Wavepark

Hosting guests since 1998, the Mentawai Surf Resort is the original full service land-based surfing resort in the Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra, Indonesia. The  all inclusive price includes a private chartered speedboat transport from mainland Sumatra to Mentawai and return, guided surfing and fishing speedboat service, 3 meals a day, drinks, snacks and accommodation on the island. With a maximum capacity of 12 surfers, the Mentawai surf resort guests have the entire island for their exclusive use.

Located in northern Mentawai near the Playgrounds anchorage, the wave park offers 21 different waves to choose from that have been designated beginner, intermediate and advanced. The guides are proud of their extensive knowledge of secret Mentawai waves as well as Mentawai weather conditions; built up from the combined 20 years of experience hunting waves in the wave park area. With unrivaled speed and comfort between lineups you will get better surf, more often with fewer crowds.

The tropical island resort is built in the local style with sago palm thatched roofing and hard wood floors.  They are proud of their graduation from surf camp to resort designation, and strive to fulfill the Mentawai resort status.  The resort is government licensed to operate as an exclusive resort in the Mentawai islands until 2023, one of only 3 resorts in the world with this distinction.

This location offers the greatest selection of waves for the most varying degrees of skill in the entire Mentawai Archipelago. You won’t believe the amount and variability of the waves in the wave park.

If surfing the best waves of your life, sleeping on an exclusive tropical island, swimming, snorkeling and fishing in a gin-clear lagoon while making new friends sounds like your style, drop us a line and we’ll be happy to help you plan your next surf adventure.

One of the most important goals at the wave park is creating a Mentawai resort accommodation experience for the guests that exceed their expectations. The photographs of the resort accommodation don’t do justice to the location; the sounds of waves lapping on the shoreline 20 meters away or the sounds of birds in the jungle or palm fronds swaying in the breeze.  All of the buildings are made to feel like tropical resort accommodation, instead of feeling like a hotel anywhere else in the world.

All of the materials used for the Mentawai resort are from the Mentawai islands except the screws, bolts, nails and concrete used for the foundations and joining. All labor to build the facilities was from the partners and their families, helping to keep the expenditures and revenue streams as local as possible.

The “Park” in WavePark is just what it means. The island is 66 acres total, 9 of which have cleared and landscaped using local plants from the islands.  We hope that you will come and enjoy the locally designed, built and constructed Mentawai resort.

The WavePark contains 21 named waves, and some that we won’t talk about on this site because they are secret.  The WavePark is special within the Mentawais for these reasons: They have the highest density of good waves in the Mentawais. Every wave is within a 30 minute speedboat ride from the resort. Every wind is offshore somewhere; this means that you will always be surfing clean waves if you want to. The swell window is huge, from 240 SW through to 165 SE, the area rakes in the swell from the southern Indian Ocean. The proximity to the mainland port of Padang – on Sumatra – means less travel time for you between your home and the perfect waves. There are waves that cater every skill level, from beginner and novice clear through to professional surfers going after the cover shot.  The resort has hosted hundreds of surfers and is knowledgeable about which waves are best for which skill levels. Every difficult wave has an alternate and easier wave nearby.  This means if the group has to split up for different abilities, you can find an easier or more challenging wave within a 5 minute speedboat ride at each destination. You won’t believe the swell refraction around the islands of the WavePark until you’ve been there.

Fun Waves:

• Playgrounds: One of only two “A” frame reefs in the WavePark, the left at playgrounds gets the award for best shape. Reminiscent of lower trestles or rights and lefts at the ranch, playgrounds requires a huge swell to get above 3 ft. Very mechanical and suitable for all levels.
• Pitstops: The latest star in international surfing videos, this cute little right hander is perfect for pro boosting or novice weaving. Occasionally barrels, often peels, and always fun!
• Beng-Bengs: This left reef is the most mechanical and rippable of the WavePark waves on its day. Another all levels wave with spectacular scenery and photogenic angles, Beng-bengs is the only wave that is better the lower the tide. God send for those small days at low tide.
• Burgerworld: Just when you thought it was flat, burgerworld comes to the rescue. It’s a 45 minute drive from the resort, but burgers has been compared to a southern California point-break on its day, but with nobody out!

