Best Flight options: Google Flights
Wifi on the Boat:
No, but cell service sometimes.
Phones service:
We have GPS messaging system that you can send text and emails unlimited, no charge, say hi to family, and close deals back home. It also geolocates you so your family can click the link to see exactly where you’re at.
Food, Meals, and Snacks
- Food is prepared by our onboard chef, we serve mostly western meals with a small mix of Indonesian meals throughout the trip.
- 4 am light breakfast, toast, coffee, fruit, cereal, smoothies…
- 9 am hot breakfast, omelets, pancakes, cereal, potatoes…
- 1 PM lunch, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, spaghetti…
- 7 PM Dinner, dinners are preplanned, steak night, pizza night, spaghetti night, Chicken night etc…
- Bottled water, snacks, sodas, juice, smoothies, popcorn, chips, ice cream, etc… all day throughout the entire trip.
- After surfing all day a quality healthy diet is important to overall performance and recovery for the next day’s sessions.
- If you have any special diet needs or allergies please let us know so we can be prepared for you before you arrive.
Alcohol:
Bring your favorite bottle, one per citizen entering Indonesia, but maybe two, it’s rarely checked, we don’t recommend purchasing the alcohol in Indonesia, some shady stuff happens unless you’re into drinking rubbing alcohol. Beer can be purchased in Padang, its about $1 per beer or $24 a slab.
Wine: It’s available, mostly same brands as you get back home, but triple the price, if you would like wine we can arrange that, please give us 1-month notice prior to your trip.
Safety:
Prior to your trip, get some sun, maybe work out, for sure get some surf. Heat stroke is probably the biggest complaint, next would be Bali Belly, go easy on the street food. Malaria and Dengue Fever is limited but does exist. While on the boat away from land you will not have much exposure to Mosquitos. On land stay covered at night and in the early morning hours. Take Malaria Meds if you wish, but that stuff makes you crazy. Best bet is to wear repellent, apply DEET to hands, feet, and neck, and wear long sleeve shirts and pants at night when on land.
Scooter accidents are the number one cause of death to tourists, be careful when on a scooter.
Injury:
If you get cut we will stitch you up if your cut really bad depending on our location and the local resources nearby we may take you to a local clinic, or stabilize the injury onboard. If a critical injury occurs we will safely evacuate you to Singapore for quality medical help. We have an injury evacuation plan, be sure to have Emergency Travel Health Insurance, with critical injury evacuation as part of the plan.
Drugs:
In Indonesia, the police will lock you up for any amount of weed, the Indonesian government does not tolerate drug use by westerners, please don’t put yourself, us, or the operation at risk. If we find out you have weed, we will take it from you and destroy it. Sorry, it’s just the way it is here in Indonesia.
Malaria Protection:
Malaria and Dengue Fever is limited but present in Sumatra and the Mentawai Islands. Being on a boat away from mosquitoes and persons who may have contracted malaria or Dengue does minimize the chance of infection. The majority of our passengers do not take malaria prophylactic drugs. Those who do generally take doxycycline or Malarone.
See:
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/malaria-topic-overview
If you are concerned contact your doctor to discuss the options of taking malaria prophylactics.
Insurance:
It is mandatory for all passengers to be fully covered with Emergency Travel Insurance. Padang has limited medical facilities and severely injured passengers are not permitted on commercial aircraft for liability reasons. We strongly recommend your travel insurance also includes all accompanying baggage and trip cancellation and disruption. Travel insurance is relatively cheap and is readily available.
Travel Insurance: Our preferred booking agent offers Nomad Insurance,
A few companies offering travel insurance:
- Mondial (Australia)
Phone: 1800 010 078
Website: onlinetravelinsurance.com.au - ACE Insurance Limited (Australia)
Phone: 1800 628 020
Website: onlinetravelinsurance.com.au - SOS International
Phone (USA): 1-215-942-8226
Phone (Singapore): 65 6338 7800
Website: internationalsos.com/buymembership/ - TravelSafe (USA)
Phone: 1-800-523-8020
Fax: 10800-303-6015 Offers
Website: travelsafe.com - InsurAmerica
(Refer to Product Number 007826-CT P1 11/03.)
24 Hour Emergency Assistance
Phone (USA): 1-800-826-8597
Phone (International): 715-345-0505
Mobile Phones:
Service in Padang is good and also in some spots around the islands. You can purchase a local vendor sim card, and switch it out with your iPhone or preferred device. We recommend Telkomsel.
4G and 3G are available, your current service provider offers an international plan, check it, it’s usually very expensive. You can purchase a local sim card, and prepay for phone and data service, normally $20 will last you the entire trip, or just use Wifi when available. Most airports and coffee shops offer WIFI.
For a group booking, there is a maximum of 10 surfers (there is an additional cost for extra people). Groups are responsible for their own group numbers and there is no discount for bringing fewer than 10 people. (Select trips are open for individual surfers.)
Terms and Conditions: