WavePark Mentawai Surf Resort is only one of three surf resorts in the world that is government licensed to operate as an exclusive resort in the Mentawai Islands. Offering you great-value accommodation in bungalows and a beach house, fantastic surf guiding service and 21 different surf breaks at your doorstep or a short boatride away, it offers you THE ultimate resort-style surfing holiday that you will never forget. And we didn't even mention the fishing, which is equally phenomenal.
Running strong since 1998, this surf camp has an amazingly high rate of returning guests. And no wonder why: With 20 years combined experience in surf-guiding, they know exactly where to get you at the right time. With a quota of maximum 12 surfers at a given time, you are guaranteed uncrowded waves in one of the best surfing spots in the world. And with their daily guided surfing and fishing speedboat for you to use and included in your package price, all you need to worry about is what surfboard you take and what are you going to do with the amounts of fish you catch.
Barbara, who went there in June 2009, says:
No photo, video or written article could possible prepare you for the entire WavePark experience. Being on a 27 foot single tree dug-out canoe, out in the middle of the Indian Ocean, feeling the undulating swells against the hull, and watching these pristine, glassy and EMPTY waves rolling onto shallow coral reefs, exploding into perfect barrels, sounding like both the crackling of lightening and the roar of thunder. This is something you need to personally experience to believe. ... I can honestly say, this was the BEST experience of my life, and came back a changed person.
As for the accommodation and resort facilities, what they offer is a couple of beach bungalows and a beach house. The total capacity is 14 people and the resort is family-friendly. The camp has all modern equipement that you would need - DVD player, internet connection, satellite phone, swimming pool, billiard table, digital projector... but we guarantee you that you will not be spending most of the time indoors!! In the evenings after an amazing day full of surfing, fishing or swimming, you can lay back and enjoy a refreshing drink at Mentawai's first fully stocked bar, SaBar and full-time resort photographer will make sure you will not leave the resort without taking home quality photographs that you can show your friends and look at to remember the epic times in The Mentawais.
Check out a video from this resort:
Surfing
OK, pretty much every surfer has heard of the famous Mentawai Islands and we can confirm that it is the destination that you need to go to at least once in your lifetime. It is the amount of quality surfbreaks, their size, variety and fun that sets this area apart. Most of the surfers go there on a surf boat charter and it is indeed a great way to enjoy the most of this stunning location. What makes WavePark an equally great option is its location so near some of the great breaks, with the quotas that limit the amount of waveseekers, which makes sure that you will get a great surf, have an option to travel with your non-surfing partner or relatives and still get a great value for your money.
The area around WavePark has plenty of different waves - fun waves for everyone (Pirates, Beng-bengs, Pitstops, Playgrounds, Burgerworld...), challenging ones (Hideaways, Spankers, Pistols, Kerinci...) and really advanced ones for someone who feels like testing him/herself (Bank Vaults, EBay, Corners, Rifles, Kandui...)!!
- Pit Stops - This is the right off the peak at E-Bay. A playful right that can offer some cover-ups off the take-off, but mostly a high performance wave with air sections at the end. Ends in a sandy channel.
- Burgerworld - This is a mushy pointbreak righthander. Can offer barrels at times, but usually long rippable walls with many cutback sections.
- Hideaways - A very hollow left that can be very shallow at low tides. The waves come out of deep water, then unload on a shallow section of reef before barreling towards the channel.
- Bank Vaults - A heavy righthander that barrels and spits. Usually larger than most spots in the area. Watch out for clean-up sets.
- E-Bay - This is a hollow left that barrels off the take-off with a short wall down the line. A great option when a lot of swell is hitting.
- Rifles - One of the best waves in the Mentawais. A very long righthander that wraps around the other side of the same island as No Kanduis. Rarely makeable from start to finish, but even just from section to section you can get rides up to 100 yards or longer. Nice and hollow once it’s a few feet overhead, but usually more sectiony at smaller sizes.
A happy surfer Tom, one of many repeat guests, says:
You couldn't ask for better surf guides than those at WavePark Mentawai. They'll take you where the waves are! They speak fluent Indonesian and English, their surfing abilities are incredible and they respect and ARE respected by the Mentawai people. As for the waves - I'll tell you this, I was thanking them 3 times a day through my whole trip (21 days) for giving me the best waves of my life! It is a sick experience and I am returning to have another WavePark Mentawai holiday in April of 2009! See Ya in Indo.
