Author: Paul Bennett (Page 4 of 9)

We made it to the Mentawai Islands, off the coast of Sumatra, when Covid19 struck. The Mentawais are a surfer’s paradise. Storms in the Indian Ocean produce large swell that break gently across the shallows on the west side of the islands, tempered by soft offshore winds. The result is some of the best waves in the world.

These waves were discovered by surfers from Australia, South Africa, and the U.S. in the 1990s and popularized in the last twenty years. There are dozens of surf charter boats that operate in the Mentawais each year, and as many resorts onshore ranging from funky homestays to multimillion dollar spots like the new Dreambeach Resort under construction around the corner from where we’re anchored.