Wave Quality: World Class
Wave Direction: Left
Also Known As: Tellies
Experience: Intermediate+
Consistency: Inconsistent
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 10-30 surfers
Season: April until October
One of the crown jewels of the Mentawais, Telescopes is a world class lefthander that suits a wide range of skill levels and always seems to have something fun to offer. Tellies breaks on a variety of different swells, but it really thrives on is a decent sized west swell. If it’s firing, you can tuck right in after the takeoff and line up a long, straight barrel. Even if you’re really deep, the barrel typically ejects you out onto a part of the reef that gives you multiple opportunities to whack it off the top, until you hit the Monkey’s Corner on the inside, a bend in the reef that hooks back at you providing a great opportunity for a second solid tube. Even when Tellies is small or has a bit more south in it, it’s still an extremely rippable wave. It suits natural foots as well as goofy foots because of the easy entry and clean readable walls. The reef isn’t too sharp and there are certainly areas you can play it safe.
Wave Quality: World Class
Wave Direction: Left
Also Known As: Tellies
Experience: Intermediate+
Consistency: Inconsistent
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 10-30 surfers
Season: April until October
One of the crown jewels of the Mentawais, Telescopes is a world class lefthander that suits a wide range of skill levels and always seems to have something fun to offer. Tellies breaks on a variety of different swells, but it really thrives on is a decent sized west swell. If it’s firing, you can tuck right in after the takeoff and line up a long, straight barrel. Even if you’re really deep, the barrel typically ejects you out onto a part of the reef that gives you multiple opportunities to whack it off the top, until you hit the Monkey’s Corner on the inside, a bend in the reef that hooks back at you providing a great opportunity for a second solid tube. Even when Tellies is small or has a bit more south in it, it’s still an extremely rippable wave. It suits natural foots as well as goofy foots because of the easy entry and clean readable walls. The reef isn’t too sharp and there are certainly areas you can play it safe.
Wave Quality: Very Good
Wave Direction: Left
Also Known As: Scarecrows
Experience: Intermediate+
Consistency: Consistent
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 5-15 surfers
Season: Year round
One of the least hyped up waves, Scarecrows is a super consistent left, located off a beautiful tropical island. Its neighbouring wave Telescopes gets all the plaudits while this superb left often gets overlooked especially when the surf gets bigger. The wave has several easy entry take off spots, so it holds and spreads out a crowd very well. Scarecrow’s certainly has many faces but during the main season it will offer quality waves on a daily basis. Rides of over 200 yards can be had quite consistently with its end section "The Curry Bowl" delivering a tasty inside barrel. As with most breaks in the area, the wave is surfed ideally on a fuller tide.
Wave Quality: Good Fun
Wave Direction: Left
Also Known As: The Rat
Experience: All levels
Consistency: Average
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 0-10 surfers
Season: April until October
A short stroll from Aloita Resort, you'll find Tikus, an uber fun & very rippable left hander. This is certainly a great option for learners or those looking for a cruisey, crowd free surf session as even in the main surf season it'll usually be shoulder high or smaller. It manages a south wind really well & the go to option for when the main surf spots are maxing out.
(The photo here is of a really big day!)
Wave Quality: Good
Wave Direction: Right
Also Known As: Ariks
Experience: Advanced
Consistency: Average
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 5-15 surfers
Season: Year round
With a North wind and large South West swell, Backyards (aka Ariks) can offer an extremely long barrel that barely relents along a shallow reef pass. On less than perfect days, it can be a fun, whackable right, that tapers off easily into the channel. Just a short distance from Ombak Tidur, Arik's prefers a higher tide even under the tamest looking of conditions. Reef booties are a good idea even when it’s soft, because it has some nasty coral that can actually be more problematic the smaller it is. Holds size well and is one of the few local options when the winds blow from the North.
Wave Quality: Very Good
Wave Direction: Left
Also Known As: The Ice
Experience: Intermediate+
Consistency: Consistent
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 5-20 surfers
Season: Year round
Icelands is a great lefthander that basically has two completely different personas: Small Swell Icelands and Big Swell Icelands. When everywhere else in the area is flat, you can still pull up to Icelands and there will be a head-high, cruisey, rippable wall. But when a big west swell hits, Icelands turns into a monster with barrels big enough to drive the speedboat through. A deep ledge outside the normal take off zone causes the swell to lift in a way it does'’t do on smaller days, and allows you to get in with a fairly easy drop. The wave then rolls into a horseshoe shaped section where the wave bends onto itself and throws out a big, thick barrel section that spits nearly every time. Icelands is definitely one of the few (and best) true big wave spots in the Mentawais.
