Mentawai Islands - The Complete Surf Trip Guide 🏄‍♂️ (Inc Costs) | Stoked For Travel

Thinking of heading to the Mentawai Islands?
Here's everything you need to know for the perfect surf trip!
The Mentawai Islands are a surfers paradise - world class waves with heaps of tropical vibes!
But getting to the Mentawais and planning a Mentawai surf trip can be pretty difficult - it's not the easiest journey to make and there's a lot to keep in mind!
So to help you plan your own trip to the Mentawai Islands here's everything you'll need to know to make it a reality
✅ Where are the Mentawai Islands
✅ The fast ferry & how to get there
✅ The Mentawai surf tax
✅ The best Mentawai surf spots
✅ What to pack
✅ Surf camps v surf charters
If you have any questions about surfing the Mentawais or any useful hints and tips from your own trip to the Mentawai Islands chuck them in the comments!
You'll also find a whole heap of useful links below to help you even more below....
⬇️ Read my full Mentawai Islands Guide here ⬇️
bit.ly/MentawaiGuide
⬇️ Book your Mentawai surf trip here ⬇️
bit.ly/SurfMentawais
Chapters;
0:00 The Mentawai Islands
0:14 Intro
0:40 Getting There
1:36 Mentawai Fast Ferry
2:51 Mentawai Surf Tax
3:11 Surf Charter or Surf Camp?
3:21 Surf Camps
3:58 Surf Charters
4:29 Mentawai Surf Season
4:51 Surf Ability
5:28 What To Pack
6:03 Useful Links
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▬ ABOUT ▬
I’m Chris - award winning travel blogger, surfer, photographer and ocean lover originally from Devon in the UK. Since 2009 I've been bouncing around the world sharing my adventures and providing reviews, advice and tips to help you plan your own adventure!
VISIT ➜ www.StokedForTravel.com

[@StokedForTravel]

⬇️ Read The Full Mentawais Surf Guide Here ⬇️ www.stokedfortravel.com/mentawai-islands-surfing-guide/

[@MrDarilon23]

Thanks, brah! Exactly the kind of information I was looking for.

[@StokedForTravel]

Glad it helped you out 🤙

[@willtevs]

Thank you so much for the great video! You put so much effort in it. I will be going soon!

[@StokedForTravel]

Enjoy 😊

[@juliovildosola1075]

Extremely useful. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@StokedForTravel]

No worries, stoked it helped you out :)

[@juliovildosola1075]

@@StokedForTravel Hi Chris, the comment some 3 months ago was from before we me at TTR Sri Lanka in February the year!. Thanks too for the fantastic photos in SL.

[@diogobz5348]

Yeeeew! Thanks for sharing mate! Heading there with a bunch of kooks in June. Can't wait. Definitely a life time trip! Cheers!

[@StokedForTravel]

Have an epic one Diogo, which boat or camp did you end up going with?

[@diogobz5348]

@@StokedForTravel thanks mate! I think the boat is called Haira or Awave Haira. Do ya know anything about it?

[@zekecook]

Thanks man!!! 🙌🙌🙌

[@StokedForTravel]

no worries!

[@Dylan.p640]

Super helpful thanks mate

[@StokedForTravel]

Glad it helped 🤙

[@ericdearriba2445]

Excellent information, thank you very much

[@StokedForTravel]

no worries Eric - glad it helped you out!

[@stephenlepore4476]

thanks dude!

[@StokedForTravel]

No worries! 🤙

[@robloxmaster6572]

Amazing guide

[@StokedForTravel]

thanks heaps!

[@AustenGoldsmithPhotography]

Thanks for inspiring me , its on my bucket list but then hey Porthleven aint so bad and i can see it from my window

[@StokedForTravel]

No worries - glad you liked the video and the Ments is firmly on your to do list! Porthleven isn't a bad spot either, especially in the summer - love it down there!