Intermediate waves:

• Tiki’s: A very consistent right-hand peak, Tiki’s is the most dependable surf spot in the WavePark.  Surfable at every tide and for every surfing level, this wave is very enjoyable and challenging. Very rippable.
• Candy’s: The only “other” left that is offshore in the north wind, Candy’s likes to change its mood often. Large crumbling bowls or fast hollow barrels, it’s guaranteed to be different every time you surf it.
• Hideaways: The left-hand reef-pass off the point at WavePark Mentawai is visible from every building on the resort.  A perfect left barrel, this wave eludes most without local knowledge.  Some guests come here just to surf this wave, without desire to surf any other.
• Pistols: A newly surfed and named right hander, this bowly little sweet spot has yet to be found by other guides. A sure favorite under the right conditions, barrels galore.
• Kerinci: An A-frame reef break, this is another one of our secret spots.  A thumping left barrel and a playful right wall, this wave has both beginner, intermediate and advanced waves all at one spot!
• Spankers: This wave has so many different names; it’s not possible to list them all.  An all levels wave, the right hand peak is a perfect hot-dogging wave and with the right conditions can turn into a Backdoor Pipe in its own league.

Challenging Waves:

• Rifles: A mirror image of Kandui, this right is considered by some to be the best wave in the Mentawai Islands, and sometimes the world, when ideal conditions prevail.
• Kandui: The fastest left hander you are ever likely to surf, from 4-12ft.  Good imitation of a sister wave, G-land. This is your best chance to get the barrel of your life, if you have the guts.
• Piggy Banks: We saw it, we were scared. We saw it good, we were intrigued. We saw it spitting on dry reef and we gasped! It had to be done, so we did it. Double black diamond back-door barrel, with the end section onto dry reef. Not for the faint hearted, but OH what a rush!
• Bank Vaults: Only one guess how Bank Vaults acquired its name. Think heavy steel doors, secret unlocking combinations and burly guards with smack-down attitude.
• Ebay: A world class, fun left hander, but watch out for the two rocks on the inside that look like something other than rocks.
• Corners: Being the latest addition to the WavePark repertoire, this fantastic left only breaks when the swell is out of control everywhere else. Just another world class wave that breaks a handful of days a year.

Beach Bungalow: The new beach front bungalows are only 10 meters from one of the nicest beaches in all of Mentawai. Each bungalow can sleep 4, but is optimally designed for two. Designed with respect for traditional Mentawais aesthetics, a simple thatched roofline covers the extent of the porch, living room and bedroom. With an indoor/outdoor double shower and double marble vanities with hot/cold water, the bungalows are set up to be a honeymooner’s suite. The verandah looks directly down the barrel at Hideaways, with a view of the sunset behind the wave. The bungalows also have their own DVD/Sound System.

Beach house: The original beach house was built in 2004 and finished in early 2009.  The house is situated closest to the restaurant and is only 15 meters from the beach where the speedboat is loaded for surfing.  There are board racks under and beside the house for easy access. The bedrooms are convertible from California King sized beds to two single beds, depending on the needs of the guests. The house is designed for 3 couples or 6 friends, each with their own bedroom and equipped with hot/cold showers, vanity with sink and toilet. The two bedrooms downstairs share a verandah complete with sofas and tables, overlooking the picturesque bay and the local break, Hideaways, on the western point of the island. The bedroom upstairs has its own private verandah, overlooking the bay from over 20ft. in the air.

(Prices for this location are list as Per Person)

All packages include:

• Padang airport – hotel 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 one way)
• Guided surfing and fishing speedboat service all day, every day
• 3 meals a day, all drinks and snacks (non-alcoholic drinks)
• Resort accommodation with twin share bedrooms including full bath, 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 2011 the Mentawai Government’s 10% goods and services surf resort tax is included in your daily price
• With a maximum capacity of 12 surfers, the WavePark Mentawai surf camp gives guests the entire island for their exclusive use

Wavepark – an experience and memories of a lifetime
Being a surfer who has a thousand responsibilities and as many reasons why I should be content with my home break in NZ, I had always wanted to go on a full on surf trip, but I never had been able to. When a friend suggested I have a look at Wavepark in the Mentawai Islands, I googled the website and poured over it for many hours. My son and I were both impressed, and booked our Mentawai holiday. Keeping in touch with Alice certainly made it easy, with copious emails back and forth detailing every step for us.