Wave Quality: Good
Wave Direction: Right
Also Known As: The Sleeper
Experience: Intermediate+
Consistency: Consistent
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 5-20 surfers
Season: Year round
If you’re caught inside on a decent sized west swell, you'll think there's nothing sleepy about this wave at all. Just down the reef from Icelands, this right hander picks up nearly as much swell and can be a fun option when the wind has a bit more north in it. The wave is actually a series of different right hand sections that can look like firing J-Bay from a distance, but up close reveals breaks in the reef and several different surfable sections. The peak at the top is often the most predictable, and can chuck out fast walls and the odd pit as it shifts along the reef. Just try to pick the right section, because if you pick the wrong wave on the first wave of a set, you could be in for a loooong paddle, as the reef never seems to have a shoulder when you're trying to make it back out.
Wave Quality: Good
Wave Direction: Left
Also Known As: Twiggies
Experience: Advanced
Consistency: Average
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 0-10 surfers
Season: April until October
Another high tide spot, Twiggies is a fun wave to check, especially if Telescopes is looking crowded or a bit funky. Twiggies has two distinct faces – that depend largely on the swell direction. West Swells offer heavier walled up barrels where as a South swell will hug the reef, offering some fast workable walls. Certainly less intense than Suicides, surfers still need to watch the inside section that can catch you out from time to time.
Wave Quality: Good Fun
Wave Direction: Left
Also Known As: Ulars
Experience: Intermediate+
Consistency: Consistent
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 5-15 surfers
Season: Year round
When the Indian Ocean’s mechanical swell machine doesn't deliver much swell, then 7 Palm point is certainly a great option. A fun, walled up, down the line left hander, rides can be up to 200 yards long. Surfers can enjoy memorable sessions especially when it's around shoulder to head high. Another year round reef break just round the corner from Scarecrows & you can often score it alone.
Wave Quality: Good Fun
Wave Direction: Left
Also Known As: Muka Ikan
Experience: All levels
Consistency: Average
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 0-10 surfers
Season: April until October
Found just a 10 minute stroll around the corner from Aloita Resort, these 2 neighbouring waves are suitable for all levels. Both offer fun little lefthanders with the occasional steeper sections. You can paddle to Fish Face in about 5 minutes from The Rat, and it's even more suited for beginners. It's a little less perfect than The Rat, but the wave faces are forgiving and not too steep. This is certainly a great option for learners or those looking for a cruisey, crowd free surf session. Both of these waves also manage a South wind really well.
Wave Quality: Good
Wave Direction: Left
Also Known As: Doughnuts
Experience: Advanced
Consistency: Average
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 0-10 surfers
Season: April until October
The name says it all. A full throttle, heal to the steel, freight train barrel. A fairly fickle spot, Suicides is a fast unforgiving barrel suitable only for experts. Offering perfection from time to time, even then you'll rarely surf with anyone else. When a solid ground swell is running most surfers will simply cruise past the line-up, opting for the less consequential waves in the vicinity.
Wave Quality: Good
Wave Direction: Left
Also Known As: Hookers
Experience: Advanced
Consistency: Inconsistent
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 0-10 surfers
Season: April until October
An often overlooked wave that can produce long left handers with speed walls and various tube sections on offer.
But knowing when exactly this wave lights up is a guarded secret.
In reality its inconsistent, only pumping occasionally. West swells are thought to hit the reef a little better. Expect some tube time when the stars align.
Wave Quality: World Class
Wave Direction: Left
Also Known As: Tellies
Experience: Intermediate+
Consistency: Inconsistent
Wave Type: reef
Crowd: 10-30 surfers
Season: April until October
One of the crown jewels of the Mentawais, Telescopes is a world class lefthander that suits a wide range of skill levels and always seems to have something fun to offer. Tellies breaks on a variety of different swells, but it really thrives on is a decent sized west swell. If it’s firing, you can tuck right in after the takeoff and line up a long, straight barrel. Even if you’re really deep, the barrel typically ejects you out onto a part of the reef that gives you multiple opportunities to whack it off the top, until you hit the Monkey’s Corner on the inside, a bend in the reef that hooks back at you providing a great opportunity for a second solid tube. Even when Tellies is small or has a bit more south in it, it’s still an extremely rippable wave. It suits natural foots as well as goofy foots because of the easy entry and clean readable walls. The reef isn’t too sharp and there are certainly areas you can play it safe.
Surf Breaks, North Sipora, Mentawai
Telescopes
Scarecrows
Tikus
Backyards
Icelands
Ombak Tidur
Twiggies
7 Palm Point
Fish Face
Suicides
Hookers