Travel Tips
Traveling with friends?
We offer a discount for groups booking the whole boat! Ask us about our deal before booking it on your own ;-)
Have you booked your flight to Padang yet?
Padang is located in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Here are some options for you to get to Padang, including the most convenient/fast way and the cheapest options:
1. International > Jakarta / Bali > Padang
International flights to Jakarta or Denpasar (Bali)
- Garuda Indonesia, as the Indonesian Flag Carrier, has a direct flight to Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia or
Denpasar (Bali) from most major international cities.
- For Australians: Qantas, Jetstar, Airasia and Malindo Air also have direct flights to Jakarta and Denpasar (Bali)
- For Americans: ANA Airways, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airways are common.
- Your best bet is to use www.skyscanner.com to find the best deal and itinerary on your flight to Indonesia.
Jakarta / Denpasar (Bali) > Padang
- There are a few Indonesian airlines offering Bali - Padang and Jakarta - Padang routes, but we recommend choosing Garuda since it's the most reliable airline in Indonesia. You can consider Lion Air for cheaper air fares.
- If you would like to book your own flight, you can use www.tiket.com, www.traveloka.com, or Google Flights to easily book any domestic flights in Indonesia without the help of an agent.
- Please ensure you arrive by 3pm in Padang for the first day of the trip.
- Your flight out of Padang needs to be departing later than 10am on the last day of the charter.
2. International > KL > Padang
Flight to Kuala Lumpur > Padang
- There is a budget airline, AirAsia, which flys from KL to Padang return on selected days.
3. International > Singapore > Batam > Padang
If you are very adventurous this option may save you up to $500 return for flights from Australia but it also might
be the slowest one. This option is quite good if you would like to enjoy Singapore prior to your arrival in Padang.
Australia > Singapore
FlyScoot often offers a very good price for flights to Singapore.
Singapore > Padang
Unfortunately, there is no direct flights from Singapore to Padang. However for a very cheap fare, you can catch a ferry from Singapore's Harbor Front to Batam Centre, Indonesia before catching a short domestic flight from Batam to Padang.
Upon your arrival in Padang, West Sumatra
Our ground crew will be ready to pick you up from Minangkabau International Airport and bring you to hotel/harbor. Similarly, on the last day of the trip our ground crew will drive you directly to the airport or a hotel in Padang.
We highly recommend you purchase a local SIM card, it will allow you to use 4G anywhere in Padang and you may even get signal on the boat occasionally to receive and send messages. Telkomsel is a good option. They can be found very easily, our ground staff can assist you with that.
Please follow the ground crew instructions on where to keep your belongings.
Before the boat leaves the Harbour from Padang to Mentawai.
Please check you have all your belongings and make sure that everything is on board.
We wish you a very safe and memorable trip.
Thank you for choosing Wave Hunter.
Frequently Asked Questions
01
Why does your Charter cost less compared to in relation to other boats?
This is something we get asked a lot. When we first purchased Wave Hunter, it used to be perceived as a budget boat. Even though it did the job and got everyone to the waves they wanted without any issues, there was definitely some work that needed to be done. In recent years we have done extensive renovations and have been lifting our game. Ensuring we are always ready to take you to the zone right away.
Despite all the investments we've made since early 2018, we have decided to keep our prices nice and low in order to be able to showcase our service to a lucky bunch of surfers who will hopefully put the word out, and only then will we think about raising our fares to align with the market prices.
If you are booking it now, rest assured you are getting a fantastic deal. We do not save at all on anything to keep the prices low. We take pride in providing top quality service, including serving top quality food in plentiful quantities.
02
Do we get any phone reception out on the boat?
We get limited signal during the trip. Most places have no signal at all but occasionally when in transit there are areas where we will pass near telecommunication towers and be able to receive and reply to messages.
In order to do that, we recommend you get a local Telkomsel SIM Card. They can be found everywhere, even in the Bali airport as soon as you walk out from arrivals. It should cost you around US$10 for the SIM card loaded with enough phone credit & data for the whole trip.
03
What is the Mentawai Tax?
It is a Tax that has been introduced by the Mentawai government which requires each surfer to pay 1 Million Rupiah (around US$75) upon visiting the region. Guests will pay it in Padang with cash money or on booking and a receipt will be provided.
You can find more info on the matter in this Surfline article
04
What should I do if my trip is disappointing?
If your trip is not living up to expectations, please let us know during the trip so we can correct the situation. We are an owner/operator business and will do everything we can do to make sure your trip is everything you dreamed it would be. If your problem is caused by one of our crew's, please let us know so we can address the issue. After the trip if you have suggestions on how we can improve the charter boat experience, please contact us through our email info@surfparadisetravel.com as soon as you can.
05
Can I ship my belongings before I arrive in Padang?
If it is strictly necessary, yes you can. Please contact us beforehand. Surf Paradise Boats is not responsible for any damage/loss caused by delivery. We do not encourage this action.
06
I forgot my belongings in Padang, what should I do?
Please inform our crew. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to find your belongings if they are left in a public area such as a restaurant or cafe. If we do find your belongings, we will try and send it to your location through another charter in our first opportunity.
07
How many boards should I bring?
Most guests bring between 2 to 4 boards. At least, one standard shortboard and one step-up or an alternative board like a fish if you'd like.