Client feedback: May - June 2011

G'day friends,

We have received some great feedback on some of our offered resorts and boats recently and we thought we'd share it! They are all recent - no more than 3 weeks old:

Coconuts Beach Club (Samoa):

"Had the best time at Coconuts Resort. Arrived at 5.30AM. Great breakfast then in the surf with Neil (Manoa tours) at 8.30AM. 4-5 feet perfect lefts mirror glass ocean Just Neil and me for as long as I could take it. The local surfers were out on the next few surfs, and they were very friendly, waves were shared and there were not always a lot to go around. (3 days good surf out of 6,other days too small) Back at mid day for lunch. The food (especially the Tuna) was world class. Mika (he runs the restaurant) is an American chef and every dish was superb (So many choices!). The local Valima beer is cold and good. My wife and kids loved the pool, the sight seeing, the people. Saturday is cultural exchange day at Coconuts and it is very genuine not just a pantomine for tourists. All the villagers are involved with the resort. No Television was suprisingly OK with my girls 8+12 years, exhausted from the daily adventures."

Kim

Chillhouse / Padang Padang Surf Camp:

"I had a very good time for someone travelling to Bali and Sumbawa for the first time. Accomodation was great and food was really great too. Indonesia is really a surfing heaven, and is easy going in most parts too. I would be keen to go back as its so cheap over there! Perfect wave had everything organised for me so all transfers were taken care of, all I had to do was work on surfing better!"

Tom

KM D'Bora (Mentawai Islands surf charter boat):

"It was all good and we are planning next years trip already after only being back for five days... both last years and this years trip on the D'Bora were perfect and the waves outstanding! There may be other good vessels and resorts out there but we were lucky to strike the D'Bora first up. Legend boat, crew and shore staff! The fact that there are added benifets on this vessel by meeting and helping the local Mentawai people setting up fresh water filtration units only adds to the experience of surfing the best waves in the world. One very stoked fella as I know the rest of the team are!! The Perfect Wave have been great as well! Totally professional and friendly service! We will be booking for next year real soon!"

Rick

Huey 1 (Mentawai Islands surf charter boat):

"Rhonda at Perfect Wave travel organised everything from start to finish and the whole trip ran like clockwork. Huey Surf Charters were unreal. The captain Steve Sewell knew the place like the back of his hand and in particular tipped us into spots that were pumping with minimal crowds. I still cant get over how many surfs I had on my own or with only a couple of guys out. I actually surfed Maccaronis on my own for and hour and then another hour with only my son and I. Although the Huey wasnt able to travel, Sewelly organised another boat which was more than adequate, and his staff were fantastic, Karool the cook was awesome and Amon the fist hand couldnt try any harder to help anyone out and never stopped smiling. Overall an awsome experience for my first trip to the Mentawais."

Steve

Holiday Inn Kandooma (Maldives):

"G'day Jamie, Mate thanks for every thing you and Marie done for us in planning our honeymoon/surf trip. The duplex they put us in was true to your word absolutely amazing, right on the take off zone for the right. The staff at the resort are very welcoming and can't do enough for you. We managed to get three good days of surf, two out the front where Charlie and myself were the only ones out exchanging head to head and a half barrels for about 3hrs. The other days were smaller but still really fun. Mate i can't speak highly enough of Charlie as a surf guide, the resort seems to attract some very average surfers but he manages to keep them all happy and get everybody there fair share of waves. The only down fall about the trip was that we had to leave after 10 days, another 10 would of been perfect... Jamie thanks again to you and your staff and as the second trip we've booked through you we have not been disappointed yet. Speak to you soon for the next adventure."

Joel and Janelle

"Hi! We have been to Kandooma with two children (2 and 6 y/o). The Duplex villa was really nice and well located in front of the break! The food was excellent and people from the kid's club very friendly as all the staff. We travelled at the very beginning of the surf season, but the quality of the waves was pretty good, nice people in the water."

Alessandro

"The trip was great, We got waves almost every day and were in the water for around 8 hours. the resort was beautiful as well as the food and drinks, And staff are excellent Thanks a lot for helping with the organisation of everything, Its greatly appreciated. I will be telling my friends about you guys. Kind Regards"

David

Hudhuran Fushi (Maldives):

"A great surf holiday is when your wife enjoys it even more than yourself and is happy to do it again!"

