Surfing South Mentawai

Left Reef · Best Apr-Oct · 3-8 ft · Crowd 4/5

SW swell, NW-N wind

Macaronis is a left in a mangrove corner of North Pagai, and it's often described as one of the most fun waves in the world. It breaks the same way all day: a barrel section at the takeoff and then a long wall for turns.

It suits a wide range of surfers. Good tube riders get barrelled on the first section, others use the end section for turns and airs, and strong intermediates can have a great time on the shoulder. 3-6ft is the best size, with NW-N winds, and because the takeoff is so predictable the crowd takes turns fairly easily.

The Macaronis Resort sits on the wave and many charters stop here, so you won't have it to yourself. Bring your best shortboard and spare fins, because the inside is hard on them.

Right Reef · Best Apr-Oct · 3-10 ft · Crowd 4/5

SW swell, N-NW wind

Lance's Right, also called HT's after the hollow trees that used to mark it, breaks off Katiet on Sipora. It's a clear, hollow right barrel, and you've probably seen it in surf photos and ads.

It throws right away at the peak, there's a big barrel in the middle and then a very shallow section at the end called the Surgeon's Table, which has injured a lot of good surfers. 4-8ft of SW swell, N-NW winds and mid tide give the best conditions. On bigger days the takeoff moves and it gets more dangerous.

The lineup is full of resort guests, charter crews and sometimes photo shoots, so manners matter. Bring a step-up and wear booties.

Left & Right Reef · Best Apr-Oct · 4-10 ft · Crowd 2/5

S-SW swell, NE wind

Thunders is a heavy left on the South Pagai reef. From the boat you can hear the sets break, and on the wave you get long, powerful walls that need a lot of stamina.

It picks up more swell than anywhere else in the south. When other spots are small, Thunders is often still overhead. Sections keep coming, with room for turns and barrels when the tide is right. NE winds clean it up, and it works from 4ft to 10ft.

You can only reach it by boat, so the lineup is usually just the people on your boat and one or two others. Bring a step-up.

Left Reef · Best Apr-Oct · 4-10 ft · Crowd 2/5

SW swell, E-NE wind

Greenbush is a left on South Pagai that goes from deep water to very shallow reef in one step. It throws a thick barrel over coral, with the jungle right behind it.

It's for expert tube riders only. The takeoff is critical and there is no shoulder: the wave is the barrel. Guides only take people there when everything is right, with 4-8ft of SW swell, E-NE wind, the right tide and a capable group.

Photographers love it for the jungle backdrop. Bring a barrel board and a spare, wear booties and think about a helmet.

Left Reef · Best Apr-Oct · 3-10 ft · Crowd 3/5

SW swell, NE-E wind

Lance's Left is on the other side of the peninsula from Lance's Right, on Sipora. It's less famous but handles more size and more wind, with long, lined-up walls, and many people surf it more than the Right.

You take off on a shifting peak, link three or four sections and finish deep in the bay. At 4-8ft it's fine for advanced surfers; above 10ft it's the main big-wave option in the south. It works in NE-E winds, which blow out the Right, so the two waves cover each other.

There are several takeoff spots, so the crowd spreads out. It sometimes barrels, but mostly it's a wave for turns. Bring a step-up with good paddle.

Left Reef · Best Apr-Oct · 3-8 ft · Crowd 3/5

SW swell, SE-E wind

Telescopes is a left in central Sipora that runs down the reef in a very regular way: from the takeoff you can see the next three sections lining up ahead of you.

It's one of the best lefts in the islands for turns, with barrels at the top and on the inside, and it's predictable enough to plan your next move. It works at 3-8ft on SE-E winds, and mid tide makes more waves makeable.

It's well known and there's only one takeoff, so it gets crowded. Go early or time your sessions between charter groups. Bring a fast shortboard.

Left Reef · Best Apr-Oct · 4-10 ft · Crowd 2/5

SW swell, E-NE wind

Iceland is a big left in central Sipora, lumpy and shifting, breaking over deep reef that lets the full Indian Ocean swell through.

When swells reach 6-10ft and the more precise waves max out, Iceland keeps working, with long, powerful walls, some hollow sections and big paddle-in drops. The lumps and shifts mean experience and positioning count for a lot.

E-NE winds clean it up and the channel is wide. It doesn't look great on camera, which keeps the crowd small. Bring a proper step-up, around 6'8".

Left Reef · Best Apr-Oct · 3-8 ft · Crowd 2/5

SW swell, NE wind

Scarecrows is a shifty left peak in central Sipora. From the channel it looks easy, but the takeoffs wedge and the inside gets fast, and it catches out people who aren't paying attention.

For intermediate and advanced surfers it's a good wave: peaks that split both ways off the wedge, fast sections that force you to choose your line, and conditions that change a lot with the tide. It works at 3-8ft, and NE winds are fine.

When Telescopes is crowded and Iceland is too lumpy, it takes the overflow and often does better than expected, especially on medium swells. Everyday shortboard.