world class waves
There is good reason why there is so much talk about The Mentawai Islands in the surfing community. Our exposure towards the vast, southern Indian Ocean provides a surfing playground with the most consistent swell in the world. With YEAR-ROUND great waves, the regular surfer will be able to score the best waves of their lives any time of the year. However, the most ideal time to surf in the Mentawais is during the dry season, late March to early November, when the Indian Ocean gifts us with fun waves for the beginners to intermediate as well as big swell perfect for the thrill seekers who like to charge . Here is a wave breakdown of the swell, waves, and conditions to help get you ready for the best surf trip of your life:
fun waves
BENG BENGS
LOCATION: 5-10 mins boat ride
ABILITY: Beginner to Intermediate
BEST SIZE: 3-6ft
A Kokos favourite due to its fun, rippablble left. It’s powerful sections allow for you to rip out some fast turns. Even though there are much superior waves, Beng Bengs is always a good time and has a magical scenary which make for some epic pics.
PITSTOPS
LOCATION: 10 mins boat ride
ABILITY: Beginner to Intermediate
BEST SIZE: 2-4ft
Pitstops is one of the most consistent, high performaning waves in the Mentawai Islands. It is a fun, semi-backwashy right hander that offers a fast and hollow tubing take-off, followed by a great rippable wall. One of the most photogenic waves in the world.
NIPUSSI
LOCATION: 20 mins boat ride
ABILITY: Intermediate- Advanced
BEST SIZE: 3-6ft
Nipussi is a powerful but mellow option in comparison to its neighbouring wave, Bank Vaults. It is a high-performance right situated inside a reef-laden cove, with consistent swell. It is one of our go to favourites when the rest of the islands are flat.
BURGERWORLD
LOCATION: 20-30 mins boat ride
ABILITY: Beginner to Intermediate
BEST SIZE: 2-3ft
Burgerworld is the wave thats on when nowhere else is happening. When the swell is under 1.5m and mid to low tide, this wave will have size and offers numerous sections to work with. There are also loads of secret spots nearby to check out.
4-BOBS
LOCATION: 20-30 mins boat ride
ABILITY: Beginner to Intermediate
BEST SIZE: 3-5ft
4 Bobs is a short, playful right-hander located in the Playground area. It is known for being a consistent and fun wave, that breaks over shallow reef and has two to three good sections.
A-FRAMES
LOCATION: 20-30 mins boat ride
ABILITY: Intermediate
BEST SIZE: 3-6ft-
A-Frames is one of the most consistent lefts where the goofy footers normally reign supreme. Situated in front of an idyllic island in the Playgrounds region. It can handle size and is made up of generally two sections to surf, the top section which throws up challenging shifting peaks and the inside section that walls up.
thrill seekers
EBAY
LOCATION: 10 mins boat ride
ABILITY: Advanced
BEST SIZE: 4-8ft
E-Bay is a fast, barrelling left that performs its best with head high or bigger swells. When a pumping west swell is marching through, E-bay is the place to be. With it’s main tube section being located straight out from two large boulders it can be intimidating to the fainthearted.
KANDUI
LOCATION: 20-30 mins boat ride
ABILITY: Advanced to Expert
BEST SIZE: 4-8ft
Kandui, also sometimes known as “No-Kandui”, is a famous world class left-handed barrel. It is obscenely hollow, fast, heavy and breaks with ferocity. It requires some good water on the reef to be safe but will dish up the best barrels of your life.
BANKVAULTS
LOCATION: 20 mins boat ride
ABILITY: Andvanced
BEST SIZE: 4-10ft
Bankvaults is a thick, challenging, hollow, barelling right. It’s ideal size is triple over-head, but also works at 3 feet. It’s a wave capable of delivering the squarest barrel of your life but can also dish out a grinding. The dangers are worth it to snag a clean, open barrel that you will be telling your mates about for a lifetime.
hideaway
LOCATION: 10-20 mins boat ride
ABILITY: Intermediate to Advanced
BEST SIZE: 4-8ft
Hideways is a left-hand barrel you will remember for life. It is one of the more consistent waves out of all the thrillseeker waves. Located in the Playground area, it has crystal clear water and and a sharp reef making it best to surf on medium to high tide.
RIFLES
LOCATION: 20-30 mins boat ride
ABILITY: Advanced
BEST SIZE: 6-8ft
Rifles is where you will catch the best barrels of your life. It is an awe-inspiring wave that barrels from start to finish. When it’s breaking properly with a hint of northwest wind you can expect four to six hundred yard right walls with numerous tube sections. It is known as one of the best waves in the world!
secret gems
Outside all the famous waves, there are tonnes of unnamed waves that provide fun, memorable sessions for all levels of surfers. We love to explore these in our down time and take our guests to some secret unknown gems during their trip.
