Sipura Island - only for experts?

[elias.matousek@hotmail.com]

Hi everybody,
I am travelling to Sumatra in August 2022 and I was thinkig about heading to Sipura Island (Mentawai).
I am a beginner to intermediate surfer, but I only found quite big and scary-looking spots on the internet. Are there suitable spots for me too, reachable from the shore? Has anybody experience on that?
Is southern Siberut a better option?
Thank you in advance,
Elias

[jaffa1949]

Elias , welcome to the forum, may I suggest for your internet security that you put a different name tag on your post other than an email address.
We have a private message system within the forum.
I suggest this as we get a lot of spam sent to forum members who expose there email addresses directly. So just your name or a fun name will,do on your posts
As for Sipura and surf spots, I will share that next post Cheers Jaffa

[jaffa1949]

Ok THe Mentawaii islands particularly Sipura and Siberut, mostly a range of waves for capable surfer.
All over live coral reefs, there are smaller and kinder options, but I‘m going to ask, where you are currently surfing might give a clue as to where I suggest.
THere are a few places ( resorts or camps with paddle off the beach option but most require a boat trip to other reefs and islands the cost of which may be included.
The are feral level home stays with a very basic accommodation and virtually no boat to anywhere, so what you see is what you get.
How competent are you in surf safety self sufficiency, there are no life guards or ambulance service, anywhere you stay requires insurance that covers Medivac by helicopter to Somewhere safe.

Some resorts have their own pickup boat from Padang at a cost, there is a ferry out to the islands from Padang 150 kilometers out.
Changing islands is not an easy option.

So,some softer spots but still with coral bottoms and still powerful.

Karangabat, Nipussi, , Pitstops, 4Bobs, John Candies. Beng Bengs, Burger world, these are on 3 different islands so a boat is necessary.

There are over 25 waves around the Siberut area



Sipora has Lances Rights not and easy wave, ends on the surgeon‘s table, leave it to your imagination.
You are correct most of Sipora is good surfer level waves.
The Siberut group better.

A guesstimate of your budget would useful ,
Flights to Indo , internal flight to Padang, visa cost, insurance, ferry ride or speed boat ride to the island of your choice, resort or camp cost ( I would choose all inclusive so I know up front the cost).
There are surf camp taxes a lot to,think about at your level of surfing!

[jaffa1949]

Here are 3 options accessible from Kandui Resort, Karangabat lefts, John Candies aka A Frames and 4Bobs, the website for Kandui Resort describes them , has boat take you out, wave your board when you have had enough they come and get you!

Here I’m riding Beng Bengs near Pitstops this is considered a soft wave!

[BaNZ]

I don't see any other surfers in the photo, is it usually this empty?

[jaffa1949]

There are the feet of a Peruvian guy paddling over the wave on the right hand side of the picture . About ten guys out on this surf , six from our resort, there is an unspoken agreement when you arrive at a spot, and there are surfers already there, as their numbers leave you can let a similar number enter the surf, there are at least 20 spot all functioning on a day like this, people go to where they feel they can perform well.
Pros go to epic spots and so on down the food chain, some of the easier spots like burger world mush out when big but the waves refract around the islands and the opposite can be doing something great.
Remember these islands are 150 kilometers of the coast of Sumatera , so drive up crowds are not an option.
Charter boats tend to arrive at some spots and can add a crowd but again tend to hit the more epic spots.
And there are little corners that local knowledge gets you in!

Same wave just the take off for it

Hot tropical water, coral reefs, dugongs, turtles, sea snakes ( venomous) reef sharks but well feed, sometimes whale sharks, porpoises.
You can hear them breathing, dugong particularly like to sneak up and noisily snort breath near you!

[jaffa1949]

There is another spot for natural footers that is considered soft and a go to spot when it is too small for other spots.
Burger World another showcase to pat Uncle Jaffa's ego

Had a pro shot takenlby luck only, of two angles on the same wave at the same time

There is a little feature in the falling lip that Shows it is the same shot from different angle.

Next shot is a Jaffa turn

.
Then a half hour fast canoe to Beng Bergs same spot as the previous post for small day fun

I was going to was my head but i had shaved my head and had my solar protection on = head Dip

[BaNZ]

It all sounded like the perfect surf location and then you lost me here. Even if I don't land on the sharp reef, my fear of all those wildlife will probably give me a heart attack.

I saw a dolphin 20 yards away from me today. I quickly took the next wave and got back on land! Sure they are cute, but I would rather stay my distance.

Hot tropical water, coral reefs, dugongs, turtles, sea snakes ( venomous) reef sharks but well feed, sometimes whale sharks, porpoises.
You can hear them breathing, dugong particularly like to sneak up and noisily snort breath near you!

Maybe one day when we get members of the forum for a surf trip. I'll tag along!

[elias.matousek@hotmail.com]

Thank you for all the information, it was very useful!

[jaffa1949]

Indonesia is opening up, not sure of quite how apart from Bali.
Negative tests with 72 hours before flight, visa arranged a before arrival, travel insurance now ist cover medical isolation or repatriation as evidenced in documentation. 5 Days quarantined in resort hotel 5 star at travellers cost release after negative test.
This is what I can establish, but I strongly suggest that you get full travel information from Indonesian Government sources and have firm plans, I feel the fly in and hang loose option is probably gone forever!