Rick

Tengirri (Mentawai Islands surf charter boat):

"Hi Rhonda Would guess the other guys have probably been in touch by now but I just wanted to drop my two cents worth in regarding our trip onboard the Tengirri. Where to begin… right from the start with the pick up at the airport the guys where more than accommodating taking me into town to pick up some gear before dropping me of at the hotel . The welcome onto the boat was great the crew keen and friendly. We were made to feel comfortable and at home right off the bat . Phil and the crew dropped us straight into the surf the next day and every day for the whole 11 days. Phil ever ready to motivate us oldies into the water. Fantastic waves ,fantastic food and fantastic service I doubt that there would be more you could ask for . The food a great mix of western and Indonesian and never the same twice,quite the achievement on a boat. I can recommend Donald’s sashimi ability to any one, the tuna a delight under the beer tent. I feel that I can speak for all when I say we would highly recommend travelling through the Mentawai Islands with this Crew I would appreciate you passing my thanks to Phil, Oscar, Donald, Inn and Benny for providing such a memorable holiday."

Brett

Haira (Maldives - Male Atolls surf charter boat):

"We had an amazing experience in the Maldives! The surf was perfect the whole time and we even managed to score a few epic sessions with just our crew out. It truly is a remarkable place, the captain and crew were great and the snorkelling was fantastic too. We will definitely return! Shukuriyya :)"

Michael

"Thanks so much!! Counting down the seconds till i can get myself over there again! Would definatly use Perfect Wave (Particular thanks to Jamie!) again.. Food = Great, Waves = Amazing, Location = Beautiful and couldnt ask for more from our surf guide, Brian. (knew where and when to get the waves, easygoing, and on top of that a good, fun guy) Thankyou ALL again."

Sean

Hamathi (Maldives - Male Atolls surf charter boat):

"Hi Rhonda It was awesome! Thank you very much. My arms are still in pain from all the paddling. The crew and Marty were great. Keep us in the loop on any other interesting trips you have going"

Scott

"The trip was great, surfed until my arms couldnt move. Clearest water i have ever been in and the amount of marine life amazed me. The boat is great, plenty of room and great crew."

Aaron

Melaleuca - one of the best-value boats in the Mentawai Islands

G'day friends,

after we received raving testimonials from our clients that went to Mentawai Islands on board Melaleuca, we decided we could perhaps tell you something more about the boat, post some images and show you that you can go on a 11-night surf charter boat in the Ments for under AU$2000 (late-season 2011 charters for as low as AU$1583 for a large group bookings - as of 30 May 2011) without compromising on quality!

MV Melaleuca is a new boat - built just in 2007. While it is not the fastest vessel in the area (speedboat Peluru takes the victory there), it is spacious, clean, safe and very comfortable. We have been on it and loved it!

The total capacity is 12 surfing-hungry, excited people (but can depart will less - please ask us for specific details) in two 3-bed cabins and three 2-bed cabins. 

The boat's best part, however, is not the space, great value for money, chance to surf world-class waves and not even the main salon, equipped with comfortable couches, a bar, a flat screen TV, DVD player and stereo - it is the crew! Regardless of whether we sent a group of young blokes in their 20s or surfing "veterans" in their 50 or 60s, they all raved about the guys - the surf guide Terry, the chefs , the captain K. Saragih ...

Your surf guide is Terry Beathe who is an expert on Mentawai Islands and will get you to uncrowded quality breaks during your trip. He's done 22 winters in Indonesia and with a lot of guiding work on boats and land during this time. His total experience spans over 38 years working in the surfing industry: glassing, shaping, life-guard duties and, of course, guiding. His qualifications include Certificate I in Maritime Duties, Senior First Aid Certificate, Licence Still-water Lifeguard, Licence Padi Diver and he also speaks Indonesian. At present, he is studying for his Master 5 Captain's Certificate.

They all know the area very well and will get you to the most suitable surf breaks depending on the swell, wind conditions and your surfing ability. The food is never the same - variety that is amazing considering you are on a boat. 

Availability schedule and more info on the boat: *as of May 30th, 2011

Click HERE for more information.

