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Mentawai Islands: the fast boat from Padang and the surf camps beyond
How do I get to the Mentawai Islands?
Fly to Padang, then take the Mentawai Fast boat. On its timetable from 11 April 2026 it sails every day but Monday, at 07:00 from Tuesday to Saturday and 10:00 on Sunday, and takes three and a half to five hours to Tuapejat, Siberut, Sikabaluan or Sikakap depending on the day. ASDP's car ferries sail from Bungus harbour. Surfers pay the Mentawai surf levy, by QRIS at Padang's airport since October 2026.
At a glance
| Province | Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra |
|---|---|
| Usual way in | Flight to Padang, then fast boat or ferry |
| Terminals and ports | Minangkabau airport (Padang); Bungus harbour; Tuapejat, Siberut, Sikabaluan, Sikakap |
Padang to Siberut and Tuapejat: the Mentawai fast boat
Mentawai Fast sails from Padang every day but Monday: to Tuapejat on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays in 3 h 30 min; to Siberut on Thursdays and to Sikabaluan on Tuesdays and Saturdays in about 4 h; and to Sikakap on Fridays in 5 h. Book on mentawaifast.com or by WhatsApp.
| Usual way | Mentawai Fast boat |
|---|---|
| Typical time | 3 h 30 min to 5 h |
| Where it departs | Padang |
| Day | From Padang | Back to Padang |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 07:00 to Sikabaluan, then Siberut | 14:30 from Siberut, arrives 18:30 |
| Wednesday | 07:00 to Tuapejat, arrives 10:30 | 15:00 from Tuapejat, arrives 18:30 |
| Thursday | 07:00 to Siberut, then Sikabaluan | 14:30 from Sikabaluan, arrives 18:30 |
| Friday | 06:00 to Sikakap; 07:00 to Tuapejat | 13:30 from Sikakap; 15:00 from Tuapejat |
| Saturday | 07:00 to Sikabaluan, then Siberut | 14:30 from Siberut, arrives 18:30 |
| Sunday | 10:00 to Tuapejat, arrives 13:30 | 15:00 from Tuapejat, arrives 18:30 |
No boat on Mondays, and the company says times can change without notice, so plan a day either side of a surf charter.
Where and how much. The boat leaves from Pelabuhan Muaro Padang (Muaro harbour), not from Bungus, where the car ferries sail. A seat cost Rp 200,000 to Rp 330,000 a trip in March 2026, depending on the class, at the Muaro ticket office.
Boards on the boat. Surfboards and other oversized bags are checked in and charged separately at the port office, so arrive early if you travel with boards.
Flying to Padang (PDG) from Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur
Fly from Jakarta: Lion Air, Super Air Jet, Batik Air, Citilink, Garuda and Pelita Air fly to Padang in 105 to 110 minutes, from about Rp 1,252,000 for November 2026. From Kuala Lumpur, AirAsia and Lion Air fly direct in 75 to 80 minutes.
| Usual way | Direct flight |
|---|---|
| Typical time | 1 h 45 min from Jakarta |
| Where it arrives | Minangkabau International Airport, Padang |
Make the morning boat. The fast boat leaves Padang at 07:00, so fly in the day before.
By road instead, buses from Jakarta to Padang take 21 to 34 hours, from Rp 550,000.
Kuala Lumpur to Padang direct
AirAsia flies Kuala Lumpur to Padang at 07:15, 11:15 and 15:45, 75 minutes, from about Rp 635,000 for November 2026, and Lion Air at 17:40 in 80 minutes. With the time difference, the 07:15 lands at 07:30 Padang time.
| Usual way | Direct flight |
|---|---|
| Typical time | 75 to 80 min |
| Where it arrives | Minangkabau International Airport, Padang |
The surf levy is paid at this airport: since 14 October 2026, by QRIS or virtual account at Minangkabau International Airport.
The public ferry from Padang's Bungus harbour
The public ferry is slower but cheaper than the fast boat. Here is how it works.
Two car ferries, one harbour. ASDP's Padang branch sails KMP Gambolo and KMP Ambu Ambu from Pelabuhan Bungus (Bungus harbour) to the Mentawai Islands, carrying people, vehicles and island produce. The busiest routes are Padang to Siberut and Padang to Tuapejat.
