Mentawai Island: the Ultimate Diversity of the Hidden Paradise
January 5, 2009 by badsect
Filed under Place of Interest
Located in the middle of Indian Ocean, 150 km and takes 9 hours trip from Padang, West Sumatra-Mentawai glowing with all the nature spirits and make it an extraordinary escaping spot from a hectic life. Mentawai is the natural habitat for 16 endemic species, and some of them categorized as endangered species e.g. Simakobu monkey (simias concolor-eat leaf as primary food).
The present life of Mentawai people categorized as the legacy from Neolithic era and they have a strong believe in nature spirit, for their life strongly affected by nature. They believe that nature is the center of life. All the genuine attributes make Mentawai a perfect place to gain cultural experiences, here you will notice a very fascinating and indigenous culture, like traditional cloths, art, music and the way of life. The entire culture attributes strongly reflects their respect to nature.
Tattoo is one of the most important symbol for Mentawai people, its reflect maturity, manhood and status. The art of this body painting inherit from their ancestor. The tattoos ink naturally made from leaf.
Among the surfers, Mentawai is the best place to fill their demand for challenges and natures beauty. The beaches offer one of the highest wave in the world, 3 to 4 meters, totally challenge your gut. Once you grounded your self in this hidden Paradise Island, next you will paddle out to the worlds best surf. Dont call your self Surfer if you havent ride Mentawais waves said most of the surfer to expressed their surfing experiences in Mentawai
There are four ultimate diving spot here in Mentawai ,Siberut, Sipora, Pagai Utara (north Pagai) and Pagai Selatan (south Pagai). You can find great waves here year round, but the best waves are during dry season, March to October. Make sure you have the gut to explore all the glassy waves, because the best way to entitled your surfing experiences remarkable is through finding your own.
Getting There
- Take flight from Sukarno Hatta air port, Jakarta to Tabing air port, Padang-west Sumatra (flight served every day)
- Trip from Teluk Bayur port, Padang to Mentawai island by Ferry
Where to Stay
Lot of visitors said, that the best housing to stay is the local people house. Offer you a distinctive way of living in a unique architecture and experience interacting with local people. Other wise you could stay in a budget hotel in Siberut
Moving Around
To access all the beauties offered, you can use boat owned by local people. You can find the boat a long the beach and the rate depend on your bargaining power
Boost your taste with exotic and fresh sea foods that you can found in the local restaurants run by local people. If you are lucky enough, you can pick and cook your own sea food, but make sure you know the secret recipe/spices from Mentawais people. For those who are not sea food lover, you can find regular meals for your dining.
Souvenir Tips
Local hand made souvenirs like traditional hats, traditional bag and accessories will be genuine souvenirs for your relatives and friends. You can buy it in a souvenirs shop or buy it from local people directly.
Other Things to See or Do
Beach Activities
- sight seeing
- Diving
- Snorkeling
Cultural Activities
- Learn how to perform the Traditional dances (war dance and gratitude to nature)
- Traditional ceremonies
- Mentawai is one of the best place to conduct an Ethnographic study since its one of the oldest tribe in Indonesia
Ecotourism Activities
As the habitat for rare primate, the natural rain forest of Mentawai will be the perfect place for research or other educational purpose. Here, you can conduct research about
- Snub-nosed monkey/Simakobu (Simias concolor) monkey family eat leaf as primary food
- Joja or Lutung Mentawai (Presbytis potenziani) easily identified for the long tail, white face and black hair head
- Bokkoi atau Beruk Mentawai (Macaca pagensis)
- Kloss Gibbon/Bilou or Siamang Kerdil (Hylobates klossii) famous for the beautiful voice, different compared to general monkey
Travel Tips
- Nature and culture come to be understood and respected
- Bring your own surf board with you, because its may hard to find surf board shop in Mentawai
- You may arrange your travel using the local travel agent in Indonesia
- Great wave can be find year round, but best wave is during dry season March to October
- Bring your personal medicine
- You may arrange your visit by contact the travel agent and airline services in Indonesia
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Padang, The Paradise City
If you go to the island of Sumatra, I recommend to the city of Padang. The city has very beautiful scenery and interesting. Because this city has a feel of completeness, the beach and the mountains. The city is surrounded by mountains in the north and east of town, and on the western coast.
Padang is very easy to be visited, because the fleet of land, sea and air is very smooth available. From Jakarta by using the bus, and is about 32 hours, while the aircraft about 2 hours. Padang city is very difficult to be forgetted. I love information, which attract around Padang city. If your hobby is to the beach, the Padang is the right option in this city.
There are many coastal locations:
Padang beach. Name coastal Padang because this location is located in the middle of the city of Padang, namely Beirut highway market, we can go to the location of the walk takes about 5 minutes.
Nirvana Beach Park. Located on the edge of Padang city approximately takes 40 minutes by car. Features of this beach is the natural ecosystems that are in the vicinity of the beach such as sea shells, crabs, oysters, etc.
A bunch of sand beach is located 25 km from the city of Padang. It is this beach coconut tree at the edge of the beach. And many other coastal beaches, such as sweet water (coastal master kundang), etc. marcelinhopqd coast. 
Besides the beautiful beaches,hills and mountains, the city is very neat, clean and orderly enough. Also known also as a city famous for education in the island of Sumatra. The quality of education in this city is not lost with the island of Java. Here lies the University of Andalas, which is located on a hill. From this place we can see the views of the city of Padang and the beach from a height. There is also Bung Hatta University, which is located in jl. Ulak Karang, located in the west coast city of Padang even displaced beach sand and is very beautiful with coconut trees, which flow beautifully.The other university is Universitas Negeri Padang, locate at the center of Padang.
Fleet in the city available numbers, mini-buses, taxis also. Even my taxi rate in this city is the most orderly in Indonesia. Because we are very comfortable and secure, with the price of the rules. Padang is also one gate to the first tourist attractions in West Sumatra. As Bukit Tinggi, Solok, Padangpanjang, Mentawai and others.
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A Unique of Padang
The cuisine of the Minangkabau people is commonly called Padang cuisine, due to it being the capital and largest city of the region. Padang restaurants are common throughout the country and are famous for their spicy food and their unique way of serving it. Padang food is usually cooked once per day, and all customers choose from those dishes, which are left out on display until no food is left. It is served in small portions of various dishes, but constituting, with rice, a complete meal.
In a Padang-style restaurant, the table will quickly be set with dozens of small dishes filled with highly-flavored foods such as curried fish, fried tempeh, stewed greens, chili eggplant, curried beef liver, fried chicken, and of course, sambals, the spicy sauces ubiquitous at Indonesian tables. Customers take – and pay for – only what they want from this array of dishes. Food safety is generally a concern, as customers take food out of communal dishes with their hands, dishes which will be served to subsequent customers.
The best known Padang dish is rendang, a spicy meat stew. Soto Padang (crispy beef in spicy soup) is local residents’ breakfast favorite, meanwhile Sate (beef satay in curry sauce served with ketupat) is a treat in the evening.