• The above prices are based on exclusive charter bookings - minimum of 10 persons required.
• Regular individual prices for 2012 season are: US$2,200/peak and US$1,999/off-peak season per person (Early Bird special - the price wil go up on June 2nd, 2011) with minimum of 6 persons required for the boat to depart.
• Regular individual prices for 2011 season are: US$1,900 per person (off-peak).
• Price is per person in AUD and subject to foreign exchange fluctuations.
• Please click "Enquire Here" to email us or call us on 1300 00WAVE to speak with one of our friendly consultants.

What is included in your surf trip with The Melaleuca?

• 10 days/11 nights (unless otherwise specified) air-conditioned accommodation in one of two 3-bed cabins and three 2-bed cabins.
• All transfers to/from Padang Airport to/from port.
• 3 hearty meals a day, plus snacks and beverages.
• 3 beers per person per day.
• Mentawai zone permits.
• Use of onboard equipment.

What do previous guests say?

"Dear Jamie, Thank you for organizing our recent surf charter on the Melaleuca. I just thought I would let you know that I was one of the group of 8 that was on the boat for this surf charter. The boat and the crew were excellent. We had surf every day that we were on the boat and the food that was prepared by the crew was of very high quality. Also the surf guide Terry, I am not sure of his second name, was excellent and fitted in with our group. I would certainly recommend the boat and the crew that we had including the surf guide to any person contemplating a surf charter to the Mentawai Islands. Thanks once again"

 

Bruce

"Melaleuca crew were bloody awesome."

Charles

"Thanks to the guys at The Perfect Wave for organising an excellent trip. Jamie Gray did a great job with the organising of the trip and in particular answering of all our "stupid" questions that we threw at him. The trip went smoothly without any dramas whatsoever. Terry, the guide on the Melaleuca again proved he is an expert in the Mentawais by getting us into good and relatively uncrowded waves throughout the whole trip. All the boys had a great time and the majority of us will most likely be back soon." 

Jason

"All 8 of us on the trip gave it a 10 out of 10. Must also say our surf guide Terry was awesome and helped make the trip of a lifetime. We would not want to do another trip unless we could have Terry as our guide and Jamie as our consultant. The food was fantastic, every day different. We could not ask for more. GREAT SURF EVERY DAY - most days having 3 surfs." 

John

"We were 8 kiwi guys 50 to 63 years of age who had never had a boat trip,so our decision to travel to the mentawai islands was a toss up for our first trip! Wow so stoked we went there, Our whole adventure from go to wo was awesome! Waves Boat n food! haha! Great crew n surf guide, We all gave this trip 10 out of 10 and me personally i could have had another 3-5 days without any worry! Cheers" 

Mike

"The trip was fantastic we had great waves and the boat was very comfortable and the crew great, the major factor was the surf guide Terry Beathe who slotted right in and made for a great trip, all in all trip of a life time!" 

Brent

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Client testimonials - May 2011

G'day friends,

We have received some great feedback on some of our offered resorts and boats recently and we thought we'd share it! They are all recent - no more than 2 weeks old:

Caroline Islands Surf Tours:

"We stayed at the Kosrae Surf Camp over the Christmas 2010/New Year 2011 period. Troy was the only surfer staying at the resort until the end of our trip. He was spoilt with the best waves he's ever had in his life. Absolutely loved this place. Fantastic surf, accommodation and tour guides - Matt and Meg, did everything to make sure that we experienced the island and had fun. On our way home we also got to stay a night in Guam, which is a really cool place too. Would highly recommend booking a trip to Kosrae, Caroline Islands through the Perfect Wave!" 

Troy and Michelle

Melaleuca (Mentawai Islands surf charter boat):

"Dear Jamie, Thank you for organizing our recent surf charter on the Melaleuca. I just thought I would let you know that I was one of the group of 8 that was on the boat for this surf charter. The boat and the crew were excellent. We had surf every day that we were on the boat and the food that was prepared by the crew was of very high quality. Also the surf guide Terry, I am not sure of his second name, was excellent and fitted in with our group. I would certainly recommend the boat and the crew that we had including the surf guide to any person contemplating a surf charter to the Mentawai Islands. Thanks once again"

Bruce

 

"Melaleuca crew were bloody awesome."

