If you are planning to visit the Mentawai Islands in Indonesia, you will have to plan your trip very carefully. For one, the Mentawai Islands consist of over 70 islands and inlets spread across the Indian Ocean. Secondly, you can only visit some of the islands with a ferry, and lastly, the ferries don't run every day.
Within this travel guide, I will provide you with all the essential information I wish I had when I visited the Mentawai Islands as part of my one-month trip in Sumatra. Without further ado, here are ways you can get to the Mentawai Islands.
- Mentawai Travel Routes Map
- Things to Know Before Visiting the Mentawai Islands
- Mentawai Fast Ferry Schedules and Prices
- The Steps to Get to the Mentawai Islands
- How to get to Pototoga Island?
- Mentawai Itinerary: My Experience Getting to Mentawai
- Sumatra Travel Video
- Further Reading for Indonesia
Mentawai Travel Routes Map
Things to Know Before Visiting the Mentawai Islands
Pick an island: First and foremost, you will have to choose which island you want to go to. The main islands you can visit are Tuapejat, the capital city, Sikabaluan in North Siberut, Maileppet (Siberut) in South Siberut, and Sikakap Island.
The island you are going to go to will depend on what you want to do in Mentawai and where your accommodation is. Generally speaking, if you want to go on a beach vacation, snorkeling, and island-hopping, Tuapejat is where you should go, whereas if you want to visit the Mentawai Tribe, Maileppet (Siberut) in South Siberut is where it is at.
For surfing, Tuapejat is also a good option as you can find more affordable accommodation while you can charter a local boat to go surfing for a day or two. If you want to stay in a surf camp (expensive resorts), these resorts are often located in remote areas and islands that are closer to the waves like Sikakap, Pototoga, and Silabok, so when you book these camps, make sure you know which island it is on.
Ferries don't run every day: Another important thing to know is that the ferry to these islands does not run every day, so you will have to plan your visit very carefully. For example, if you want to spend 3 nights in Tuapejat, your option is to arrive in Padang on a Thursday, and spend overnight there before catching the Friday ferry to Tuapejat. You can then catch the ferry back to Padang on Monday.
Ferry Cancellation: The ferries are subject to cancellation if the weather and visibility are poor on that day, so be sure to plan a few buffer days just in case. Look out for the cancellation notice on the Mentawai Fast Ferry official Facebook page.
Buy the Ticket from Padang the Day Before: If you do not want to waste time queuing at the port in Padang to get the ticket on the day of travel, I highly recommend you get one the day before. Stay somewhere near the Fast Ferry port for easy access.
Mentawai Fast Ferry Schedules and Prices
As of 2024, the fast ferry between Padang and Mentawai is as follows:
- Monday: Padang to Tuapejat at 10 AM (3.5 hours), from Tuapejat to Padang at 3:15 PM (3.25 hours).
- Tuesday: Padang to Sikabaluan to Siberut at 7 AM (6.5 hours), from Siberut to Padang at 2:30 PM (4 hours).
- Wednesday: Padang to Tuapejat at 7 AM (3.5 hours), from Tuapejat to Padang at 3:00 PM (3.25 hours).
- Thursday: Padang to Siberut to Sikabaluan at 7 AM (6.5 hours), from Sikabaluan to Padang at 2:30 PM (4 hours).
- Friday: Padang to Sikakap at 7 AM (5 hours), from Sikakap to Padang at 1:30 PM (5 hours). Padang to Tuapejat at 7 AM (3.5 hours), from Tuapejat to Padang at 3:00 PM (3.25 hours).
- Saturday: Padang to Sikabaluan to Siberut at 7 AM (6.5 hours), from Siberut to Padang at 2:30 PM (4 hours).
- Sunday: Padang to Tuapejat at 10 AM (3.5 hours), from Tuapejat to Padang at 3:15 PM (3.25 hours).
The price from Padang to Tuapejat/Siberut/Sikabaluan is 350,000 IDR per person, whereas from Padang to Sikakap, it is 400,000 IDR per person. If you are traveling with a surfboard, you will have to pay 230,000 IDR per board.
