Awera Resort

Camp Size: 24+ guests
Accommodation: Private Villas - with private pools
Daily Meals: Included
Daily Transport: Daily boat rides included
Located in front of surf break: Yes - backyards
Destination: Sipora, Mentawai Islands
Surfing Ability: Beginner to advanced
Budget: 4/5
Surf School: Yes
Surfboard Rental: Yes at Resort
Yoga: Yes (two free lessons per day)
Ideal for: Couples & families

Built in 2017, Awera Resort is situated on a small tropical island, just off the coast of North Sipora & remains one of the most refined and comfortable resorts built in the Mentawai region. 

What makes this resort stand out from its neighboring camps is that it's located extremely centrally in the surf region giving quick access to the 10 or so waves in the vicinity. And whats more, there are 3 speedboats available for the guests who can easily surf 3 times per day (2 times to Scarecrows and one to Iceland/Ombak Tidur for example). A third boat is available all day (anytime) for sessions at Ombak Tidur or Awera Right (aka backyards).


Awera Resort with the inside section of "backyards" breaking in the distance

Surf lessons are also available all year (for all levels). See the "lessons & rental" section for further details.

Guests are able to travel to the resort from Padang 4 days a week, making it one of the most accessible resorts in the region.

Ideal for any surfer – the resort is particularly good for families & couples looking for a tropical surf vacation.

High above Awera Resort (pictured bottom left)

Awera Resort offers 10 private villas located throughout the resort.

A private oasis, Awera Resort is home to ten exclusively furnished villas, each one with its own private infinity pool, juxtaposed between jungle and sea, combines stunning views, curated works of art from local craftsmen, spacious bathrooms, and luxury linens just few steps away from the Indian ocean.

All the private villas are situated close to the main building & the pool and all have air conditioning. They're also only steps away from their private beach.

Each villa includes:

* Private infinity pool
* Fully equipped private bathroom
* Hot water
* Air conditioning
* Fan
* Mosquito nets on all beds
* Clean towels and sheets
* Chill-out terrace
* Surfboard rack
* Outdoor shower
* Clothes drying rack
* Beach towels 
* Hairdryer

Open plan 

Awera's picture perfect open air restaurant (300m2) provides an incredible setting to enjoy your daily meals and relax when you're not in the ocean.

Tastefully decorated and located on a private beach with views of the surf, all guests will be provided breakfast, lunch & dinner each day, with plenty of healthy and delicious meals on offer. Vegetarians can be catered for (given prior notice). 

Included in the price:

- 3 large, healthy delicious meals each day
- Unlimited Tea, Coffee & Water
- Snacks at any moment of the day
- Non-alcoholic drinks such as sprite, coca cola, fanta, water, fresh homemade juices.

Not included in the price:

- Alcoholic beverages

Internet access

There is WiFi internet access for those who wish to stay connected with the outside world, along with a TV, a projector, and a selection of films, books and magazines.

Others Services

- A central bar area with TV and DVD player. The bar serves freshly squeezed fruit juices, beers and soft drinks all day long.
- A chill-out zone with sofas and incredible views.

Perfect for a few morning laps to warm your body up before a session, the swimming pool also provides a safe environment for any families traveling with children. 

Just steps away from the beach, guests can enjoy panoramic views of the neighboring islands as well as views of the waves directly out the front of the resort (Back Yards, Ombak Tidur in the distance as well as the learner wave). 

Yoga at the resort (above)

2 lessons are provided FREE of charge, every day, for all guests.

Set in the tropical surroundings of Awera's calming gardens, lessons are tailor made to suit the guests needs. All abilities welcome!

The learner wave directly out the front of the resort (above)

Beginner "Surf Packages"

USD 90 (approx. AUD 135)  per person / day - includes instruction and surfboard hire.

The resort is one of the only locations in Sumatra that offers surf lessons for all levels from complete beginners to more advanced surfers. The residential instructors use a range of teaching methods to help you improve your surfing no matter what your experience is, with support and guidance in the water as well as filming your session with a breakdown of the footage in the evening.

Beginners

All ages and abilities welcome! Includes water safety before taking to the surf, understanding of the local conditions as well as where to position yourself in relation to the wave, paddling, reading the line-up, and, finally, how to pop up to your feet.  Progressive learner lessons focus on being independent in the water & catching unbroken (green) waves. Further instruction involves duck-diving under oncoming waves and negotiating steeper take-offs.

