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The Mentawai Islands are one of the best, most consistent surf
destinations in the entire world. The Indian Ocean is a groundswell
producing machine, combining with the many perfect island/reef
formations and consistent, local weather patterns to produce an
ultra-active, high quality wave paradise.
Heres just some of the perfect waves that youll discover in the
Mentawais. Please note: the photos we have included show a wide
variety of the waves mentioned, but some waves mentioned are not
photographed.
  
HTs Lances Right
"HTs is one of the main reasons many surfers make the trip to
the Mentawais. And with good reason! Its as good as any wave in the
world for its size on its day. To watch one of these waves wrap
into a beautiful, protected tree lined cove and peel off
mechanically over the reef is to come face to face with perfection.
The wave itself sometimes pours over the reef in a square barreling
tube, other times opening up an unblemished face just waiting see
what you are capable of creating. Depending on swell direction and
size, there are a couple of different take off zones where you can
test your skill - and courage - on this wave. But like many of the
worlds most alluring waves, beware of its beauty. It also possesses
one of the regions most feared reef section," The Surgeons Table".
So unless you are highly skilled, or very familiar with the
intricacies of the break, don't expect just to paddle out and rip
it up. Its better to make sure you're in tune with your surfing and
your boards and aren't afraid to get hurt before you commit to the
pleasures of HT's.
  
Lances Left
One of the most consistent and
higher quality waves in the region (and hence pretty popular!).
With a prevailing southwest swell grinding on its broad shelving
reef, it presents quite a few different take-off positions and
during the right conditions has two fantastic fin-humming longer
tube sections. Lances Lefts can hold plenty of size, up to 3
metres, though like many waves in the Mentawais its best around 2
metres or so (which will give you plenty of dry hair tube rides,
forehand or backhand. Despite its regulation line-up, Lance's Left
is also wave that will give you a very forceful reminder every now
and then to give it the respect its due.
  
Beach Breaks
Located in a beautiful bay with
pure white sandy beaches lies a number of spectacular A-frame peaks
which break on sand not reef.
Plus there are many un-named breaks that surround our extensive
land holdings which offer an abundance of hollow, glassy barrels
constantly evolving around the various moods of the ocean.
Awesome waves with next to nobody on them!
Bintangs
Not as long as many other breaks in
the region, Bintangs is a quality punchy, dredging right located a
few hundred yards from Lance's Left. The incoming swell is
indicated by a bombora about 100 metres outside the break. The
swell then quickly moves in from left to right as they hit the
triangular reef. Often what may seem as being caught too far
inside, quickly moves to a peak-like take-off on a fast dredging
right hand wall. Surprisingly Bintangs can comfortably handle waves
up to 12 feet, becoming squarer and more like The Box in Western
Australia. Bintangs can also handle some funky north wind
directions pretty well and can often be worth a session or two.
  
Macaronis
Simply one of the best performance
waves in the world. Incoming swells are introduced via a couple of
outside indicators. "Maccas" is tucked inside a lovely green-water
bay perfect for overnight anchorage. A must-see wave on most trips,
its tight take-off area and mechanical peel can mean the scramble
for a taste of its perfection can get very intense. The wave itself
reels off across a curved lava-coral shelf that has somehow evolved
at an almost perfect angle. Positioning on take-off can set the
tone for most of the wave, with a long hollow wall followed by
curves suited to any turn or tube you'd care to imagine. Best up to
2 metres, it can still hold shape on a bigger swell.
  
Telescopes
One of the first and best known
waves in this wave paradise, this long perfect left hander has
starred in virtually every surf video made in the Mentawais. Its
mechanical set-up tempts you to sit deeper and deeper, with the
possibility of an awesome long backdoor tube followed by a hollow
perfectly-formed wall that invites you to test both your abilities
and your imagination again and again. One good surf here may change
what you consider possible.
Scarecrows
Scarecrows is an exposed left a
few miles to the west of Telescopes. Scarecrows prefers a light
trade wind to hold it up better. The wave itself is characterized
by a wedging take-off that gives way to a fairly decent wall and
sometimes a wicked inside bowl.
  
Burger World (Koriniki)
A consistent long
right hander thats best between 3 feet to 8 feet, Burgers is not
too different to many right hand points in Australia and the U.S.
Burgers wont deliver you with any mind-bending barrels or
gut-pumping sections, but if you want to refine your off-the tops,
floaters and cutbacks about 10 times per wave on a wave that
increases with speed with each turn, this is a good a wave as any.
Nestled in behind Playgrounds and running alongside virgin tropical
jungle, its a great wave to either get your surf legs on, or a nice
easy trip wrap-up.
Promises
Promises is a lightning fast
right located next to Burger World. Promises breaks off the corner
of a relatively small island and needs a north wind to smooth it
out. Best surfed early in the morning, or late in the evening it
can be a solid call if the swell is over four feet.
  
