave for you.

Crowds

 Crowds these days are a fact of life in the Mentawai's, however most waves break on isolated islands, so crowds can vary hugely from spot to spot, month to month day, to day even hour to hour, and although it is extremely rare to catch waves such as Macaronis and HT's without a soul, it is still possible to get empty sessions with perfect waves at lesser name spots, in particular late or early in the season.

Mentawai surf spots (north to south) 

North Mentawai's/Playgrounds (sth Siberut)- This area is a pure gift from god, a true surfers paradise a small group of islands, with roughly a total of 20 surf spots, with a fairly even number of lefts and rights suitable for all levels of surfers from beginners to pro's, working in every swell/wind/tide condition possible it's almost guaranteed there will be a wave breaking and more often than not a world class wave cranking.

However due to these factors there is also a large number of surf camps/resorts, plus visiting boat charters, however if there is a solid swell and light winds, many spots may be working at once, and most breaks also work on low and hight tide, although under very small swells or certain wind directions's crowds can be a problem.

Burger world - ls the swell magnet of the playgrounds area, when everywhere else in the area is small to flat, burger world is the spot, an easy fun right point that peels down the side of a beautiful tropical island with jungle growing all the way to the shoreline, burgers is suitable for all levels of surfers,on a good day a variety of fun sections can be had, while as it's names suggest other days the waves can be fat dribbling burgers, burgers is actually better when smaller and above head high tends to get fat and mushy, however at this size other waves should start to be breaking, can get crowded due to there not being many options when working.

Beng Bengs- A fairly short playful left, not really a barrel, but can have good shape and be quite whackable, hence a wave that all levels of surfers can have fun on, can get crowded with only half a dozen surfers out due to being a fairly short wave, although when it's breaking there is also normally many other waves working unless's tide is very low. 

E-bay-Set at the point of a picture perfect bay, ebay is a world class left, when small it can be surfed by most levels of surfers but when solid it experts only with very hollow lefts breaking over shallow reef, two large rocks stand out of the reef, ready to claim those who fall

Pit stops- Is a super fun playful small wave right, waves form a perfect wedgy peak where you can often tuck into a small short barrel, the wave then runs off over a mixture of reef and sand in a fast sectiony wall suitable for small wave performance surfing, can get crowded easy as the take off areas is rather small, doesn't hold anything bigger than head high, mostly surfed around waist to shoulder high.

Nippusi's/Pussy's/Tikis/Bells- Although a fairly average wave by Indo standards, what it lacks in shape this wave makes up in consistency, the shape of the wave is similar to bells beach in Australia, although it can throw up the odd barrel, its more a bottom turn, top turn carve kind of wave, waves often shift around a bit breaking on different areas of the reef which can be a good thing to help spread the crowd out., handles a few guys okay for this reason.

Bank vaults - A Hawaiian style right, think solid shifty peaks, big barrels and long hold downs, needs some size to be working properly and holds large swells.

Hideaways(mentawai pipe)- Like the name suggest a fast hollow left, similar in some regards to E-bay, suitable for most surfers when smaller, but experts only when bigger.

4 Bobs/Spankers- A short fun right on lower tides it can get quite hollow and shallow while on higher tides it offers a fun peeling wall allowing a couple quick turns, can get crowded easily but other waves nearby are often working when its breaking

John candy's/A-frames-Mostly a left with the left being the longer more often surfed wave, a wave of many moods, generally suitable for all levels of surfers.

Playgrounds/Karangbat left-The long mellow lefts are perfect for long boarders or average surfers and often peel with perfect shape, needs a bit of swell to get going and never really gets very big.

Rifles/Kandui right-Although not the most consistent wave in the mentawai's, on its day Rifles can be one of the most perfect rights anywhere in the world, a long hollow super fast right, although a long wave it rarely breaks from start to finish,depending on the day, tide, swell, depends on the section of reef that will be working the best, often different waves hit the reef at different areas allowing for different take of points, hence spreading the crowd out.

Kandui left/No Kandui- One of the fastest hollowest lefts in the world, kandui is a beast of a wave only suitable to advanced surfers, a heavy take off that runs through a series of fast hollow bowls, resulting in either the barrel of your life or the thrashing of your life.

when Kandui is to big or crazy an inside reef known as Baby Kandui/Corners can have a scaled down version of kandui, although a little more approachable for average surfers.

