The Tripping Point: Mentawai’s Kingfisher Resort

How original… a good ol’ fashioned surf trip to Indonesia.

The naysayers will say it’s overdone, unoriginal, and overcooked. And while they’re right in asserting it’s popularity, the naysayers won’t be lucking into some of the better waves our little blue ball has to offer.

Yes Indo’s popular, but that’s because its bloody good. If you want to score waves, proper waves, then you go to Indo. And thankfully it’s not about to stop pumping anytime soon. 

It might be now far-removed from it’s early less ventured origins, but the breadth of Indo’s waves will continue to entice your backpackers to your Dane Reynolds until the Earth stops spinning. 

The expanse of Indo can’t be surmised in a quick one minute hit, and can’t be covered in depth in a single article either, but since World Surfaris is having an early bird special, we figured we best conjure up three Indonesian exemplars.

Waves for kooks those who surf like me, the pig-dogging adept, and your CT stars. A spot for the bloke who’s a few weeks late on rent and those for someone with a little extra coin to drop.

G-Land, Mentawai’s, Sumbawa. You’ll find what you’re looking for.

This first post covers the Mentawai Island’s Kingfisher Resort – with an accompanying one minute clip up top. In short, it’s an opulent Indonesian affair. In length, well, you better read on. 

Don’t just sit at home ogling over it, get over there so you can feel what its like to pull back on one of these.

Photography

World Surfaris

Mentawai Islands – Kingfisher Resort.

Ahhh the Ments. It might be a little more on the pricey side, but if you have the coin, it’s worth it both wave and accomodation wise.

Distance:

Fly to Kuala Lumpur from Australia, then over to Padang.

$600-800 for return flights. Once you’re at Padang you’ll be provided with a shuttle that takes you to either a ferry or a hotel – depending on what time you land. 

From there you have a ferry and quick speedboat to get over to the island, the cost is included, and you’ll arrive in the arvo with ample time for an arvo surf. 

Accom Costs:

$250-$300 per night.

But this is best addressed in a package. There’s a maximum of nine guests, so you won’t be hassling too hard against those in your own camp. It costs more than your typical surf camp, but its hard not to see the worth once you’re there with a handful of mates.  

Waves:

Fuck, it’s the Ments?! But we’ll tell you anyway.

Bang out the front of Lances Lefts, which is one of the best, most consistent waves on offer in the Ments.

There’s a plethora of other waves on offer too: HT’s (Lances Right), Bintangs, The Cobra, and some lesser known and lesser named waves.

Tubes, walls, lefts, rights, all that’s imaginable. The spots also face different directions, for example when the northerly starts howling and totalling most spots, Bintangs will be offshore and likely pumping. In general though Lance’s Left is offshore in the morning and HT’s in the arvo, when there’s swell it’s easy to slip into a tubular routine. 

These are some of the best waves in the world. On a side note, I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen a Taj clip that hasn’t featured at least one of these waves.  

Meals:

You can get everything you need at the Kingfisher restaurant which the resort is based around. Open plan set-up with fruits, veggies, meats, seafood, whatever you’re after. All meals are buffet style too so take as much as you please.

There’s also a range of fruit juices, beers, and whatever types of alcohol you’re chasing post or pre-surf if you pine for more than brine. 

Crowds and consistency:

Lances left is one of the most consistent waves in the Ments. period.

It’s best around the southern hemisphere’s winter – April to September . Lance’s left is typically offshore in the morning and then HT’s is offshore in the afternoon, but due to a large variety of waves and minimal guests at the hotel you’ll hardly be fighting for waves. 

Boat rides:

10 waves all within a 20 minute boat ride. Or you can always run straight out the front to Lance’s left if you don’t want to wait for a lift.  

Local economies:

Not a hell of a lot going down outside of the resort – you’re on an island. But on the island there’s a tonne to do besides surfing: fishing, snorkelling, woodcarving, trekking and biking. And if surfing’s your only hobby that involves physical activity, you can go and melt your mind in Digital Corner, or destroy your liver up at the bar. 

You’re here for the waves though, so don’t get paralytic, or perhaps do if you’re looking for an excuse after you inevitably pull back on a bomb the next day.  

There is a downside to overlooking the surf while you eat. The indigestion you endure after inhaling your brekky due to the fear of missing out.

Photography

World Surfaris

World Surfaris is currently offering their early bird – hefty – discount, but it runs out very soon! So quit wasting the precious, little time you have left on this planet and slide over to their site, talk dates, and lock yourself wherever you please. It might be our favoured options above, or perhaps there’s another corner of Indo (or the globe) where your surf-trotting desires lie. 

Head here and peruse.