As the area is predominantly known for swell and surf, safe anchorages are a must and there are areas in all of the major island groups where yachts can anchor in a quiet harbour or on the lee side of an island, while still being a short boat ride away from a beautiful beach or incredible surf.
With its location near to Singapore, there are several entry points into Indonesia accessible in Sumatra, with Belitung or Padang being two options on the east and west coasts respectively. There are no National Parks in these islands, however, for each mini-region a yacht visits, such as Nias or the Mentawais, the vessel must report to the local harbour master and police in order to register her presence in the area to help avoid any unnecessary hassles.
Indonesia’s Surf Hotspot
The main attractions in Sumatra are the world-class surf breaks found all along the off shore islands of the west coast. The Mentawai islands are perhaps the most famous waves in Sumatra, yet they offer relatively uncrowded breaks due to their remote location. A full service expedition yacht can make the most of the area by accessing islands that are even more remote than the Mentawais; these include Enggano, Nias, and Panaitan, where the waves only see a handful of surfers each year. The area truly is a hidden paradise for surfers with beautiful white sand beaches, tropical blue water, and world-class waves.
The original settlers of Mentawai and Nias island groups are culturally distinct from later “Indonesian” settlers and their way of life is stilll intact. There are several native tribes who still live a very basic way of life and their traditions are much different from typical Indonesian villages.
For kayakers and snorkellers, the beaches and small tropical islands in the Mentawai group offer endless opportunities for exploration. The region is also perfect for beach lovers interested in isolation and privacy, with long stretches of pure white sand lined with picturesque palm trees,. Although scuba diving in the Mentawais is not the main focus, there are still many areas with coral reefs that can quench the appetite of eager divers and snorkellers who want a marine activity to break up their day relaxing on the beach.
“The Lighthouse Consultancy are so helpful for everything a super yacht and crew could ever need. The provisioning team go above and beyond the norm, questions and requests are answered promptly and nothing seems to be too hard for them. I have no hesitation recommending this team to any super yacht that is cruising Indonesia. Thanks so much for your amazing service”
Lighthouse assisted Andromeda with complicated research for a broad-ranging Indonesian itinerary. Requests included: itinerary development, physical inspection of multiple destinations, arranging all logistics in support of +100m yacht and most challengingly seeking flight permits for the yacht’s own helicopter.
“We arrived in Indonesia with a lot of concerns…but we shouldn’t have worried. The amount of personal investment and time each and every one of Andy’s team members invested in our Indonesian experience prior to our arrival, showed within minutes.”
I could not recommend the Lighthouse Consultancy highly enough for any yacht venturing through the Indonesian archipelago. They make an impossibly challenging and remote destination as stress free as possible.
“Simply put, MY Eileen could not have achieved anything without the resourcefulness and dedication Andy and his team put in day in day out whilst we were in Indonesia. We found ourselves in an unfortunate technical difficult period and I have to say that Andy’s support was world class, if not possibly the best service I have ever received from an agent anywhere in the world.”