Other waves in area- Almost as many less consitent, lesser known rights and lefts from dry reef death pits to kiddies waves.

Mid zone mentawai's- This area has the second highest number of surf spots in one area, mostly lefts suitable for most surfers, most of the waves work under southerly winds which can be one of the most common wind directions during peak season, there is about a dozen surf spots although generally half a dozen are consistently surfed, with the others being fickle or average waves needing big or west swells, crowds can be a mixed bag depending on how many boats are passing through.

Scarecrows- A fairly consistent left, and a wave of many moods, not the best wave in the mentawai's but still throws up a good variety of sections including a few barrels, waves hit a number of sections of the reef, hence handles a crowd okay, another swell magnet.

7 palm point- A fickle left that isn't surfed very often, picks up a fair bit of swell, better when small.

Telescopes- Another one of those world class picture perfect mentawai waves, below head high it can be a fun wave suitable for all levels of surfers, with a variety of hollow sections and rippable walls, breaking over a flat fairly safe reef, for these reasons it can at times get crowded, however telescopes tends to hold a crowd okay as there is generally two take off points, with some surfers opting for waves that peel from in deep and others waiting for sets that break wide. On a solid swell Telescopes is a world class, with a fast hollow barrel from start to finish.

Ice lands- Another swell magnet in the telescopes area, Iceland's has two personality's, when small its a mostly a very average wave with a peaky take off, the odd short wedgy right and a left with a good drop and a dribbly wall if your lucky.

On solid swells, Iceland's can be the complete opposite a world class heavy hollow left, that holds very solid waves, suited only to experienced surfers.

Suicides-A fast rarely surfed left , fickle shallow and heavy.

Ombak tidur- On a west swell some fast long rights can line up, although most days it's a series of fast sectiony rights that can be fun or frustrating.

Ariks- The last section of the long reef at ombak tidur, Ariks is a right breaking over very shallow sharp reef, the waves are often a mix of different sections with the odd barrel, before backing of in deep water.

#The local kids often call Ariks, Suicides.

Other waves in area

 

 There is also a few lesser known more fickle lefts of average quality.

Central mentawai's(Sth Sipura)- this area has two main spots that work in opposite winds (lances left and Ht's) both waves being very consistent, normally one or the other is breaking, with about half a dozen other surf spots that are more fickle, due to there consistency and quality, both Lances left and Ht's can at times get crowded, with it being rare to catch Ht's without at least a few guys out.

HT's/Lances right- The mentawai's most famous right, swells wrap around the tip of P. Sipura refracting almost 180 despite this surprisingly Ht's picks up it's fair share of swell, the set up is idyllic, a perfect right reef, breaking into a small bay with a coconut palm lined beach.

The wave although not very long is made up of a number of section's depending on how the swell/sets hit the reef, good surfers often sit further up the point deep on a section of the reef called the office, where very hollow rights peel off,(over very shallow reef) wider sets often hit area of reef called the cage, where it is a little deeper but still can throw up a barrel, further in from mid to low tide is a section of reef that everyone try's to avoid that often sits clear out of the water " the surgeons table" entertaining to watch surfers get washed over, but not something you want to experience yourself.

When small most surfers can get out among the action especially on higher tides, although low is when it often breaks best, and it must be noted the reef is always very shallow and many guys surf trips have ended here, not recommenced to have your first surf of your trip here for that reason.

However when bigger it's definitely experts only, big barrels over shallow reef.

Lances left- one of the most consistent waves in the Mentawai's lance's picks up its fair share of swell and can be surfed on all sized swells offering a variety of take off points and sections, handles a crowd okay for those reasons, works in the opposite wind direction to Ht's hence normally everyone's at lances left or everyone's at Ht's.

Cobras- A little further up the reef at lances short hollow lefts are often worth a paddle.

Bitangs- A short sucky right that often sucks below sea level, a little fickle but when on a nice wave.

Other wave in area- there are a few other waves in the area, although they are fairly fickle and not often surfed, including a beach break near lances.

Central mentawais-(Nth Pagai) The main focus in this area is Macaronis, with other waves being either some distance apart or of average quality or fickle in nature, maccas along with ht's is generally the most crowded wave in the mentawai's, and if your score any ride able session with low crowds, consider yourself lucky.