It was a first time experience for us both, travelling to an unknown destination, with plenty of expectations mixed with intrepidation and excitement. But what an easy journey it was! Each airport (four of them) taking us closer to our dream. Then on the final leg in the long boat, as we headed out to sea in the middle of the Indian Ocean with no land in sight, it seemed like we were a million miles from nowhere. As Manuik appeared on the horizon, we knew our destination was close by. Rounding the corner, past Hideaways, Wavepark appeared like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Stepping ashore, time stood still as a special reality set in. A week on a tropical island, awesome waves in warm water, being looked after ever so well, making new friends and just being in one of the most beautiful places on the earth was a privilege I will treasure for ever.
Wavepark more than lived up to our expectation. A week there provided us with a lifetime memory of the perfect surf trip. So much so, I look forward to returning, and living the dream again.

Neil Walker
realwalker.com
neil@realwalker.com

I have stayed at Wavepark, in August 2007 and March 2008. I have also previously done a boat trip to Mentawais. 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 ( it does happen) 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 wavesand create unfogettable memories with a few mates

Michael McCall
Barrister at Law
Richmond Chambers
mamccall@westnet.com.au

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.

As a southern Californian female surfer with my husband and two close friends, who have all been water people for many years, we were overwhelmed by the beauty and splendor of not only the waves, but the islands and their pristine waters and reefs. The Indonesian people are incredibly friendly and welcome Westerners. We often thought, how wonderful to live such a simple , uncomplicated life in a surfer’s utopia. I can honestly say, this was the BEST experience of my life, and came back a changed person. Someone with new aspirations and goals, a new stoke on surfing and getting better, in many ways. I also returned with a lot of new friends who will remain very dear to me. I only hope the more people that visit and fall in love with WavePark, the more they will want to preserve it , as I do.

A Fellow Wave Lover
aka / She Urchin Barbara Elsner
tels@earthlink.net

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,
Tom Brubaker

My WavePark Mentawai holiday was a fantastic adventure, that delivered in the wave department. We were able to surf waves in the head high + range everyday, with some larger days. Our experienced guide knew where to surf and when, as the winds can be variable in direction and strength and the tides extreme. We ate a variation of fish and local dishes that kept the experience on a more authentic level and enjoyed sleeping on solid ground each night, which was really nice as some of the charter boats had found themselves dislodged from anchor in the night when storms moved in unexpectedly. When I go back to Indo it won’t be without a stop out at the Wavepark!

Jason Brock
jbrocksd@yahoo.com

Imaginez-vous sur une île déserte, entourée de quinze vagues parfaites accessibles en trente minutes, le silence uniquement perturbé par le chant des oiseaux et le ressac des vagues. Ajoutez au cadre des conditions de vie royales : cuistot hors-pair, pilotes de la pirogue rapide disponibles pour vous faire accéder aux pics les plus parfaits et déserts possibles. Vous êtes au Wave Park Mentawai!

Nous sommes arrivés là par le plus grand des hasards et l’expérience en fut d’autant plus extraordinaire. Au programme de ces quelques jours, surf surtout, il y a toujours de quoi faire, toujours tubulaire et glassy bien sûr, mais aussi ballades, pêche et détente dans un cadre idyllique.

La démarche du propriétaire des lieux étant par ailleurs vraiment saine, avec une intégration maximale des locaux à son activité, le respect des autres surfeurs et de l’environnement d’ailleurs incroyable, je ne peux que conseiller aux surfeurs désireux de découvrir les Mentawaï autrement de passer par le Wave Park.

Nico Rousson
nicorousson@hotmail.com