Tickets. In 2026 the ferry is sold online only for the Padang to Tuapejat route, first come first served; the other routes are sold at the port by the transport agency that runs Bungus.
Surf camp transfers and the Mentawai surf fee
Most surfers go through a camp or a charter, and everyone pays the regency's surf fee.
The surf levy. Every visiting surfer pays the regency's surf levy, a wristband that covers 15 days in Mentawai waters. The regency's 2024 rate was Rp 2,000,000 for a foreign surfer, and in May 2025 the regent announced it would fall to Rp 500,000.
Paying it at the airport. Since 14 October 2026, Bank Nagari and the Mentawai tourism office collect it digitally at Minangkabau International Airport, by QRIS or virtual account, so the amount due shows on the payment itself.
Surfboards on the plane. On Lion Air, Batik Air and Super Air Jet a board costs Rp 200,000 a segment, up to 230 cm; the flights guide lists the other airlines.
From the harbour to camp. Surf camps and charter boats arrange the last leg from Tuapejat, Siberut or Sikakap; ask your camp which of the Mentawai Fast landings it collects from.
Surf, the Sikerei and Siberut: why people cross to Mentawai
Most people come for the waves, and some stay for Siberut's culture. Here is why.
- The surf is the reason: Indonesia's tourism ministry calls Mentawai one of the world's premier surfing destinations.
- Jati Beach is one of the islands' surf spots, and the camps beyond Tuapejat, Siberut and Sikakap reach the rest by boat.
- The Land of the Sikerei is Mentawai's nickname, after the Sikerei of its traditional culture, which draws visitors who come for more than the waves.
- Plan around the boat: with no fast boat on Mondays and a single sailing on most other days, the timetable decides how long you stay.
- Room is limited: in April 2026 the tourism minister urged more hotels and resorts because the islands are short of beds, so book the camp before the flight.
Going further
Routes through this hub
- Padang to Siberut and Tuapejat: the Mentawai fast boatMentawai Fast from Padang, Tuesday to Sunday, 3 h 30 min to Tuapejat, 4 h to Siberut or Sikabaluan, 5 h to Sikakap.
- Flying to Padang (PDG) from Jakarta and Kuala LumpurJakarta to Padang 105 to 110 minutes, from about Rp 1,252,000; Kuala Lumpur direct in 75 to 80 minutes.
- Kuala Lumpur to Padang directAirAsia and Lion Air, 75 to 80 minutes, from about Rp 635,000 for November 2026.
Mentawai Islands: what travellers ask
How long is the fast boat from Padang to Mentawai?
About 3 h 30 min to Tuapejat, 4 h to Siberut or Sikabaluan and 5 h to Sikakap on Mentawai Fast, which sails every day except Monday on its timetable from 11 April 2026.
Is there a surf tax in Mentawai?
Yes. The regency's 2024 rate was Rp 2,000,000 per foreign surfer for 15 days, and in May 2025 the regent announced a cut to Rp 500,000. Since 14 October 2026 you pay it by QRIS or virtual account at Padang airport, and the payment shows the amount due.
Is there a ferry to Mentawai from Padang?
Yes, ASDP's car ferries KMP Gambolo and KMP Ambu Ambu sail from Bungus harbour to Siberut and Tuapejat; in 2026 tickets are sold online only for the Tuapejat route, the others at the port.
Sources for Mentawai Islands
- Mentawai Fast: daily ferry schedule effective 11 April 2026
- Metro TV: Padang - Siberut and Tua Pejat routes expected busy at Lebaran 2026 (11 March 2026)
- teknologi.id: Bank Nagari and the digital Mentawai surf levy (November 2026)
- RRI: tourism minister urges infrastructure for the Mentawai surfing hub (29 April 2026)
- RRI Padang: Mentawai Fast sails again (25 March 2026)
- RRI Padang: Mentawai to manage surf areas directly; surf tax to fall to Rp 500,000 (11 May 2025)
- Antara Sumbar: Bank Nagari digitises the Mentawai surf levy (14 October 2026)