For ferries between the Mentawai Islands, the schedule as of 2024 is as follows:
- Monday: Tuapejat to Siberut at 7 AM (1.5 hours), from Siberut to Sikabaluan at 9 AM (1.5 hours), from Sikabaluan to Siberut at 11:30 AM (1 hour), and from Siberut to Tuapejat at 1:30 PM (1 hour).
- Tuseday: Tuapejat to Sikakap at 7 AM (2.5 hours), and from Sikakap to Tuapejat at 11 AM (1.5 hours).
- Thursday: Tuapejat to Siberut at 7 AM (1.5 hours), from Siberut to Sikabaluan at 9 AM (1.5 hours), from Sikabaluan to Siberut at 11:30 AM (1 hour), and from Siberut to Tuapejat at 1:30 PM (1 hour).
- Friday: Tuapejat to Sikakap at 7 AM (2.5 hours), and from Sikakap to Tuapejat at 11 AM (1.5 hours).
The price from Tuapejat to Siberut is 175,000 IDR per person, from Tuapejat to Sikakap is 250,000 IDR per person, Siberut to Sikabaluan is 160,000 IDR per person, and Tuapejat to Sikabaluan is 285,000 IDR per person.
The Steps to Get to the Mentawai Islands
Fly to Padang
To get to Mentawai, you will first have to fly into Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra. There is an international airport there, but you can only fly there via Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia or via Medan in North Sumatra.
Your best bet is to fly into Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and then catch an AirAsia flight to Padang. Most of the ferries to the Mentawai Islands run quite early in the morning, with the earliest departing at 7 AM and the latest at 10 AM, so it is best to stay overnight the day before your travel day.
Spend A Night in Padang
Once you arrive in Padang, you can then hail a Grab taxi to get to your accommodation or catch the DAMRI Airport Bus from the Airport's Exit to get to town. The taxi should cost about 120,000 IDR while the bus should cost 35,000 IDR per person. The bus will drop you off at Imam Bonjol Square, or you can let the driver know you want to get off if the bus is passing your accommodation.
- Live with the Mentawai Tribe (5 days) 👍 Top Pick
After that, you can then check in to your accommodation and head over to Mentawai Fast Ferry to get the ticket to Mentawai for the next day. I highly recommend you stay somewhere near the port so you can walk there easily. Below are some of my suggested accommodations near the port:
Where to Stay in Padang?
Getting to Mentawai Islands via Fast Ferry
First and foremost, make sure you know which island you are going to before you book the ticket or even the flight to Padang, as not all routes run every day. First, decide whether you want to do a beach vacation (Tuapejat), a surf vacation (Tuapejat, Sikakap, Pototoga, or Silabok), or stay with the Mentawai tribe (Maileppet, South Siberut).
Once you know what you want to do, find accommodation that you want to stay at, see which island it is on, and make sure you buy the right ticket and get on the right ferry.
If you want to visit the Mentawai Tribe, you will be heading to Maileppet (Siberut) in South Siberut instead. Although you can get there independently, it is best that you organize your Mentawai tribe visit with a tour company like Mentawai Tribe prior to your arrival in Sumatra.
That way, they can help organize the transfer for you and suggest which day you should arrive and what day you will leave, according to the ferry schedule. You also do not have to pay for any transfers (from Padang to Siberut and vice versa) as they are all included in the tour price.
The ferry ticket from Padang to Tuapejat/Siberut is 350,000 IDR per person, and the journey should take about 3.5 hours starting at either 7 AM or 10 AM depending on the day you take the ferry. If you have a surfboard with you, you will be charged an extra 230,000 IDR per board when you buy the ferry ticket.
Transfer to Your Accommodation
Once you arrive in Tuapejat/Silabok/Siberut, depending on where your accommodation is, you can either walk there or request a transfer service to take you to your accommodation.
I stayed at Crow's Nest, which is located in Tuapejat within walking distance from the port. All I had to do was get the ferry from Padang to Tuapejat, and that was it.
If you are staying at surf camps like Avera Resort or Favela Mentawai, you might want to contact the hotel for a transfer package. Even though these resorts are technically in Tuapejat, they are on the island of Pototoga, off the coast, and you are going to need a speed boat to get to your resort. The transfer package is often not included in the room price, so be sure to factor that into your budget.