Intermediates

Focusing on gaining confidence in the ocean and refining your surfing technique, particularly on the areas that need the most improvement. These often include generating speed, perfecting your take-off and drawing clean lines on the waves. Starting in smaller conditions, guests will potentially progress onto larger surf.

Advanced

With the help of one of the surf guides, you'll be coached on how to approach some of the regions best waves as well as pin pointing areas to improve and the overall body mechanics involved in further developing your skills.



Surf Hire

High performance or short board

5,10 x 19 1/4 x 2 3/4 (5 fin) (34 liters)
5,10 x 18 7/16 x 2 5/16 (3 fin) (26 liters)
5,11 x 19 3/8 x 2 1/2 (3 fin) (28,8 liters)
6,0 x 20 1/4 x 2 1/2 (5 fin) (34 liters)
6,1 x 20 x 2 3/8 (3 fin) (30 liters)
6,3 x 20 3/8 x 2 3/4 (5 fin) (36,30 liters)
6,8 x 19 1/4 x 2 4/16 (3 fin) (36 liters)

Fish surfboards

5,9 x 19 5/8 x 2 1/2 (30,7 liters) high performance fish
5,10 x 21 x 2 7/16 (35,1 liters) traditional fish
5,11 x 20 x 2 5/8 (33,8 liters)
6,0 x 21 1/4 x 2 1/2 (37,3 liters) high performance fish 

Single fin surfboards

6,6 x 21 1/4 x 2 1/2 (33 liters)
6,8 x 21 1/2 x 2 5/8 (36 liters)

Mini Malibu surfboards

6,8 (epoxy)
6,8 (epoxy)
7,0 x 22 3/4 x 2 3/4 
7,2 x 22 3/4 x 2 3/4
8,0 x 23 x 3 (epoxy)
8,0 x 23 x 3 (epoxy)

Longboards

9,0 x 23 x 2 1/4
9,2 x 23 x 2 3/4
9,2 x 22 1/2 x 2 3/4
9,4 x 23 x 2 3/4

Guests also have use of Awera's snorkeling gear as well their stand up paddle boards & Kayaks- free of charge.

A professional photographer (who resides at the resort until early September), is available for all guests. Pricing is approx. 225 USD / person for all the photos of the trip (from the water and boat).

When the professional photographer in unavailable, Awera will use the boat captains for all photos (no water shots) using 6D and 7D canon cameras. Pricing is approx. 180 USD / person. 

Awera Resort Spa

Awera Resort Spa is an intimate space with a finely-tuned menu of treatments, put yourself into the hands of our experienced professionals to rediscover your inner wellbeing. Relax and let yourself to be pampered and immerse yourself in our imaginative treatments inspired by various Indonesian cultural traditions.

Awera Resort thermal pool

Dive in and leave the world behind in Awera Resorts outdoor pool, situated betwen palm trees and surrounded by the splendid panorama of the garden and the Mentwai jungle. The heated pool is equipped with massage jets, a jacuzzi and neck massagers for profound relaxation with every soak.

"Backyards", breaking directly out the front of Awera Resort

Intermediate & advanced "Surf Packages"

75 USD per person / day

Surfers staying at the resort can use the 3 speedboats to access the regions waves as many times each day as they wish! Most camps in the Mentawai Islands offer a standard 1 trip in the morning and 1 trip in the afternoon and although this is enough for plenty of surf time, Awera's guests have the extra flexibility to time their surf sessions exactly when they want.

Starting as early as 6:30am guests can easily surf 3 times per day, for example, 2 times at Scarecrows and one at Iceland/Ombak Tidur, or 2 times at Telescopes and one session at Tikus. Guests also have a third boat to surf Ombak Tidur or Awera Right that is used just for these 2 waves so guests can surf them anytime they like.

There are around 9 waves that are within 5-20 minutes of each other with the majority being left handers. The region certainly suits an intermediate surfer or a surfing family that are looking for the least crowded waves in the Mentawai Islands. 

Exceptional trips (Playgrounds and South Sipora)

If conditions are bad (South swell and west/northwest winds) for the north Sipora surf region, then 2 trips to the Playgrounds surf zone is included (Rifles, Pistols, A-frames, Four bobs). The speedboat takes 50 mins to reach if weather conditions allow.

