Mentawai
Macaronis Surf Resort
The epic waves of the South Mentawai and the traditional Indonesian hospitality framed in the very best of modern resort style is what you will get when staying at Macaroni’s Resort.
Overview
Guests at Macaroni’s Resort have access to surf more than a half dozen other waves; Macaronis and Macas Right are a five-minute speedboat ride from the resort, Silabu Left is 10 minutes away, Bowls Right is 15 minutes away and Greenbush and Bat Cave are a 40 minute speedboat ride away. In the last five years, Macaronis Resort has played host to hundreds of surfers from around the world, and the resort has contributed to the health and welfare of Silabu Village by employing locals to work at the resort, by purchasing local produce and by contributing a set amount per guest per day to assist with local projects.
Guests traveling to Macaroni’s Resort will arrive into Padang on the island of Sumatra. Macaroni’s Resort staff meets guests to assist with the one-hour transfer to Bungus Harbor, where they take the modern, reliable Ambu Ambu ferry overnight to the port town of Sikakap. From there, the guests take the two hour speed boat voyage through the Sikakap Strait separating North and South Pagai Islands, and on to Macaroni’s Resort on the southwest corner of North Pagai Island.
Macaroni’s Resort accommodation is sixteen styling rooms surrounding the second floor of the main building. Each room can accommodate two guests with a split Air Conditioning system. Each room has its own bathroom with a hot shower, flat screen television, DVD player, and a veranda just outside the rooms, with spectacular views and breezes.
Expect epic waves and traditional Indonesian hospitality in the very best of modern surf resort style when staying at Macaroni’s Resort.
Accommodations
Each of the 16 rooms can accommodate two guests with a split Air Conditioning system. Each room has its own bathroom with a hot shower, flat screen television, DVD player, and a veranda just outside the rooms, with spectacular views and breezes.
There is a lagoon style swimming pool with gardens surrounding the pool offering a tranquil place to relax and have few beers poolside with your friends. Wi-Fi is also available for all guests to stay connected with friends back home.
The bar and restaurant on the first floor of the main building stocks a range of beer plus a wide range of imported spirits, liqueurs and wines. Healthy vegetable, fruit juices and smoothies are also available. A two-meter by two-meter big screen TV in the bar and restaurant provides guests the opportunity to watch international sports and news as well as showing a live surf cam of Macaroni’s plus a variety of DVD movies and music. Other activities included a game area with a pool table and ping pong.
A small armada of boats ranging from a five-meter dinghy to 22’ aluminum speedboat for surf transfers is available for guests to surf Macaronis Left, Macaronis Right, Silabu Left, Green Bush, the Thunders region, and Bat Cave. The boats can also be used for short range fishing and snorkeling excursions.
Macaroni’s Resort has a comprehensive First Aid Kit set up by the Surfing Doctors– a non-profit aid organization that visits Macaroni’s Resort annually. Whether its stitches, Chinese stinging potion for reef cuts or anti fungal cream to cure a case of prickly heat, Macaroni’s Resort surf guides can treat guests for any basic injuries or illnesses. Macaroni’s Resort has a plan in place for emergency evacuation by boat, helicopter or plane if required.
Surf
Macaroni’s left is a wave that is generally between 2 – 8 feet, with a long barrel directly after the takeoff, followed by a wall that lets intermediate to pro surfers express themselves with all the speed and wall they could ever want. It is a remarkably consistent surf spot on either large or small swells, on all tides and most wind conditions. Macaroni’s is also considered one of the best waves in the world to surf in onshore winds. Macaroni’s is accessed by a five-minute speedboat ride from Macaroni’s Resort, while Maca’s Right is even closer. On a good day with north winds and medium to large swell, Macas Right can provide fun long walls and the occasional barrel section, but is often ignored due to the allure of Macaronis Left.
Guests at Macaroni’s Resort have the option to charter one of the resort speedboats and motor 30 minutes north to Bat Cave, a long, mellow right that breaks on the outside of a deserted tropical island that is also great for clear-water swimming, snorkeling or cliff jumping.
Greenbush, a very hollow left hander that demands serious wave judgment is only 20 minutes away by speedboat from the resort.
Silabu Left is only 10 minutes north. This is a wave the camp crew sometimes go to when Macaroni’s is warbly under a south wind.
Seasons & Weather
The Mentawai are in western Indonesia, just below the equator, so these islands generally see more rainfall than Bali and the islands further southeast. Indonesia as a whole has a tropical climate and in the Mentawai in particular, there is little difference in the length of a day any time of year.
Indonesia’s seasons divide in two: wet and dry. The wet season begins in October and lasts until March, with the peak rainfall measured in January and February, when high pressure flowing south from the Asian mainland combines with humid air from the Indian Ocean to bring rain throughout the archipelago. Although the northern and western islands receive more rainfall than those areas in the south and east, it can rain at any time of year. March/April is the beginning of dry season, when high pressure over Australia pushes air north to blanket Indonesia with warm, dry air. The dry season peaks during June through August, which is also in the heart of surf season.
Prime swell season for Indonesia is the southern hemisphere winter months from March/April through September/October when Low pressure systems off Antarctica and the Indian Ocean pulse ground swells toward the equator. Winds are also a factor to be considered. May through Aug/Sept typically sees easterly trades which are favorable for many of the main breaks.
November through February generally sees northwesterly winds, which may not be favorable for the big name breaks, but there are waves that favor this northerly wind direction. The shoulder or transition months of March/April and September/October will experience light and variable winds due to the changing of seasons. These transition months often experience glassy conditions and can be the best time to sample a larger variety of waves. Air temperatures range between 75° and 85° all year and water temperatures are always in that same range. If you want big surf with favorable winds, May to September is probably best. If you want to experience some glassy conditions and get a few more rights and less people but possibly sacrifice some swell size then March/April or late Sept/Oct is probably best. If you don’t mind rain but want good surface conditions and smaller, clean surf with nobody else around: give the off-season a try, from November to February.