[@vionirjaya]

Thanks is video, mentawai islands West Sumatera. I am from West Sumatera Indonesia 🇮🇩.

[@StokedForTravel]

Such a beautiful part of the world 😊

[@djranjou3012]

Two words: Great video!

[@StokedForTravel]

Thanks heaps!

[@Gabriel_Fiore]

You are a real legend mate, no ideia how you don’t have a million followers yet

[@StokedForTravel]

Hahaha thanks! Growing a YT channels takes aggggges 🤣

[@newsupdated23]

Wonderful Mentawai Island, the Waves is One of the Best in the world for surfing . The only need to improve for the support facilities.

[@StokedForTravel]

Indeed such an epic part of the world and such incredible waves ☺️🤙🏄‍♂️

[@someblokecalleddave1]

Very commendable too

[@StokedForTravel]

Glad it helped out :)

[@archivopolirosario4451]

perfect

[@StokedForTravel]

Stoked it helped 🤙

[@icedrum555]

Thanks bro!

[@StokedForTravel]

Hope it helped with your planning! 🤙

[@icedrum555]

@@StokedForTravel Yes ... big thanks!

[@StokedForTravel]

@@icedrum555 happy days!

[@HtutWin]

Mate. This was the perfect video I was looking for!! Thank you so much for doing this video. What I noticed was how your pronounciation of Mentawais kept switching from Mentawais to Mentawees :) . We get that a lot with people in NZ at a famous surf beach called Te Arai. Surfers generally know it as Te Aree. Haha. :) How much are the board hires and is it generally quiet during Dec -Jan? For those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, this is when we generally travel :)

[@StokedForTravel]

Stoked you like the video! hahaha yeah I'm not 100% sure which one is correct as everyone seems to say if differently! 😂 It's certainly a lot quieter over Dec/Jan and some places will shut for maintenance over that period too, so make sure you take that into account. Board hire wise I'd strongly recommend bringing your own (ideally 2) but some camps and resorts have a small range of hire boards. You can also hire in Padang as well, but honestly both options are pretty limited. PS...I'm missing NZ, will have to head back that way again soon!

[@HtutWin]

@@StokedForTravel thanks for that info! Is it worth going in December? I ask because I surfed in Lombok in Jan and although it was wet season, it was amazing!!! I'm tossing up whether to go there again or Mentawais. If it's choppy and inconsistent I won't bother and will try to get there in June 2021. Well if you ever come back to NZ, hit me up! We've got the Corona Piha Pro in a couple of weeks' time. The GOAT (Kelly Slater) is coming! P.S. Having learnt Malay and having checked with the Indonesians on the correct pronounciation in Bahasa, the proper way to say it is Mentawais :). The syllables are similar to the Maori language of NZ. How it's written is how you say it - easy as! :)

[@StokedForTravel]

@@HtutWin to be honest I havent been out there in Dec but I'm guessing due to the closer of many camps over that period of time it wont be the best. And if you have the option of June instead I'd certainly recommend that as the best option! Indeed if I'm ever back in NZ I'll drop you a message...absolutely loved the season I spent in Raglan, epic lefts!

[@HtutWin]

@@StokedForTravel Yes! Raglan is amazing. Did you get a chance to surf at Ahipara up at Shipwreck Bay in Northland? It's like Raglan without the population!?! :) Sweet. Keep making awesome vids. I'm subscribing!

[@davidkim3294]

@@HtutWin hi did you go to mentawai during December to January? I used to go to lombok and I wonder how it different?

