Busy planning a Mentawai surf trip and trying to figure out what level of surfer you need to be to enjoy this incredible string of islands and surf breaks?
Well here’s our mini guide so you can make the most of everything the Mentawai Island has to offer!
Mentawai Surf – What Level Do You Have To Be?
World Class Breaks
When you think of Mentawai surf spots the world class breaks immediately spring to mind – spitting pits at perfect Kandui, heavy lips at Bank Vaults and reeling lefts and Macaronis.
And its true, the Ments is full of epic, pumping waves – it’s what put this island chain on the surf map and why so many iconic surf clips are filmed here!
So if you are an advanced or expert surfer there’s no doubt that the Mentawai Islands will leave you spoilt for choice and you can score the wave of your life here everyday!
Intermediate Waves?
There is however, a solid selection of more forgiving waves that are ideal for intermediate surfers or if you’re wanting a bit more of a mellow session.
Spots like Beng Bengs (one of our personal favourites!), Burger World, Good Times and 4 Bobs all offer more fun, forgiving waves over deeper reefs, which are ideal for those looking to progress and push their surfing skills to the next level
Swell Conditions
As with pretty much every surf spot on the planet, the swell conditions are going to have a huge say in what level of surfers can handle the spots.
Even mellow breaks like Beng Bengs can handle some serious size and be un-suitable for lower end surfers.
With this side of things it’s being aware of your own limitations and skill level. It’s one thing pushing your limits and progressing, it’s another to paddle out in something way out of your league and putting yourself in danger – so put the ego aside and assess the conditions before you jump off the boat!
Shoulder Season
If you’re at the intermediate stage and wanting to surf the Mentawai Island another solid choice would be to head there during the shoulder season – which runs from October to March.
This way you’ll avoid the huge, pumping swells that light up all the big, barreling spots and you can score some more mellow, fun swells.
Not only are the waves more manageable, but there are less crowds too – so its a win win situation!
The Better You Are – The Better The Experience
The bottom line is, the more surf experience you have, the better your experience surfing the Mentawais is going to be.
At the very minimum you’ll need to be confident catching unbroken waves and performing basic top and bottom turns – as well as being aware o surf etiquette and being able to handle yourself safely in a lineup.
We’d also strongly recommend getting some experience surfing reef breaks before heading to the Mentawai Island too – its a whole different ball game than beach breaks and point, and although in some respects it comes with a lot of advantages, you need to be able to keep yourself (and other surfers!) safe when surfing them.
