Should You Go on a Surf Trip to the Mentawai Islands? (A Girls' Trip Guide)

The question on every single mind right now. So I went to find out, just for you.

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After I posted about our Mentawai Islands surf trip, my inbox didn't stop. Questions about cost, surf level, boards, whether to stay on land or a boat. All of it. So I'm writing this so I can send you here instead so I can give this place justice. 

Here is everything. The logistics, the waves, the real talk on whether this trip is right for you.

But first, a disclaimer. When most people picture the Mentawai Islands, they picture barrels and pros and boats packed with people. And look, that version exists. But it wasn't our version. I loved our version. The first thing I must say is don't go to the Mentawai's unless you want to dream about going back every day, literally. 

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How We Did the Mentawai Islands: Four Girls, Seven Boards, Not Much of a Plan

This was a proper girls trip, four of us, seven surfboards between us (two longboards, three mid-lengths, one shorter board), and a loose attitude of we'll figure it out when we get there. Well, I had that attitude. Leanne had actually organised most of it.

We stayed at Twin Palms Mentawais on Tuapejet Island. This island sits right at the entry point of the Mentawai chain, and that's an important detail for understanding what kind of surf trip this is, more on that soon.

I started from Bali. Two planes, one car, one overnight in Padang, one fast ferry, one local boat later, and we were there. Sounds like a lot, right? The second you step foot on that island, every single leg of the journey dissolves. The Mentawais has a way of making you forget how you got there entirely.

How to Get to the Mentawai Islands (Travelling With Surfboards). 

Your destination by plane is Padang, Sumatra, usually via a Jakarta stopover. I flew Garuda Indonesia from Bali, my 6'6 midlength in a 7'6 bag, which was included in 20kg total luggage. Garuda allows longboards too. Slightly pricier sometimes, but I knew exactly what to expect and my luggage went straight to the final destination. No self transfer. For surf travel, that peace of mind is genuinely worth it.

The other girls flew in from Taiwan and we met at Padang airport. From there, we had a driver arranged through Koko's Hostel, which is walking distance from the port and basically became our logistics HQ. A pick-up truck for the board bags, a car for us, a supermarket stop on the way. Even more seamless for me because, again, I did not organise a single thing. The girls will confirm.

Quick note: stock up on snacks at that supermarket. The islands are remote. There are no big shops on the other side.

Padang overnight. 

Worth noting, outside of peak season, ferries only run on certain days. Ours left on a Saturday, the day after we arrived in Padang, so an overnight in the city was non-negotiable anyway. We stayed at Koko's Hostel, which has both private rooms and dorms and sits pretty close to the port. Honestly, it worked out perfectly. Git at Koko's sent us to a local Nasi Padang restaurant and it was one of the best meals of the whole trip. Think traditional Indonesian meal with deep Padang (local) flavours, beef rendang, local seafoods, tofu curries, rice. When in Padang, eat the Nasi Padang. Its a must. 

Padang to the Mentawai Islands: travel options. 

There are three ways across:

Fast ferry (our choice): 3.5 hours, Padang to Tuapejet. Koko's helped sort tickets the morning of. You pay extra for boards based on weight.

Slow ferry: longer crossing, budget option.

Small plane: fastest, priciest.

The fast ferry was totally fine. Seats were comfy enough. The aircon did turn off partway through and it got warm. On the way home, the AC was on, and it got pretty cold. Come prepared for that and it's a non-issue.

At Tuapejet port, the Twin Palms team was already there waiting. Boards and us onto a local boat, five minutes later, we arrived.

Twin Palms Mentawais: A Dream Stay

The villa is oceanfront in a way that doesn't feel real until you're there. You step off the boat, take a few steps, and you're at the front door. The ocean is literally just there.

At Twin Palms Mentawai's we had the two ocean view rooms and weeks later, I'm still not over it. Blinds slightly open, just enough morning light, coffee while watching the Mentawai ocean right there waiting for you. That's the whole morning. That's all you need.

The people running Twin Palms became our family within about three hours, three gorgeous girls keeping the restaurant and everything else ticking over, and Yoga and Sola on the boats whenever we needed them. Which was twice a day. Every day. No questions asked.

And the routine that formed around all of it? Surf. Come back. Order food. Shower. Eat. Surf again. That was the entire week and I didn't want a single thing more than that (ok, of course I had to work in between). 

When we weren't in the water (or working), we hired scooters and explored the island, more palm trees than people, little warungs dotted around, a mart about five minutes away. But honestly? We barely left Twin Palms. The ocean is right there, you could sit and watch it all day. Maybe a quick stroll on the gorgeous beach out the front. But the food, the food pulled us back every time and the girls had it ready for us by the time we finished showering, to say we were spoilt is an understatement. Nasi Goreng, Shrimp pasta (on repeattttt) pancakes, granola, espresso made with so much love by the girls. Ok, I miss it so much now. 