Bat cave- Peeling down the edge of a small perfect tropical island, a few hundred meter's from the main island Pagai, the set up is picture perfect, the wave itself, is fairly average by indo standards, not really a barrel, generally a series of fat shoulders, walls and crumbling sections, but is often worth a look and a paddle if passing through as is really the only wave between Ht's and Maccas and sometimes can be much better than it looks, usually not many guys here, but holds a crowd okay due to its shifty nature.

Silabu- A short fast fairly average left, really only surfed to escape the crowds of maccas.

Maccas right-KFC's A shifty right breaking over an uneven reef, generally only a last resort, if the winds are light and maccas is crowded, winds northerly or for those in need of a right fix, an average wave by mentawai standards, but often just as you have written it off the most perfect wave will peel through, normally just as you have started paddling back to the boat.

Macaronis/Maccas left- One of mentawai's true jewels, this left has perfect shape, on take of it is possible to pull straight into a nice barrel, then the wave slows down a little peeling with perfect shape at a perfect speed, for high performance surfing, generally a fun wave from knee to head high,although over that it can get very heavy, even looking like a mini Teahupoo.

The real plus of this wave is how consistent it is, breaking at any tide in any swell at any size and just about any wind, perhaps even being at it's best with a light onshore(sea breeze) creating the most whackable lip imaginable, possibly the only downside of this wave is because it peels so perfectly and on the same piece of reef every wave, generally if surfers make the take off they rarely fall or end up to deep, combined with one small take off area, and a few good surfers out or more than 10 guys and it can be a challenge to get a wave.

Green bush- Unlike Macaronis Green bush is a fickle wave requiring a certain set of conditions, even on perfect days, many waves section or don't line up right,(something the surf vids often don't show) the perfect ones thou are perfect, forming a peak that pitches and barrels all the way through to the inside, although watch the inside section that temp's you to backdoor it as it often sucks dry sending you into an area of shallow reef, Green bush is really only for experts. surprisingly you can luck into un crowded days, perhaps due to its fickle nature, it being far from other proper surf spots and the fact that its not a wave for your average joe.

South Mentawais- There is about half a dozen spots in this area relatively close, the waves in this region apart from roxys, lean towards surfers with a higher skill level, with most of the waves being thicker powerful shallow and very hollow, crowds are a mixed bag, thunders can get crowded as it is the go to spot in the south when swell is small.

Roxy's/Malakopa/clear water springs- A fun right that has actually increased in quality with a slight reef uplift a few years back, not the longest wave or the most consistent, but a fun wave in an area where most of the waves lean towards the more hollow heavy side.

Rags left- When on this left has been compared to G-land, long left's with a variety of hollow sections, needs a solid swell to get going ,if you catch this wave on you should consider your self lucky.

Rags right- A very hollow right barrel breaking over very shallow reef, this is perhaps the most dangerous wave in the mentawai's and only to be surfed by the most experienced surfer.

Thunders left-Often the last stop south before heading back north, Thunders is a swell magnet, picking up any available swell and holding just about any size swell, although it is mostly surfed when smaller, at any size is a rather thick powerful wave, with a variety of hollow slabing sections.

The far south- The most rarely visited area of the Mentawai's the area is isolated and far from civilization, the waves are generally more fickle and some distance apart, although if you do score good waves in this area, normally crowds are not a problem.

Between Thunders and the Hole, are a few more surf spots, but they are more fickle and only real surfed or checked if venturing down to the area of the Hole/lighthouse.

The Hole- Another wave only suitable for experts, very hollow heavy and shallow,from start to finish, with a nasty inside section ending on dry reef.

Moots- A more mellow left, suitable for most surfers and a good alternative to the hole

Light house- Both a left and right peel off either side of the Island, where a lighthouse is situated, the right is the most commonly surfed, a wave that can be surfed by all levels, a long shifty right pt with a variety of walls and hollow sections.

Beyond light house are more small islands but it's very rare that charters venture further south as the waves are very fickle and some distance from anywhere.

Please note: Video's have been chosen because they contain only or mostly the spot we describe, we also try to show video's that are typical days or good days with good surfing, however sometimes we have little choice but to use a video of poor quality or not the best day or best standard of surfing, sometimes charter boats or resorts have the best video footage this is the reason why we use them, not for any other reasons

All surfing spots shown are also well known and have been described on other commercial sites, we don't not show any secret spots or support giving conditions waves break in or GPS (google earth) locations.

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