Mentawai Islands are one of the most
isolated islands in West Sumatra, Indonesia.
They are underdeveloped islands. When visiting this island, you will not easily
find any modern buildings such as skyscraper buildings, beautiful houses, shopping malls, theme parks, and many more. The islands are remote, and
therefore it is difficult to come in and out of the islands. Mentawai people
rarely keep in touch with the outside world because of the remote position.
The islands are still surrounded by tropical rainforest and wild jungle. The wild nature, however, create a panoramic beauty to the islands. Especially, the relationship among the people and the forests are very strong. The people treasure the forests very much. No wonder, a strong spiritual bound among create harmony.
The islands are still surrounded by tropical rainforest and wild jungle. The wild nature, however, create a panoramic beauty to the islands. Especially, the relationship among the people and the forests are very strong. The people treasure the forests very much. No wonder, a strong spiritual bound among create harmony.
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| Pictures Mentawaiblog.blogspot.com |
Location
Mentawai
Islands are situated at the West
coast of Sumatra. The islands comprise for municipalities. They are Sipora,
Siberut, South Pagai and North Pagai. To reach the islands, you can fly by
Sebaung Merauke Air. The airplane flies from Padang to the islands. It takes
about 30 minutes flying from Padang. You can book first when you are about to
fly to the islands. Other than airplane, you can go to the island by ferry. The
ferry also departs from Padang. However, the ferry can’t operate any time. The
departure depends on weather conditions. At the moment you arrive on the islands,
you will see white coral beaches and thick rainforests. You’ll be amazed by the
beauty of the islands.
Activities
There are many activities you can do
in Mentawai Islands. The first one is surely surfing. There
are many surfing spots you can try here. Surfing can be done throughout the
year. This is because the water is perfect, the barrels are incredible and not
too crowded. Another activity you can do is trekking. When doing this activity,
you’ll see a magnificent jungle landscape. You can also try to paddle pirogues,
i.e. traditional boats used by local people. Most travellers also love learning
ancient traditions of the local people. They tend to absorb in the culture,
such as seeing a shaman cure illness of a patient. Other interesting activities
that most travellers do are snorkeling and diving. Ecotourism is also a popular
activity here. Travellers can see rare primates and natural rainforest.
Accommodations
If you decide to spend the night on
the islands, you can choose to stay in Muara Siberut. Most travellers like to
stay in the local people’s house. They sleep on the floor together with the
family in which they stay. The rate for payment definitely depends on the
negotiation. It is difficult to find a restaurant, hence, it is recommended
that you bring enough food. However, if you don’t like staying in one of the
local people’s house, you can stay in luxurious resorts, such as Mentawai
Resorts or Siloinak resorts. Otherwise, you can simply set a tent around the
villages.
Mentawai is an archipelago which has
so many interesting cultures. The local tradition makes the island so
attractive and therefore, it is not a waste visiting the beautiful Mentawai Islands.