And one night, the lobster. Fresh from Yoga's family, cooked on a BBQ right there. I can still taste it. If you do nothing else I suggest in this entire blog, do the seafood BBQ.

Are you already planning the trip? let me know I will literally drop everything to go again. 

A complete price breakdown is available at the end of the blog. 

The Surfing: Three Breaks, Zero Regrets

Alright, I know most of you have been waiting for this part!

The area we are in holds six surf breaks, which are accessible by boat from the villa, ranging from a five-minute boat ride to 45 minutes. We surfed three of them, and I will be thinking about these waves for a long time.

You can ask to take a day trip to play grounds (This is deep in the Menawati Islands, where Burgerworld and other world class waves are) its about 2 hours boat ride, we decided against that this trip, we were having too much fun surfing what was around us. 

Iceland (a left)

Our first session. Late afternoon glass-off, one of those sunsets that makes the ocean look like it's showing off. Iceland picks up swell easily and sits over deep water, so despite looking big, it's actually quite mellow. There's a fast drop that doesn't last long, but it's genuinely fun and a great warm-up break.

I was nervous at the peak that first session. Didn't paddle for it. But it didn't matter, we still caught the best waves we'd had in a while and the boat ride back had all four of us so damn happy with what we just experienced. That's what a good first surf does. It set the whole tone for the week.

Ombak Tidur (a right)

We hired a surf guide for this one, not necessary but I think a good call when you don't know the break. There's a mellow inside section and then the peak, and we started inside before paddling out. A faster wave, steep enough to keep things interesting, but mellow enough it's not too challenging. As a right-hander, we were all in our happy place as regulars. Honestly, I had some of my favourite waves here. I’m really practising my top turns and to do this on a right, let alone one with a nice wall and speed was AMAZING!

One thing to know: the channel isn't super defined and the reef can get shallow on the inside. Duck diving or turtle rolling are essential here, and waiting out the sets rather than taking the whitewash in. Riding straight on the wave will put you on the reef, always look to kick out or ride the face.

Telescopes (a left) my favourite wave, possibly in the world

Twenty minutes on the boat from the villa, in front of the village of Pantai Mapaddegat. A long, dreamy left with a couple of different take-off options, enough power to keep you moving, forgiving enough to actually make sections if you read it right.

The local groms surfing Telescopes will hold a special place in my heart forever. Once you start talking to them, say hi, be warm, they share waves, call you into sets, cheer you on. There's a few generations of surfing in that village that runs deep, and being in that lineup at sunset, watching them practise for an upcoming competition, the dad's or uncles supporting the groms was one of those moments I'm still sitting with.

That combination, the waves, the groms, the sunsets, the energy, is why Telescopes might genuinely be my favourite surf spot on earth. Not just the Mentawais. Earth.

Note: the inside is shallow on the reef, but the break works at all tides. Surfers were progressing with instructors on the shoulder the days we were there.

On boards: we surfed every board at every break. Longboards, mid-lengths, short boards,  all of it worked. The Mentawai Islands are absolutely suitable for longboarders. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise.

Oh, and I bet you are wondering what I wore the whole week? All Elation The Label, obviously, but let me be specific, because reef breaks will expose bad swimwear fast. I rotated between the Halter Top and the Santai bottoms, the Nias Top with Boa Bottoms, and the Sculpt Suit, with a rash top over the top for the longer sessions. Not one piece moved. Not on the turtle rolls, not on the wipeouts (because there were many) not on the long paddle back to the channel after getting caught inside. When you're surfing reef and your brain needs to be fully on the wave, the last thing you want is to be thinking about your swimwear. You shouldn't have to. And with these pieces, I genuinely didn't. Shop the pieces I packed here.

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Is the Mentawai Islands Surf Trip Right for You?

Let me be honest, and please know I say this with so much love and support for you in your surf journey but...

If you're a complete beginner: the Mentawais probably isn't your trip yet. There's one break suitable for beginners (Tikus) which was super small when we were there, but I wouldn't travel all this way for just that one spot. Keep surfing. Continue your surf journey and work towards being genuinely comfortable in the ocean, turtle rolls, getting out back independently, some reef break experience. When you're there, come here. It'll be everything and so much more worth it. 33

If you're an intermediate to confident surfer who can handle reef, read a wave, and is at ease in open ocean conditions? Say yes immediately. Don't overthink it.

There are also surf school's and local surf guides around the area, if you think that would be helpful send me a message x 

Things to consider: 

The surf tax: every foreign surfer pays an IDR 2 million government surf tax on arrival (valid for 15 days). Factor this into your budget planning.

