Sibon Jaya is luxurious 70-foot aluminum powered catamaran, which offers speed, stability, smooth sailing unmatched comfort and luxury amenities to provide the finest surf experience in the Mentawais. The Sibon Jaya will be based out of Padang taking groups of 10 – 12 passengers through the Mentawais. The Sibon Jaya cruises at speeds up to 13 knots allowing passengers to enjoy the Mentawais with speed and comfort. Meals have a mix of Western and Asian flair. Tuna, mackerel and mahi mahi are common ingredients with the accent on everything fresh from morning to night.
Built with large windows throughout the boat, The Sibon Jaya offers spectacular views from all angles in the living room. Overall, the boat is roomy, comfortable, and enjoyable across all areas.
Guests stay in bunk cabins with shared bathrooms below. There is an additional bathroom up on deck. The interior saloon is air conditioned with an entertainment system to keep guests occupied in between surfs, and in transit to the next spot.
There is a water-maker for a constant supply of fresh water. The power system has been fortified to accommodate the entertainment, computer and photography needs of guests sorting images.
Surf
The Mentawai Islands lie roughly 100 km off of the west coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. They consist of 4 main islands with many smaller islands scattered throughout. From north to south, the main islands are Siberut, Sipora, North Pagi, and South Pagi. These islands block most swells from reaching the mainland on Sumatra, but they offer some of the most perfect surf in the world. Access to the islands is by sea only with regular ferries to the main trading ports, but by far the best way to access the surf is by charter boat.
From up north to down south the following is a list of better known spots from which to choose (leaving out some semi-secret and un-named spots):
Ebay – A perfect barreling left that needs a bit more swell. Very scenic.
Kandui – A very fast, challenging, barreling lefthander that breaks from 3 – 12 feet, but is Triple Black Diamond over six feet.
Nokandui – A long, hollow freight-train left hander, that needs size and perfect conditions to be makeable.
4 Bobs – Short right well protected from most winds, shallow reef.
Bank Vaults – Right hander that can be a little shifty, but serves up backdoor barrels. Very heavy board snapping power with size.
Nipussi – A very consistent short fun easy right.
Scarecrows – Just another world-class lefthander that will satisfy your wildest dreams – and occasionally match your worst nightmares.
Telescopes – A long, beautiful lefthand reef pass that is out to sea and exposed, so prone to the wind. A spectacular wave.
Lance’s Left – Quality fun long left, very consistent, best with southeast wind. Can be a series of lefts if you want to push further up the reef.
Lance’s Right (HT’s) – One of the best right hand barrels in the Mentawai with a couple take off zones. Best with no wind or Northwest wind. Be careful of the “Surgeons Table” and inside area of shallow sharp reef.
Macaronis – Voted the best wave in the world by Tracks Magazine and “funnest wave” by Waves Magazine, this left hander is the star of countless surf videos. A hollow but manageable take off followed by a long wall that is often workable, or hollow. Makes the average surfer feel like a super star!
Rifles – One of the best rights in Indonesia, a long hollow wall with multiple tube sections. To make the length of the wave you must commit to riding the tube, likes the south swell and light northwest winds.
Thunders – A swell magnet and “go to” spot when the swell is small. This can be a fun long walled left with multiple tube sections, but when big provides a “Sunset” like drop that sometimes gets a bit fat and shoulders off down the line.
Rags Left – A long barreling wave that turns on during large southwest swells and has been surfed up to 15 feet.
Rags Right – This wave has been described as “a formidable opponent to your health, safety, and well-being.” Low tide is out of the question, but on a high tide and the proper swell, this is one of the thickest, hollowest tubes in the Mentawai’s.
The Hole – A fast hollow left with quick take off and hollow end section. Ends in very shallow water, better for advanced surfers.
Seasons & Weather
The Mentawai are in western Indonesia, just below the equator, so these islands are generally wetter and more lush than Bali and the islands further southeast.
The Indonesian archipelago stretches along the equator between the hot, dry Australian land mass to the south, and the hot, wet Asian land mass to the north. Indonesia’s climate is tropical and in the Mentawai there is little difference in the length of a day year around; but because of those land masses lurking above and below, Indonesia’s seasons divide in two: wet and dry.
The wet season begins in October and lasts until March, with the peak rainfall measured January and February, when high pressure flowing south from the Asian mainland combines with humid air from the Indian Ocean to bring rain throughout the archipelago – although the northern and western islands get more rain than those in the south and east.
March/April is the beginning of dry season, when high pressure over Australia pushes air north to blanket Indonesia with warm, dry air. The dry season peaks June through August, which is also in the heart of surf season.
Prime season for swell in Indonesia is the southern hemisphere winter – March/April through September/October – when low pressure systems off Antarctica and the Indian Ocean pulse ground swells toward the equator. These ground swells travel for thousands of miles, allowing them time to “unwrap,” organize and march onto the reefs of Indonesia as perfectly groomed lines.
Winds are also a factor to be considered. May through Aug/Sept typically sees easterly trades which are favorable for many of the main breaks. November through February generally sees northwesterly winds, which may not be favorable for the big name breaks, but there are waves that favor this wind direction. The shoulder or transition months of March/April and September/October will experience light and variable winds due to the changing of seasons. These months often experience glassy conditions and can be the best time to sample a larger variety of waves.
Although most of the rain falls during the wet season, rainstorms can occur at any time of year. Air temperatures range between 75° and 85° year around and water temperatures are always in that same range.
So, when is the best time? Like with so many questions the answer is: “It depends.” It depends on your desires. If you want big surf with favorable trades, May to September is probably best. If you want to experience some glassy conditions and get a few more rights and less people (but possibly sacrifice some swell size) March/April or late Sept/Oct is probably best. If you don’t mind rain but good surface conditions and smaller, clean surf with nobody else around: give the off season a try, from November to February.
Water water everywhere. Sibon Jaya custom-made platform for all kinds of ocean activities: fishing from the tender, snorkeling, free-diving, SUP. The interior and above decks areas are comfortable and shaded and perfect for lounging, reading, catching up on movies and TV shows you don’t have time for back in the modern world. Days are long in the Mentawai, and there is plenty time for reading and relaxing. Take a trip into the interior of any island for an unparalleled cultural experience!
On/off site activities include:
- Snorkeling
- Fishing
- Free-diving
- SUP
- Watching movies
- Relaxing
Contact information:
handraharbi@gmail.com
or +6281374006060
