Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget

Travel Reference

In-Depth Information

THE MENTAWAI ISLANDS

A world apart from the mainland, the enticing jungle-clad Mentawai islands lie 150km off

the west Sumatran coast from which it was separated half a million years ago. These days, the

islands are at least as famous for their world-class waves as for being home to a unique tribal

culture and a wealth of endemic flora and fauna - including langurs, macaques and the

long-armed Mentawai (Kloss' gibbon). Both are under serious threat, from Illegal logging and a

government seeking to integrate the Mentawaian tribes into the Indonesian mainstream.

The islanders' traditional culture is based on communal dwelling in longhouses ( uma ) and

subsistence agriculture, while their religious beliefs centre on the importance of coexisting

with the invisible spirits that inhabit the world. With the advent of Christian missionaries and

the colonial administration in the early twentieth century, many of the islanders' religious

practices were banned, but plenty of beliefs and rituals have survived and some villages have

built new uma .

Generally, Mentawai people welcome tourism as a way of validating and preserving their

own culture, although due to the mainland's longtime monopoly on Mentawai tours, locals

have received little financial benefit from it. Fortunately, independent travel has become

increasingly feasible. There is a handful of basic homestays at the port of Siberut , the largest

island (4000 square kilometres), where local guides may be hired, and surfers may choose from

numerous all-inclusive surf camps that charge as little as Rp300,000/day.

Boat schedules are subject to change, and departures are sometimes cancelled without

warning. From Padang to Siberut, you can take Mentawai Express speedboats (Thurs morn,

returning Fri morn; 4hr), Sumber Rezeki boats (Mon & Wed, returning Tues and Thurs),

Ambu-Ambu (Thurs 7pm, returning Fri 7pm) and the brand-new KMP Gambolo (Fri & Mon,

returning Sat 7pm and Tues 8pm; 10hr). More ferries link the islands' other ports, such as

Tuapejat on Sipora Island and Sikakap on North Pagai Island. Get tickets from Bevys Sumatra

(Jl Batang Arau T 0751 781 0835), located within Hotel Batang Arau , and pack some anti-

seasickness tablets if big waves make you queasy.

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ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

A good food market runs during the day in Pasar Pusat, just

off Jl Bonjol. At night the stretch along Jl Sudirman near Jl

Gatot Subroto is full of sate stalls, the busiest of which is Radar

Siang Malam , with a huge menu of sate (from Rp12,000).

Poppie's Jl Cempedak III T 0812 7553 1889. No-frills,

hard-to-find homestay not too far off Sudirman with a

friendly, English-speaking owner. Offers about the only

backpacker acco mmodation in town. Ask a local for

directions. Single Rp100,000

Tune Hotel Jl Tgk Zainal Abidin 23 T 0761 851008,

W tunehotels.com/my/en/ourhotels/pekanbaru. This new

branch of the popular Malaysian franchise, run by the CEO

of Air Asia, is right in the city centre, offering sleek and

spotless a/c rooms. Rp230,000

city centre. Taxis (about Rp60,000) link the airport and

city centre.

Destinations Batam (4 daily; 50min); Jakarta (15 daily;

1hr 40min); Kuala Lumpur (2 daily; 50min); Medan

(4 daily; 1hr); Padang (daily; 50min); Yogyakarta (2 daily;

2hr 10min).

By ferry Daily ferries to Melaka leave from Dumai, 4hr

north of Pekanbaru (departs 1pm; 7hr). Daily ferries to

Batam leave from Buton, 3hr east of Pekanbaru (around

8am; 6hr). From Batam's Sekupang port, daily Batam Fast

boats ( W batamfast.com) depart for Singapore's Harbour

Front (almost hourly until 7pm; 45min).

By bus Long-distance buses to destinations throughout

Sumatra and Java arrive and depart at the well-run Bandar

Raya Payung Sekaki station (BRPS), 10km west of the city

centre and credited with winning Pekanbaru the 2011

Adipura award as Indonesia's cleanest city. Green angkots

connect the bus station with Jl Nangka.

Destinations Frequent daily departures to Bandar

Lampung (24hr); Bukittinggi (5hr); Dumai (4hr); Medan

(12hr); Padang (8hr).