Activities
If you like wild life, Macaroni’s Resort is wild enough by land and sea. The Silabu lagoon is teeming with squid, various crab species including mud crab, octopus, sea snails, mangrove jack, red snapper, mullet, yellow tipped trevally, blue tipped trevally and scorpion fish.
Fishing outside of the reef is popular too as you can catch giant trevally, king mackerel / tengirri, mahi mahi, sailfish and sometimes even black marlin.
The jungle is home to wild black spotted deer, wild boar, endangered Pagai monkeys, macaques, flying squirrels and the crested serpent eagle. The jungle is also home to some of the largest snakes in the world including reticulated pythons that grow as thick as a tree trunk, king cobra and green tree vipers. Water dragons (similar to Australian goanna and known locally as Buayak) are also plentiful, growing up to two meters in length.
On/off site activities include:
- Sea kayaking
- Snorkeling
- Fishing
- SUP
- Ping pong
- Cultural Tours
PRICING & PACKAGES
| Trip Days / Nights | Resort Days / Nights | Trip Start – End Day (Padang – Padang) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Days / 9 Nights | 8 Days / 7 Nights | Thursday – Saturday |
| Ferry Transfer Rates: | Surfer: $ 295.00
Non Surfer: $ 275.00 Kids Under 2: Free Transfers |
|
| Arriving Guests must arrive into Padang on Thursday night before the fast ferry departs for Sikikap the next day.
The fast ferry departs on Friday mornings at 6:30am to Sikikap where you will meet a transfer boat to take you to the resort. Departing Guests should overnight in Padang on Friday night and you can depart Padang airport the following morning. |
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Rates Per Person Per Night 2020
| Room | Rate |
|---|---|
| Private Suite Surfer | $ 285.00 per person per night |
| Private Suite Non Surfer | $ 185.00 per non surfer per night |
| Shared Suite ( Surfer / Surfer) | $ 240.00 per person per night |
| Shared Suite (Surfer / Non-Surfer) | $ 240.00 per surfer per night $ 140.00 per non-surfer per night |
| Child 6 – 12 Years (Share w/ Adult Guest) | $95.00 per person per night |
| Child 9 – 12 years rate is applied for a Child using a fold-up bed. If sharing with only one adult and staying in a regular single bed (2 guests in the room), the private room rate is applied for the adult, which includes the full room charge. Children aged between 6 – 12 that surf must pay surf tax if surfing at Macaronis and other advanced reef breaks.
Children 2 – 5 Years stay for free but will have to pay for the transfers |
|
Accommodation Packages Include
- Private air-conditioned suite bedroom elevated 8m above sea level with Queen-size bed or two single beds, with ensuite bathroom, hot shower, work desk, clothes storage, complimentary WiFi internet, wall mounted 32 inch flat screen TV with International channels, DVD player, large 1.8m x 4m veranda with ocean views, sea breezes and drop down blinds providing privacy from neighbors.
- Daily access to surf at Macaronis and other local surf breaks. Occasional day trips are offered in our speedboats to more distant surf breaks within a range of 25 miles, depending on surf conditions.
- Use of speed boats with operator during daylight hours to go fishing, snorkeling, village or island exploring. Arrangements can be made with Management to organize a boat trip at your preferred time.
- Use of recreational equipment including lagoon style swimming pool, snorkeling and spear-fishing equipment, game fishing equipment, 2 sea kayaks, 2 stand up paddle boards and 2 soft top learner surf boards for beginners. Some amazing snorkeling spots with great spear fishing opportunity are located within walking distance of the resort..!!
- A variety of tasty and healthy meals are served throughout the day. A cold breakfast is available from 06.00 am, so you can enjoy a light meal packed with energy before you surf. A hot breakfast is available from 07.30am – a must after spending hours in the surf during the morning session. A hearty plated lunch meal is served from 12.00pm. In the evening, a 3 course meal or buffet is provided to recharge your batteries for the following day. Our chefs focus mainly on Asian style of cooking, using fresh locally caught seafood, poultry, imported beef and fresh vegetables.
- Unlimited drinking water, tea / coffee making facilities.
- Use of WiFi internet, billiard table, table tennis table and other games provided in bar area.
- Silabu Village donation Rp.20.000 per day / per guest.
- Mentawai Tourism Tariff Rp.30.000 per day / per guest.
Accommodation Packages Exclude
- Surf board hire (8 new Firewire surf boards of length 5’4 – 6’4). Full day $25, half day$ 15 or $10 per session.
- Laundry service (available at a small cost).
- Beverages and snacks purchased over the bar. Also feel free to bring along your duty free purchases..!!
- Spa Services / Relaxation Massages (from Rp.135.000).
- Child Minding Services – Professionally trained English speaking Nanny available when booked in advance. Please inquire for a quote. Otherwise, our friendly Spa staff are also happy to assist whenever needed.
- Photography / Videography Package (from Rp.1.000.000 – Rp.3.000.000, depending on film duration and number of photos) .
- Personalized surf movies usually go for around 5 -10 minutes each with your own choice of background music. Comes complete with Macaronis Resort DVD cover, also available in file format to be put on your lap top, flash drive or smart phone.
- Bar tabs can be paid for at the end of your stay using Visa or Master Card, or paying in Indonesian Rupiah. A withdraw of Indonesian Rupiah can be made from an ATM before departure to Mentawai.
- Please note you will also need to pay USD 25 for Visa on arrival and Rp.100.000 airport departure tax at completion of your trip. Also travel insurance is compulsory when visiting Macaronis Resort.