Charles

"Thanks to the guys at The Perfect Wave for organising an excellent trip. Jamie Gray did a great job with the organising of the trip and in particular answering of all our "stupid" questions that we threw at him. The trip went smoothly without any dramas whatsoever. Terry, the guide on the Melaleuca again proved he is an expert in the Mentawais by getting us into good and relatively uncrowded waves throughout the whole trip. All the boys had a great time and the majority of us will most likely be back soon." 

Jason

"All 8 of us on the trip gave it a 10 out of 10. Must also say our surf guide Terry was awesome and helped make the trip of a lifetime. We would not want to do another trip unless we could have Terry as our guide and Jamie as our consultant. The food was fantastic, every day different. We could not ask for more. GREAT SURF EVERY DAY - most days having 3 surfs." 

John

"We were 8 kiwi guys 50 to 63 years of age who had never had a boat trip,so our decision to travel to the mentawai islands was a toss up for our first trip! Wow so stoked we went there, Our whole adventure from go to wo was awesome! Waves Boat n food! haha! Great crew n surf guide, We all gave this trip 10 out of 10 and me personally i could have had another 3-5 days without any worry! Cheers"

Mike

"The trip was fantastic we had great waves and the boat was very comfortable and the crew great, the major factor was the surf guide Terry Beathe who slotted right in and made for a great trip, all in all trip of a life time!"

Brent

Holiday Inn Kandooma (Maldives):

"Hi Marie, We came back yesterday from Kandooma and I wanted to thank you for the time you spend organising with us our honeymoon. We had an amazing trip. The resort is really beautiful, the rooms are great. We also have the chance to have waves everyday and Kandooma right is really an amazing wave with never more than 5-6 people n the water."

Romain

"It was a great trip the weather was great the surf got better by the day and was fantastic at the end. The resort was exellent and so are the staff. Made some friends for life. Thanks Jamie and Charlie and thanks very much Gina. Cheers"

Steve 

"Hi there! Yes can' t believe we've been back a week! Mate it was fantastic!, surf not great but picked up at end of week and where our villa was it was just a stumble across the sand. All good, food was great we thought - had not expected it to be so good, but I was suprised how reasonable it was for price - and try as I might I could not drink my way through the premium package :-)! but it was lovely. The deck was great to chill out on and the kids had a great time and did not want to leave. Have passed your details on to a load of people so hopefully there are some coming your way. Thanks again for all your help. The attention to detail, especially when am trying to figure out what will suit the kids was great. Cheers "

Jo 

Tengirri (Mentawai Islands surf charter boat):

"Hi Rhonda, Just wanted to thank you for setting us up with Phil & his crew on Tengirri. Phil documented our trip with his camera & video which was nothing short of the professional. The boat was very comfortable with all the luxurys you would ever need for a good trip in the Mentawais. Phil had us at the best surf with the minimum amount of guys in the water all the time. He was always keeping us up to speed with where we were going next and what to expect. Oscar the Captain is a Master 5 captain that comes from the Mentawais. Phil certainly has a the best Captain in the islands. Donald the cook blew us away with his cooking. Surfed my heart out and came back to Perth 1kg heavier. Inn & Benny the crew were always waiting close by to get us whatever we needed. After looking at the other top end boats I was happy to see that we were on the best boat out there for up to eight guys. Thanks again for getting us onto such a good boat."

Rod 

MV Addiction (Mentawai Islands surf charter boat):

"Another great trip to the Metawais organised by Rhonda. Addiction is a great boat, friendly crew, with skipper Eric having expert local surf break knowledge. Perfect Waves every day!"

Lou

"Hi Rhonda We're all back in one piece after an outstanding trip on Addiction. Eric and the crew were fabulous, boat was perfect, surf was great. Only concern was we had to evacuate a surf guide from another boat back to Padang from Macca's (we were only fast boat there) on Sunday after he suffered a horrendous head injury - basically scalped himself on the reef on a heavy wave. He is now ok after surgery but it could have ended very badly. All in all a fabulous trip. Thank you to you Rhonda and the team for making it all happen. I'm sure we will be back. Expect to hear from 2013 Tour Leader Mattie down the track. Best regards"

Doug

The Naga Laut

The Naga Laut is one of the best-value boats in Mentawai Islands - the surfers' Mecca. It started its journey in the late 1999 and has been continually improved, while the crew has been providing consistently good service ever since. With a strong Aussie dollar, you can jump on board and have a surf trip of your lifetime for as low as AU$2,226 (*as of 6/MAY/2011 - prices subject to exchange rates change).