Fishing
Hideaways Bay
Trevali, dog-tooth tuna, wahoo, spanish mackerel, barracuda, coral trout, yellowfin tuna, mahi mahi, rainbow runner, sharks and sailfish are all caught within a 10 minute trawl of the island. Generally speaking, the best time to trawl the reefs is early in the evening. If a speedboat is available, they leave at 17.30 with a cooler full of beers and sodas, and head out to the east coast of the island, where the fishing is best.
The crew is well-trained with the gaff hook, and the kitchen is prepared to get that fish in your gullet. Sashimi, sushi, ceviche, barbequed, sauteed, steamed or fried. The chefs love to cook your fish the way you imagine it. Basic fishing equipment is provided, but feel free to bring your own if you are really fussy about it!
So what is included in your stay at WavePark?
- Padang airport to hotel - return transfers for you and your surfboards in air-conditioned comfort.
- Tour guide while in Padang on call 24/7.
- Speedboat transfers from Padang - Mentawai and return (4 hours each way).
- Guided surfing and fishing speedboat service all day, every day.
- 3 meals a day, all drinks and snacks.
- Resort accommodation with twin share bedrooms including full-bath ensuite, or private beachside bungalows for couples or families.
- Access to all WavePark facilities including pool and ping-pong games room, massage services, snorkeling trips, trekking trips, photography platform, Frisbee, golf course, full bar, TV/DVD/Digital projector, satellite telephone, wireless high speed internet, resort photographer and guided coconut plantation trips.
- In 2010-11, the Mentawai Government's 10% goods and services surf resort tax is included in your daily price.
- With a maximum capacity of 14 surfers, the WavePark Mentawai surf camp guests have the entire island for their exclusive use.
Availability schedule: *as of 16 May 2011
April 14th - 25th - 7 spots
April 25th - May 5th - 8 spots
May 16th - May 26th - 1 SPOT LEFT
June 6th - June 16th - 2 spots
July 28th - August 8th - 4 spots
August 8th- 29th, special 21night trip - 3 spots
August 29th - September 8th - 2 spots
10-21 November - HELD
Do you have any further questions?
We would be stoked to assist you with organizing this great surfing holiday! If you have any further questions, please check out the resort profile for more details, send us an e-mail or give us a call on 1300 00WAVE!
What do previous guests say?
Simon (October 2010):
Christie & Alice, Am sitting in Jakarta waiting for my flight home looking at the photographs from the last 22 days … What an extraordinary trip & experience! You guys & your team were just fantastic, nothing was ever too hard & in many ways, felt like 1 big happy family in the way everyone interacted with each other. Whether we were at the bar, in the boat or out the back catching waves. As an old man (40 this month!) & this being my first Mentawai Island trip, I was inspired by so many of your ‘older’ guests who are still both charging & coming back year, after year, after year. Credit to you both … you have created a paradise … from the accommodation we stayed in to the culture of your people. Hope my running shoes that I left behind are put to great use & one of the local boys beats my island running record (1st lap 25:05, 2nd lap 23:35 = total 48:41 ). My love of surfing & travel has been re-ignited … Thanks for being the catalyst. Cheers Simon
Michael (March 2008):
I have stayed at Wavepark, in August 2007 and March 2008. Both trips to Wavepark have been excellent value! There are heaps of waves in the playgrounds area which work on different winds and swell directions. There is just about always surf to be had somewhere. The winds often change during the day making it offshore at different spots. In my view Christie and his crew have the local conditions wired. There are usually 2 trips per day to wherever they think its on. Each trip is an adventure in itself, jumping in the indo style speedboat to surf new spots with a few of your mates. Plus there is the reef called Hideaways on the island which regularly produces classic lefts. We have found that with a little effort you can usually end up scoring some great indo surf to yourself. Food and accommodation on the island are pretty cool with plenty of places to rest and refuel between sessions. Once you get surfed out, you can dive, fish, watch movies, read books, go exploring, or whatever you like on the island. Each night you can have a few beers and view the surfing photos that Christie’s wife Alice has taken during the day. I highly recommend Wavepark to anyone who wants a quality Indonesian surf trip where you can enjoy some great waves and create unforgettable memories with a few mates. Michael McCall
More Photos:
Beach Bungalow
Beach House - Bathroom
Beach House - Bedroom
Hideaways
Bank Vaults
Tikis
Hideaways Bay
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