Best time to go: April to October is peak swell season. March and November are solid shoulder months with less crowd. December to February is smaller, windier, I've been advised against this time.

We went at the end of April, the swell hit the Mentawais but not really where we were. It didn’t matter for us because we still had the best waves, nothing too challenging or worrying. The types of waves that we were all looking for, (and without the crowd) 

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Mentawai Islands: Land Camp vs Boat Charter

The honest answer is that it depends on what you're looking for. 

Boat charters typically go deeper into the Mentawai Islands, into the Playgrounds area where there are dozens of breaks and more variety in wave size and direction. Twin Palms and Tuapejet sit closer to the entry point of the chain, which is a different experience, not lesser.

Ask yourself:

• How remote do you actually want to go?

• Can you genuinely live on a boat for 10-13 nights?

• Boats are close quarters with people you may or may not know, amazing sometimes, claustrophobic for others.

Doing it from land, with four of us, felt personal. It felt like our trip. The budget worked for everyone, the pace was relaxed, and we still got twice-a-day sessions at incredible, uncrowded waves. Nothing felt missing.

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The Part I Haven't Said Yet

There are moments from that week I haven't fully figured out how to explain. Sitting out in the line up at Telescopes, the sun already setting, the groms calling out one more wave in both Bahasa Indonesian and English to us, to driving back in the boat, orange hues filling the sky, I felt completely, uncomplicatedly happy. 

No noise. No adjusting. Just the ocean and the people with the biggest smiles. Its a type of freedom that not everyone will get to experience. 

That's what the right surf trip does. It doesn't matter if you've been surfing for one year or ten. When the waves, the people, and the place line up, something shifts. And you come home different. In the best ways. 

So if someone invites you to the Mentawai Islands, say yes. The cost will work out. The time will work out. Go for it.

Love, Mel x

For the girls who go for it. See you in the Mentawai's

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The Practical side: Mentawai Islands Surf Trip from Bali

Getting there: Bali → Jakarta (stopover) → Padang by plane → overnight in Padang → fast ferry (3.5hrs) to Tuapejet → local boat to villa

Surf level: Intermediate to confident. Must be comfortable on reef, able to duck dive and turtle roll, able to get out the back independently.

Boards: All sizes work, longboards, mid-lengths, shortboards all surfed every break.

Best time to visit: April – October (peak swell) or March/November (shoulder, less crowded)

Snacks: Buy them in Padang. The islands are remote.

How much does a Mentawais surf trip cost? 

FYI prices mentioned are in Australian Dollars (AUD) or Indonesian Rupiah (IDR), may change over time, and have no affiliation with Elation The Label.

Flights Bali → Padang return with Garuda Indonesia: = ~ AUD $600 (boards included in standard luggage allowance, longboard friendly airline - prices obviously fluctuate with airlines) 

Padang transfers: Driver between airport →  Koko's Hostel → port
On return port →  Koko’s hostel →  airport: IDR 1,500,000 total for 4 people = IDR 375,000 per person (organise through Koko's). 

Accommodation in Padang Koko's Hostel: dorm rooms, walking distance to the port = AUD $17 (prices vary, check Booking.com)

Ferry: Padang to Tuapejet (one way) Ferry ticket =  IDR 350,000 per person
Surfboard fee = IDR 230,000 (up to 15kg) / IDR 460,000 (15–30kg)
P.s our boards were only weighed at Padang and were not weighed when leaving Tuapejet meaning it was only the standard fee of IDR 230,000 on the way home. 

Twin Palms Mentawais Villa: All room packages include breakfast.
10% VAT not included. (as of May 2025 - please not prices may vary due). 

Surfing boat costs: Boats are not included in room rate and shared amongst the people joining the trip. 

• Boat captain: IDR 300,000/day

• Boat hire: IDR 500,000/day

• Fuel: varies by price per litre and distance

Our total boat bill for one week surfing twice a day (captain + fuel): IDR 5,000,000 shared between 4 of us.

We only surfed the breaks close to the villa, (icelands, Ombak Tidur and Telescopes) however, some days we checked more spots that one. The boat can also reach Scarecrows, 7 palms, Playgrounds, HT's but fuel consumption will need to be considered. 

Government surf tax: IDR 2,000,000 per person, paid on arrival in cash (IDR), valid for 15 days. Don't forget this one. They say this is to build roads and schools, which most of the main roads on this island are actually pretty decent. Hopefully, it truly is where this money is going. 

If there is anything else I missed or you have more questions, feel free to DM me on Instagram @Elationthelabel or email hello@elationthelabel.com

Love, Mel xx