• 6D5N Mentawai Island

The Mentawai Tribe

INTRODUCTION

As the oldest tribe in Indonesia, Mentawai stays as original as it is – villagers far from modernization, with only left few people, the tribe stays on preserving the culture and traditions. This is where travellers come to get a truly off the beaten track adventure.

The local people have a strong spiritual relationship with the forest with a belief system that emphasizes harmony with creation. The other big attraction for visitors to these islands is world-class surfing. With some of the best surfing conditions in the world, monster waves and swells that remain all year round, this is ranked by serious surfers as a must-visit destination.

  • Location

    West Sumatra

  • Highlights
    • Jungle trekking
    • Mentawai culture immersion
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Group Tour

Traveling solo? You don’t have to go alone! Check out our group tour calendar to see when we’re heading out next.

Private Tour

Prefer to travel with your own crew or on your own schedule? You can always request a private tour instead!

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Itinerary

A day-by-day plan.

  • DAY

    1

    Padang

    Start on Friday.

    Our journey begins today! Upon our arrival in Padang, we will be greeted by our team and transferred directly to our hotel to rest and settle in.

  • DAY

    2

    Padang – Muara Siberut – Mentawai Tribe (B,L,D)

    Fastboat will depart at 07:00 AM from Padang to Muara Siberut (3-4 hours). Upon arrival in Muara Siberut, collect our luggage assisted by our local team. While our local team reports our arrival at the police station, we will have lunch at the village’s local house.

    After lunch, we will walk to the harbor for about 10 minutes to get to our small motorized wooden boat to reach Mentawai Island (2-3 hours). After we arrive, we will go to our homestay. We will stay at Uma, the Mentawaian traditional house. Along the walk, we will pass by a muddy area with slippery logs, sago trees, a jungle trek, and so on. So, please prepare yourself for this.

  • DAY

    3

    Mentawai (B,L,D)

    Today, we will immerse ourselves in the daily life of the Mentawai Tribe. We will have the opportunity to join in their traditional routines, such as foraging for sago worms or learning how to process sago powder, which is the tribe’s staple food. We will also observe the intricate process of traditional fabric-making (Tenun). To cap off this authentic experience, we will spend the night resting at a traditional local house.

  • DAY

    4

    Mentawai (B,L,D)

    Today, our program features a look into the fascinating tattoo-making process of the Mentawai Tribe, an ancient art form where each design holds deep cultural significance and reflects a person’s social status. Afterward, we will head out to observe their traditional hunting and fishing techniques in action. To bring our day to a memorable close, we will watch a captivating performance of traditional Mentawai dances before spending another night at our local house.

  • DAY

    5

    Mentawai – Padang (B,L,D)

    We will spend our final morning with the Mentawai people by visiting one last village. Our journey there will involve a short, scenic trek and a peaceful canoe ride. If we are lucky, we may even cross paths with members from neighboring communities along the way. After lunch, we will pack up and make our way back to Muara Siberut, where we will catch a fast boat returning to Padang (approximately 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM). Upon arrival, we will transfer directly to our hotel to rest and reflect on our incredible jungle adventure.

  • DAY

    6

    Padang (B)

    We can enjoy breakfast at our leisure this morning. Whenever we are ready, we will head to the airport for our final drop-off and departure.

Conditions in the Field:

Our adventure to the isolated Mentawai Islands is designed for those seeking a raw and authentic cultural experience. This is a challenging trek that takes us deep into the jungle, far from modern comforts. We must be prepared for very basic living conditions as we immerse ourselves in the lives of indigenous people striving to maintain their traditional ways.

We will sleep in a traditional Uma (family house) as guests of a local Kerei (medicine man). Though the facilities are minimal, the incredible opportunity to witness a lifestyle built on total harmony with nature is unparalleled. Our journey together starts with an overnight boat ride to Siberut Island.

What’s included

Included

  • 7 night accommodation
    – 2 night at 3 stars hotel in Padang (twin sharing)
    – 3 night at the local village house
    – 2 nights at Sinyaru or Cubadak Island
  • All transportation and transfer
  • Chartered small motorized wooden boat to Mentawai
  • Meals and logistics during the tour
  • Electricity for chargers
  • Fees of Traditional Tattoo, Traditional Dance and all Photography Session
  • Local guide speaking English and Mentawai
  • Porters

Not Included

  • Flights
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal expenses and medications
  • Gratuities