[@krusher74]

Would have been cool to hear a bit about access to waves from the camp you were in, what can you walk to, if they boat you to a wave how early will they go and will you have to wait for a certain amount of people before they go. Set food times can fuck you getting the best waves at the best tides. So many restrictions people don't expect

[@StokedForTravel]

Working on another edit from the camp I was at actually ☺️ but if you want to learn more check out the reviews of Driftwood and Beng Bengs on the site 🤙 first boat time of the day was called the night before though and meals were shuffled around slightly to accommodate the surf and tides as well - basically the aim was to score the best waves 🤣 from both of those camps Ebays and Pitstops are an easy walk though

[@alivianhaymaputrinhayma3084]

Goods

[@nagoyapadang8368]

Good

[@StokedForTravel]

Stoked you like the guide 🤙

[@avefiggy2128]

🌿🌊🏄‍♀️🌊🌿

[@StokedForTravel]

Thanks for watching 😊🤙

[@xisotopex]

what camp/resort has the most breaks accessible from land? would like to stay where the boat trip out to a spot is optional. it would be nice to wake up and have a few spots within walking distance....

[@StokedForTravel]

hmmmmm I guess it depends what breaks you're super keen to surf! Personally I really like Beng Bengs or Driftwood surf camp - both have Ebay on the doorstep, with Pitstops a quick walk around the corner. You can also walk to Beng Bengs surf spot, but it takes a little longer and most people use the boat for it! You can find some more info on both here: stokedsurfadventures.com/mentawai-islands/

[@Yasmine_loveUniverse22]

I live in mentawai sipora

[@StokedForTravel]

A stunning part of the world!

[@marvinhamm]

Which resort would you recommend if Im interested in high quality surf coaching including video analysis? Thanks a lot!

[@StokedForTravel]

Hmmmm good questions Marvin! Not sure many of the resorts offering continuous coaching year round but I know a few coaches run Ments trips a couple times a year. Check out Cris from surf strength coach who offers some really epic ones; surfstrengthcoach.com/surf-trips/

[@marvinhamm]

@@StokedForTravel thanks!!

[@StokedForTravel]

No worries, let me know if you find some other options and I’ll add them in!

[@socore4659]

The only camps mentioned are those available in the playgrounds area of South Siberut Island. This is the most crowded region, wuth the general rule of thumb being the further south you go, the less crowded it gets. There are camps the whole way down the chain.

[@StokedForTravel]

indeed, there are plenty of other options along the islands, although the Playground area does have the largest variety of options (for all budgets), waves and is the certainly the easiest section to explore! Any suggestion on camps to hit up further down the Ments?

[@nicokypreos]

Heard there was more sharks and pirates down south.

[@socore4659]

@@nicokypreos i have been in Mentawais since 2003 and have never seen a shark while surfing. We're the only pirates i know of down here but we only rape and pillage the surf.

[@hispec7ltd997]

Is that a Palm Bay bali shirt I see 👀 🌴🌴🌴

[@StokedForTravel]

indeed it is! Loving PBB! 🤙🌴

[@lukebalfour4611]

@@StokedForTravel good too see, PBB is awesome doogie is the man Great gear at epic prices. Great informative video to mate. Looking forward to my 1st Mentawais trip hopefully September.... 🙏🏾

[@StokedForTravel]

Indeed they’ve got an epic crew - riding their quad fins at the moment and they’re performing great! Stoked you like the video - where you heading in the Ments? Got a few deals if you drop me an email 🤙

[@lukebalfour4611]

Yeah bro Open to all suggestions and deals fir sure. [e-mail] drop me some info 🤙🏾

[@nickortcoski6769]

@@StokedForTravel what's your email?

[@IAMRYANMILLS]

Is it better to stay on a boat 24x7 while there. Have a chef etc?

[@StokedForTravel]

Both the boats and the land camps have their pros and cons. Boat defo has more flexibility with waves and chasing swell, and is heaps of fun, but does cost a chunk more. You won’t go too wrong with either though!

[@Angietapsell86]

Much better than Bali!! But expensive :(...

[@StokedForTravel]

Indeed it’s not the cheapest but it’s well worth it! 🤙

[@walterrobertson9507]

🌈🌜🌞🌛🤙

[@StokedForTravel]

thanks heaps ☺️

[@antoniolessa1200]

Can we rent surfboard or bodyboard in mentawais?