If you are visiting the Mentawai tribe in South Siberut, everything will be organized by your tour company for you, so you do not need to worry about this. I went with Mentawai Tribe and they were excellent!
Where to Stay in Tuepejat, Mentawai?
How to get to Pototoga Island?
If your accommodation is located on Pototoga Island, you can either travel to Tuapejat first via a fast ferry as explained above and organize a speed boat transfer from Tuapajet to Pototoga Island via your accommodation for a fee or you can book the hotel's transfer package, which is often available in surf camps and resorts that are located on the island.
The transfer package is pretty much the same as you organizing yourself, but you won't have to get the fast ferry ticket in Padang the day prior and your accommodation should provide all the extra transfers for you all the way from Padang to Pototoga Island. It's more expensive, but all the connections are organized for you, so I would recommend this option if you are traveling as a family.
If you are traveling solo or as a couple, it will be more economical if you travel to Tuapajet by yourself and ask your accommodation to pick you up from Tuapajet Pier and take you to your accommodation. They should be waiting right at the pier when you arrive.
Mentawai Itinerary: My Experience Getting to Mentawai
From Padang Airport to My Accommodation
Here is how my experience visiting the Mentawai Islands panned out. First, I flew from Medan to Padang on a Thursday, and then I caught the DAMRI bus from the airport to town. I got off at Imam Bonjol Square and walked to my accommodation, Sentosa Lodge.
After I settled in, I walked to Mentawai Fast Ferry Port and got my ferry ticket to Tuapejat for the next day. I paid 350,000 IDR for the ticket and then I explored the city for the rest of the day and retired early for the night.
From Padang to Tuapejat
The next day, I woke up early and walked to the port, arriving at 6:30 AM to catch the Friday 7 AM ferry to Tuapejat. The ticket I got had a seat number assigned, and with the ticket I bought earlier, I didn't have to wait in line like everyone else. I just got on the ferry before everyone else and went straight to my assigned seat.
Once I got on the ferry, it left the port at 7:10 AM and it only took us around 3.5 hours before arriving in Tuapejat Port. After arriving at the port, I then walked for about 30 minutes to reach my homestay, Crow's Nest.
I spent the next 2 days relaxing at the beach, going snorkeling, and enjoying a little downtime before I moved on to my next destination, South Siberut, where I would be living with the Mentawai tribe for the next 5 days.
From Tuapejat to Siberut
After Tuapejat, I woke up at around 5:30 AM and headed over to the Fast Ferry Ticket Counter at Tuapejat Port to get my ticket for the 7 AM ferry from Tuapejat to South Siberut. The line wasn't long at all, and I was able to get one in less than 5 minutes.
The ticket cost about 175,000 IDR per person and it took me around 2 hours before arriving at Maileppet Port in South Siberut. The local guide Mentawai Tribe put me in contact with picked me up from the port and dropped me off at Manai Koat, the only hotel available near the port.
Despite Manai Koat being listed as permanently closed on Google Maps, they are actually operating, but only if you book it via a tour company. Since my Mentawai tribe tour didn't begin until the next day, I had to pay for the accommodation for this night myself. The price ranges from 300,000 - 500,000 IDR per night. Not affordable at all!
The hotel was good, but there is no restaurant around the area unless I borrowed the hotel's motorbike to drive 1 km to get to the closest restaurant. I had to rely on instant noodles from a nearby convenience store and ate Mentawai Sate in the morning from a local Warung.
Thankfully, my guide told me that there is going to be a funeral at his village that day and I could attend it as long as I bought the shamans some tobacco. They do smoke a lot here, so it is always a good gift for the tribe people.
The whole experience was wild and it gave me a glimpse of what to expect as I spent the next 5 days living with the tribe in the jungle. The whole experience was wild and you can read more about it here.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Indonesia
I hope this travel guide will help you plan your trip to Indonesia. I have visited Indonesia more times than I could count, and I have written many articles about the country.
If you are looking for more articles about Indonesia, here are a selection of articles that might help you plan your trip to Indonesia even more.