Additional day trips to Playgrounds is also posible and requires a minimum of 4 people. Price on request
Additional day trips to Hollow Trees and lances left, takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes and requires a minimum of 4 people. Price on request

Detailed information for all the surf breaks can be found in the destination's section of the site within the North Sipora pages: Awera Resort Surf Breaks

There’s around 9 waves (mainly lefts) that are within 5-20 minutes from Awera Resort.

Although there aren’t as many waves in the direct vicinity as *playgrounds* - there’s a nice variation of lefts and rights with differing ferocity. There’s certainly something for everyone – including beginners (including a learner wave out the front of Awera!), which is a rarity in the Mentawai Islands. It’s also much less crowded than its neighbouring more famous surfing areas found in the Mentawai Island chain, so you’ll arguably get more waves.

The crown jewel of the region is Telescopes thats just a 10 minute speedboat ride away (above)

Whats more is that South Sipora (Lances left and Lances right) is just 1 hour South – and that “Playgrounds” is just 1 hour North (20+ waves including Rifles etc) culminating in a vast amount of waves on offer.

Guests need to fly into Padang Airport (PDG), West Sumatra 

We recommend using https://www.skyscanner.net/ and flying into either Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - or Jakarta, Indonesia.  From KL, there is usually one morning flight (1hr) with Air Asia as well as a lunchtime flight to Padang.  From Jakarta, there are over a dozen flights each day that fly into Padang,  from airlines such as Garuda Airlines, Sriwijaya, Citilink & Lion Air. We recommend www.nusatrip.com 

Note: Visa On Arrival: A FREE 30 day Visa On Arrival is now available for the following countries: Australia, USA, Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Peru, Costa Rica, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, England, France, Switzerland, Sweden and Germany. To see the full list visit this link: http://www.topbali.com/indonesia-free-visa-entry/

Guests are welcome to make their own way to Tua Pejat in Sipora, where complimentary transport by speedboat from the “Mentawai Fast Ferry” stop in Tua Pejat will transport each guest to Awera Resort. This transport takes about 10 minutes (same for the return back to Tua Pejat).

Alternatively, guests have the choice to take the "comfort package" (all inclusive transfers);

All inclusive transfers

USD$ 150 pp "each way" + USD 25 each for board bags

Includes:

-  Airport collection
-  Taxi to Hotel
-  Gran Zuri hotel (deluxe room with morning breakfast)
-  Taxi to Ferry
-  Ferry Ticket (Padang to Tua Pejat, Sipora)
-  Speedboat transfer from Tua Pejat (Mentawai port) – the resort
-  Exact same on return back to Padang Airport

Your transfers in detail

Padang Airport (PDG)

Upon arrival at Padang’s Minangkabau International Airport, you will be greeted by one of Awera Resorts staff members with pre-arranged transport and you'll be taken to your hotel. From this point we can help with any pre-departure needs, like accessing money, where to eat or simply explore this unique and colourful city for a genuine Indonesian experience.

Mentawai Fast Ferry

You'll be collected from your hotel and taken to the ferry port the next morning around 6.00am. The port is very close to where the hotels are found - it's just a short 5-10 minute taxi ride.

Mentawai Fast Ferry - departure times:

Padang – Tua Pejat: Monday, depart 07.00am
Padang – Tua Pejat: Wednesday, depart 07.00am
Padang – Tua Pejat: Friday, depart 07.00am
Padang – Tua Pejat: Sunday, depart 10.00am

Tua Pejat – Padang: Monday depart 3:00pm
Tua Pejat – Padang: Wednesday depart 3:00pm
Tua Pejat – Padang: Friday depart 3:00pm
Tua Pejat – Padang: Sunday depart 3:00pm

The Ferry crossing time takes around 3 to 4 hours. Guests will arrive in Tua Pejat (Mentawai Port) around 10.30am, where their staff will be waiting to transfer all the baggage to the speedboat and take the guests to Awera Resort, arriving around 11am. Crossing times are subject to weather conditions and delays can happen.

On return, guests will depart the resort around 2pm (with the speedboat) to take the Ferry at 3pm. The arrival time in Padang will be approx 6.15pm. Our staff member will transfer you to your hotel as well as the airport the next morning. 

Before booking a trip to Awera Resort, make sure to check our "Know before you go" section which is a handy page of what to expect as well as a detailed inventory of what to bring.

For those that are unsure what's better a surf charter boat or surf camp, then check out our blog below.