You are taken care of from the moment you land in Padang. They will transport you to the boat from the airport, take you to the best surf breaks in the area and provide quality meals all the way. The boat is specifically built for surf trips and it has all modern equipment - full air-conditioning, new satellite phone iridium, TV, DVD, VCD, fridge, freezer, fishing and snorkeling gear and safety gear.

The capacity is 10 surfers in 5 twin-share individual cabins with air-conditioning and there is also a large living area where you will enjoy Indonesian, Italian and Chinese cuisine with your beers (and 4 per day/person are complimentary). Tea, coffee, bottled water and snacks are always on hand.

The Perfect Wave is running several exclusive charter in the peak season aboard this vessel and there are still some prime-time spots available. Exclusive special: Book for 9 guys and the 10th person travels for FREE.

Availability schedule and more info on the boat:

Please see it HERE.

What is included in your surf trip with The Naga Laut?

• 10 days/11 nights onboard Naga Laut (unless otherwise specified).
• All transfers to/from Padang Airport to/from port.
• Air-conditioned single berth on board Naga Laut.
• All meals, drinking water, hot drinks.
• Sodas, juice & 4 beers per day.
• All necessary zone permits.
• Use of basic fishing and snorkelling equipment, speargun & shore excursions.
• US$3/day Mentawai Government Tax.

What do previous guests say?


Simon (May 2010):

Hey Jamie, Just wanted to let you know that I had a good trip but didn’t really get any good swell. We had 3 days in the middle of the trip but the other days were generally small but still fun. The crew of the Naga Laut were excellent and really looked after us. Every crew member did there best to make it a good trip for us. Could you please let Seb know what a great crew he has on the Naga Laut. Thank you again for organising the trip. 

Mike (June 2009):

The trip was absolutely fantastic. I have been on four trips to Indo in the last five years and this was the best trip by far and I will definitely be back. I didn't get the biggest waves of my life nor the biggest barrels but the end product was unreal. The crew are helpful with a cautious captain organising our travel around the Mentawais. The boat was well above my expectations. I do have a motto "low expectations gives you a high success rate". The surf is safe as the waves break into deep water including Rifles, Maccas and HTs on a higher tide. On the second day I was lucky enough to surf 5 different breaks in one day that incorporated almost 9 hrs of surf time. What more do you want in a day.......Several bintangs and four huge meals .......and of course fruit in between with a Pooh man Nomination!!!!!!! (Pooh man - too long a story for this email) Not to forget some light humorous conversation after dark…. 

Susie (July 2008)

To Jamie and Rhonda at the Perfect Wave, Just thought I'd let you know, Stephen had a fantastic time on the surf trip. Thankyou to you both for your efforts with such a rush job. Stephen said everything ran smoothly. He raved about the waves, the boat, he said the staff on the boat were fantastic, friendly and helpful and couldn't do enough for you. Said the food was like restaurant food, and plenty of it. He honestly couldn’t fault anything. He had an absolute ball. Loved every minute of it. Didn’t end up using one of his flights (from Padang to Jakarta) as the captain of the boat managed to get him on the flight from Padang to KL, which worked out better for him as he was with all the boys. Once again, thankyou so much for everything. You definitely do your jobs very well and I know for sure Stephen would recommend you guys to anyone he hears of wanting a great surf trip. 

Joel (January 2008):

Waves could have been better as i have been to the Ments before and but we surfed everyday and there was a couple of days that were really good. The boat and the crew were awesome, with captain and crew doing everything a guest would want from them and more. The food was wicked and the beers always cold. Yanto the guide was onto it everyday with a plan and also took some great photos of us in the surf. I will defiantly book the Naga again. Thanks to The Perfect Wave to as from the moment we first talked to Jamie to the call when we got back, you were great to deal with and very professional. All our travel was painless and no hiccups at all. Thanks again to everyone and look forward to next years trip with you guys.

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