- For a complete itinerary to Sumatra, check out: One Month Backpacking Sumatra Itinerary.
- Being the largest volcanic lake in the world, you can't visit Sumatra without visiting Lake Toba. Here are the 10 Awesome Things to do in Lake Toba, Sumatra.
- Want to travel to Lake Toba from Medan, but not sure how? Here's a guide for you: How To Get From Medan To Lake Toba.
- Berastagi is home to some of the most accessible volcanoes in Sumatra. It's definitely worth a stop if hiking a volcano is on your bucket list. Here are the 10 Best Things to Do in Berastagi.
- Want to see orangutans in the wild in Indonesia? The best place is Bukit Lawang and here's A Complete Guide to Orangutan Trekking in Bukit Lawang.
- For West Sumatra, your journey will likely begin in Padang, the capital city of the province, with a ton of things to do. Here are the 8 Best Things to Do in Padang.
- Get off the beaten path in Sumatra and visit Bukittinggi, the old capital of the Pagaruyung Kingdom, and explore the highlands with this guide: 12 Best Things to Do in Bukittinggi.
- Want to visit Bukittinggi? Here are all the best ways you can travel there: How to Get to Bukittinggi: A Complete Guide
- One of the best islands to visit in Sumatra is Mentawai. It's not just a place for surfers. You can enjoy the beach, snorkeling, and even spend days living with the Mentaway tribe. Here is A Complete Travel Guide to Mentawai.
- If you want to visit and live with the Mentawai Tribe in the jungle for a few days, this guide is for you: Visiting the Mentawai Tribe: A Complete Guide.
- Looking for a complete itinerary and travel guide for Indonesia? One Month Itinerary for Indonesia.
- Are you planning to travel to Indonesia as part of a big Southeast Asia trip? Check out our 3-month backpacking itinerary for Southeast Asia.
- If you are visiting Bali for the first time, here is a travel guide to get you started: 10 BEST Places To Visit In Bali.
- Jakarta is a massive city unlike any other, and there is quite a lot to do here if you know where to look. Here are the 8 Best Things To Do in Jakarta.
- Yogyakarta is a great cultural and historical place to visit in Indonesia, and there are plenty of things to see and do there. Here are the 9 Best Things To Do in Yogyakarta.
- Did you know that there is an island in Indonesia that is free of tourists? One of them is Karimunjawa, a true hidden gem island of Java. Here's a complete guide on how to travel to Karimunjawa island.
- Looking for an article that summarizes a trip through the Java island? Check out my photo essay of Java, Indonesia.
- Lombok is now gaining in popularity, but one of the best things you can do on the island is to trek Mount Rinjani, a volcano on a lake in another volcano on an island. Here's a complete guide on how to trek Mount Rinjani.
- Gili Trawangan is one of the most popular Gili islands in Lombok, and even though it's crowded, you can often find solitude if you know where to look. Plus, it's cheap. Here's an article about exploring Gili Trawangan.
- Komodo Island is one of the most unique experiences you can never experience anywhere. Here's a backpacking travel guide on how to explore the Komodo Islands (what to do, which cruise to pick and more).
- Want to visit Kelimutu lakes? Here's a complete travel guide on how to get to Kelimutu lakes in Flores.
- Flores is another great island that deserves way more credit than it receives. There's the Komodo islands, Kelimutu tri-colored lakes, and so much more. Here is a 10-day travel guide for Flores and Komodo Island.
- Watch a travel video I made about Bali, Lombok, and Flores here: Nusantara, a journey through Bali, Lombok, and Flores, Indonesia.
- Not convinced by my words about Indonesia and Southeast Asia? Check out my photographic journey through the subcontinent: 64 photos that will inspire you to visit Southeast Asia.
- Wondering where you want to go next? How about Timor Leste? Visit Timor Leste Travel Guide page for more information about traveling to Timor Leste.
- To see all articles about Indonesia, visit the Indonesia Travel Guide page.
- Looking for more travel guides for Southeast Asia? You can find more on my Southeast Asia Travel Guide page.
- For more of my travel guides, visit my Destinations page.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.