Mentawai The Surfers Paradise

Mentawai Islands District is a district located islands stretching dibahagian most western island of Sumatra and is surrounded by the Indian Ocean.

Mentawai Islands are part of a series of non-volcanic islands and island groups are the tops of the mountains back the sea.

Mentawai Island

Mentawai Tribe in the main population in this district, people generally do not have a clear picture of their origin, although some of them know some of the mythology that is sometimes a bit vague and hard to believe. Local people call their country by the name of the Earth Sikerei.

Most of the residents and the islands in the Mentawai Islands district comes from the island of Siberut. Physical Society Mentawai tribe has an ancient culture that is somewhat Neolithic era in which the public would not know metal working technology, so is the art of farming and weaving.

Half the people in this district are adherents of animism, and some are Christians and Muslims. After the independence of people in this district have been mingling with the tribes of other races in Indonesia, especially after the district has become one of the transmigration areas.

Endemic Animals

Mentawai monkey, Macaca pagensis
Pig Tailed Monkey, Simias concolor
Kasturi Mentawai squirrel, Tupaia chrysogaster
Mentawai gibbon, Hylobates klossii
Mentawai langur, Presbytis potenziani
Rat Pagai Duri, Maxomys pagensis
Giant Rat Sipora, Leopoldamys siporanus
Nyingnying Mentawai, Chiropodomys karlkoopmani
Mentawai rat, Rattus lugens
Mentawai flying squirrel, Iomys Sipora
Sipora flying squirrel, Hylopetes Sipora
Siberut flying squirrel, Petinomys lugens
Brother Squirrel, Sundasciurus fraterculus
Black squirrels, Callosciurus melanogaster
Three-striped-tailed squirrel, Lariscus obscurus
Sambar, Cervus unicolor Oceanus
Owl Mentawai, Mentawai Otus
Mentawai Snake, Calamaria klossii

Mentawai Monkey, Macaca pagensis

Mentawai wave

How To Get Here

Some surfers and tourists use the ferry departed from the Padang City to get to the Mentawai Island.

The city of Padang is the largest city on the west coast of Sumatra Island and is the capital of West Sumatra Province, Indonesia.

Since the colonial Dutch East Indies, the city of Padang has become a major port in the trade of gold, tea, coffee, and spices. Entering the 20th century, the export of coal and cement started to be done through Gulf Ports Bayur.

The name of this town was referred to another term for ethnic Minangkabau, and used also to refer to their cuisine, which is generally known as the Padang Cuisine.

The city of Padang has several port area, recorded since 1770, departed from the port city as much as 0.3 billion and 0.2 billion carry pepper gold guilders per year. Muara Port is now working to serve sea transport for medium-size ships, especially for purposes into or from the Mentawai Islands regency and the surrounding region. While the Gulf port for sea freight Bayur serving size of a large ship either to other cities in Indonesia and abroad. Bay Harbor Bayur began operating in 1892, and previously named Emmahaven. Now both the port is managed by PT Pelindo II.

By 2005, Tabing Airport serves the air transportation Padang with other cities, along with the increasing passenger demand but the airport can not accommodate the large-body aircraft and its position is also hindered Pangilun Mountain and Mount Sariak so pengembanganya be limited. Then on June 23, 1999 set a new location penganti this airport. With the completion of Minangkabau International Airport in Ketaping, Padang Pariaman district, civil aviation was transferred to the new airport.

so here is the Track you must go to.

1. Jakarta

If you went from another country, you'll be departed in to Jakarta first or Soekarno - Hatta International Airport

2. Padang

After you arrive at Soekarno - Hatta International Airport you must continued it to the Padang City. You can check the local flight there or if you wanna some adventure in Indonesia, you can go to the bus terminal at Lebak Bulus terminal or Kp. Rambutan Terminal to continue your travel by land route.

3. Mentawai

Arrive in Padang City approximately one and a half hour with the flight or one half day by land route. In Padang, you can check in at the hotel to get some rest because the Journey still continue. but if you had strength enough to continue the journey in that day, don't waste your time, get to the Pelabuhan Muara(Muara Harbour), to sail with the ferry ship to the Mentawai Island.

besides offering waves for the lovers of surf, Mentawai also presents the sights and some resorts are worth visiting with family or with your beloved for honeymoon.

Mentawai Tattoos

Mentawai Tattoos Process

Mentawai tattoos Process 2

Mentawai tattoos including the world's oldest tattoo art, tattoos and even older than Egypt. Unfortunately, now only a small fraction Mentawai tribes who still defend it. This is due to the Government ban on the development of the teachings of animism in the past. Tattooing is one of the cultural product which is then slowly disappear. Hundreds of tattoo motifs that once graced the Mentawai indigenous people could not even documented. Even Tutulu we knew too, adorn his body with tattoos pictures of flowers and anchor who is obviously not the original motive Mentawai tattoo.