Bank Vaults
Bank Vaults is wave that can
provide the best as well as some of the most testing experiences of
a Mentawai surf trip. Unlike many of the more traditional reef
set-ups in the Mentawais, its line-up shifts around. While this
makes it more difficult to position yourself, it does spread any
crew around and the waves can pop up wherever you may be.
Conversely the occasional clean up set is a real likelihood. The
upside is a thick, powerful barreling right. The ideal size to surf
Bank Vaults is from head-high up to whatever you are prepared to
take it on! Remember, in any swell size getting caught inside is a
near certainty. Also are some of the squarest, cleanest barrels
that will live in the memory banks for a long, long time.
Nipussi (aka Pussies)
Nipussi is a fantastic
high-performance right which is not as testing as some of the other
waves in the group. There are a couple of take-off positions
depending on the swell size and direction, and your surfing
abilities. You can choose either the inside waves that wall up more
quickly, or depending on the swell, swing wide and break in the
middle of the cove. While its situated inside a cove, Nipussi
always seems to have a wave and is a good alternative when the rest
of the islands arent firing.
E Bay
If you like serious down the line
speed, walls that keep on coming at you, a tightness in your gut
and spit on your back, then E-bay is one wave that will fill your
need for speed. A left hander, better when the swell is overhead,
its a classic case of setting your edge and setting your line for a
classic Indo barrel. And when you're resting out the back, sit back
and check out the location too. Its picture postcard perfect,
surrounded by cliffs and lush tropical vegetation.
  
Pit Stops
Pit stops is a predictable
right-hander which breaks a few hundred yards from E-bay. The waves
here start their assault towards shore over a reef shelf, allowing
for a quick cover up, before shifting gears over a sand bottom and
evolving into a solid right wall good for a few lip bashes. It
works best around head high or smaller, anything bigger makes the
drop impossible, there is just too much water moving in too small
of an area. A popular choice among many boats, a virtual liquid
playground.
Beng Bengs
A fun and playful lefthander that
is situated inside ebay. If ebay is too small, Beng Bengs is a good
substitute. It breaks on all tides and can be enjoyed by surfers at
any level. Best swell SW.
  
Rifles (Kandui Right)
Kandui Right (Rifles)
can be many things: it can be super long on the right swell. It can
be a scary, angry barrel. It can be the wave that if you put it all
together, delivers you with one of the longest, fastest, most
perfect waves on this planet - full stop. It can also do you over
with its many different nuances, sections and idiosyncrasies. Get
it right, on the right day, and it'll do your mind in.
  
Kandui Left
If you've been watching
footage of guys doing maybe three turns on a 250 metre left hander,
popping out of the barrel every now and then long enough for a mid
face turn before getting ready for part four of their tube
sequence, then its probably Kandui Lefts. This wave is a speed
freak. You'll make some, some you won't. The ones you do will stick
in your mind forever. The ones you don't will get you paddling back
to the take-off wiser, and looking for another gear.
Perry's Corner
A fun wave that peaks up and
has a number of take-off spots. Known for its consistency it is
always has a wave and something to play on. The left peak is a
workable wall that has a bend to it. The right is shorter but a
little steeper and allows for two or three top turns. All swells
and tides this spot has a wave, prefers west winds.
4 Bobs
If you need a break from the race
track, or are still working up to some of the more testing breaks,
then 4 Bobs can be the answer if the conditions are right. Unlike
some of the premier waves, 4 Bobs is relatively short, a less
intense right-hander. Given the right swell direction, waves wrap
considerably around the south end of an island over a relatively
safe reef. If you're looking to see how far 4 Bobs can take you,
take off deep and try to race the first section. Its fun, good for
a bit of experimentation or tricks without too much
consequence.
  
Icelands
The magnet for swell in this
area. Icelands is a lefthander that peaks up on the outside and
offers a great step take off. As the wave gets closer to the inside
it gets hollower and offers up an inside bowl that will get any
heart pumping. Holds swell up to 10 foot and over. Needs SW to west
swell and se winds, no wind is ideal. Surfable on all tides.
Arrik
A spectacular right when it's on, Arrik
offers a high-speed barrel that momentarily backs off before it
throws square again. It needs a pretty good-sized swell to work but
it's been known to leave a smile on your face
7 Palm Point
7 Palm Point is a fun
left-hander ideally suited for long boarders. Most boats skip
surfing here but every once in while it will offer up a decent wall
to attack
  
Rags Left
A really fantastic line-up,
especially on a bigger swell from the right direction. And Rags is
one of the places you want to go to if the swell is maxing out some
of the other breaks. There you will find one of the rounder tubes
to be experienced on your trip (or in your life!), along with a
wall that reels off for what seems like a couple of hundred of
metres. Take the gun and the balls here.
Rags Right
Probably the most testing and
hairiest wave in the region. From the boat, look at two things. The
roundness of the tube, and then at the height of the foamball
exploding behind. Really only to be considered for surfing on a
high tide and on the right swell, its challenges even the best
surfers with the thickest, hollows tubes in the Mentawai's.
  
Thunders
Generally this is somewhere you'll
go to in smaller swells, especially in the late or early season. A
quality left hander, its one of the most consistent breaks with a
fast tube sections over a shallow inside shelf breaking close to
the island, whilst lower tides offer a forceful shoulder further
out the back.
Silau left
A rare find as it needs a west
swell. Located between Thunders and The Hole, if you do luck out
and get this spot on its day its a high quality left with a long
wall where stand-up barrels are often the reward for the extra bit
of traveling.
The Hole
The Hole is heavy. In comparison to
the other waves featured in this review, the Hole is relatively
inconsistent. Usually the take-off will be late, no matter how well
you position yourself. The reward is a fast, barreling tube ride
that extends your idea of how long, how deep and how fast you can
ride in the tube. Sounds worth waiting for, and it is.
Lighthouse Right & Moots
Lighthouse is an
easy right-hander that reels off for about 150m in a classic
reef/point set up. Best on a medium to large swell, Lighthouse
offers an isolated place to really enjoy with your mates.
To imagine Moots think of your classic empty tropical island that
you can walk around in 2 minutes. In keeping with the laid back
location, Moots is a fun left. The bigger the swell, the better it
gets, and at 4 foot or bigger it begins to show real class.
  
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