[@StokedForTravel]

Some camps/resorts do offer board rental, but you’ll have to check before you head out. Otherwise you can rent some gear in Padang. Honestly though it’ll be best to bring your own 🤙

[@soulwaves20000]

Geescso complicated l just won’t go lol

[@StokedForTravel]

trust me though, it's worth the effort!

[@mykibw6809]

What are your thoughts on going and surfing the Mentawai Islands in January?

[@StokedForTravel]

So it’s towards the middle of wet season then so weather can be a bit up and down. Shoulder season (around March time) I’ve had some epic trips there though with some super fun waves!

[@mykibw6809]

@@StokedForTravel Thanks man, so the swell would still be alright but also would the surf camps be running the boats every day still to the surf breaks January time?

[@StokedForTravel]

@@mykibw6809 swells certainly going to be a lot smaller and a bit less consistent in Jan time. Also keep in mind some camps shut over the low season as well. Ideally if you can go more towards shoulder season you'll have a better experience with both waves and weather

[@mykibw6809]

@@StokedForTravel Thanks a lot man.

[@samimoring1235]

where's lances right &/or macaronis

[@StokedForTravel]

Indeed - working on a follow up with the more southern islands/breaks and resorts soon 🤙

[@alexs5394]

Most important question: Good place to bring your girlfriend who doesn't surf?

[@StokedForTravel]

hahaha good question! I'd say one of the surf resorts would be a solid shout, many offer day trips (like snorkelling and fishing), yoga and a couple have pools too. Depends on what level of comfort and luxury they're after!

[@jackd6372]

good information terrible board choice for Ments .

[@StokedForTravel]

worked perfectly well for me - depends on what boards you're comfortable using I guess. What's in your quiver for a Ments trip?

[@jackd6372]

Stoked For Travel Couple of pyzel ghosts would do the trick

[@StokedForTravel]

Still haven’t ridden one myself - what setup you on?

[@bvndwr3174]

@@StokedForTravel I've got a Chumlee and its the only board in my quiver I would not think if taking to Indo - fun board in tiny surf that doesn't have any push, but I can't do a legit turn on mine. I'll be taking the September: Fishbeard, Shadow round tail, Ghost and Firewire Houdini. Will leave my Dominator 2 at home too - nice board but no space!

[@StokedForTravel]

@@bvndwr3174 I had a blast on mine but I know what you mean. I've mixed up my quiver a lot since then and if I was heading this was again soon I'd probably be packing my Seaside & Beyond, D2 and Pyzel Mini Ghost. Sounds llike you have a good selection with you!

[@kaleokamekona2250]

Turned me off when he mispronounced the name.. 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@StokedForTravel]

Hahaha I ended up using so many different variations in that video 🤣

[@joshsmith7999]

Wow, that's not a complete guide at all, only covering one part of a huge island chain, the board you took are definitely not for steep perfect reef waves at all. Pretty sure this is an undercover euro advertisement to fill a few land camps haha

[@StokedForTravel]

Been meaning to put together a follow up to cover some other of the sections of the islands as this was originally only intended as a guide to Playground (it being the main hub for a lot of surfers heading that way) - so keep your eyes peeled for that! Any tips or recommendations for boats and camps always appreciated and I can add them into the blog guide too :) Board wise, the Chumlees did the job for me on my original trip (I wasn't chasing slabs or big barrels, just some tropical fun) but I would certainly mix it up on my next trip. Quiver wise I'd be going with the Twinsman, Broken Arrow and then probably the Mashup for spots like Beng Bengs and Burger World. End of the day quivers are always down to personal taste and style.

[@greigsharp672]

Man surely you should learn, first of all, the proper pronunciation of Mentawai before becoming an expert on the area???

[@StokedForTravel]

Hahaha yeah I go through a few different options in the video - seems everyone has a different way to pronounce it 🤣