OVERVIEW OF WAVES

Kandui Resort offers the average surfer the opportunity to score the best waves of their lives in the premiere surf resort location in the entire world, nothing else comes close. Here is a quick look at a number of waves we have in our area.

The Mentawai Islands are one of the most consistent surf destinations in the entire world. Its broad exposure towards the vast, southern Indian Ocean provides these majestic islands with remarkable consistency and quality. There are great waves in this area YEAR-ROUND. However, the most ideal time to surf in the Mentawais is during the dry season, late March to early November, the southern hemisphere’s winter, when the Indian Ocean is an ultra-active, groundswell producing machine.

During the entire year Kandui Resort offers the average surfer the opportunity to score the best waves of their lives in the premiere surf resort location in the entire world, nothing else comes close… Here is a month to month breakdown of the weather, waves, and conditions to help get you ready for the best surf trip of your life:

4 Bobs

4 Bobs is a short, playful right-hander located directly in front of KanduiResort. Swells that break here wrap considerably around the south end of the island and break over a relatively shallow reef. If you’re fast you can take off deep and try to float the first section where most people take off; otherwise, it’s strictly a one or two turn wave. Ironically, despite it’s relatively tame appeal, 4 Bobs is a perennial favorite to almost every person who surfs it and is one of the most consistent and fun waves in the Mentawais.

Our Advice:4 Bobs is a great wave for people of all abilities. It can get a bit shallow at low tide so you need to watch yourself but all in all, it’s one of the most rippable alternatives in the Mentawais.

Recommended Board: Any type of board works great here.

Distance from Kandui Resort: 4 Bobs is the closest wave to Kandui – access to the breakrequires a 2 minute dinghy ride.

A Frames

A Frames is one of the most consistent lefts in the Mentawai Islands. Situated in front of an idyllic island it is one of the many good waves found in thePlaygrounds region. There are generally two sections to surf, the top and the inside. The peaks at the top can be a bit shifty and require a fair amount of paddling around to find the right area while the inside section is more dependable and offers up a better wall to work with. A Frames is easily one of the most popular spots in the Mentawai’s and is sometimes referred to as “John Candies”.

Our Advice: A Frames is usually where the goofyfoots reign supreme. Every wave is different here but on its best daysit’s an exhilarating experience with a consistent take off zone.

Recommended Board: Any type of board works great here.

Distance from Kandui Resort: A-Frames is located in front of one of the most beautiful islands in the Mentawai’s – access to the break requires a 3 minute dinghy ride.

Bankvaults

Bankvaults is a thick, barreling right punctuated by a shifting line-up. Sets seemingly emerge out of nowhere and can wreak havoc if you’re caught out ofposition. The ideal size to surf Bankvaults is head-high to a triple overhead, in any swell size, getting caught inside is a certainty. Despite the dangers, snag a clean, open barrel here and you’ll be talking about it for years.

Our Advice: We like Bankvaults. It’s really tricky, really shifty, and for the most part really heavy. You can get someunbelievable barrels here if you find the right zone. Be on the lookout forsurprise sets, this place is famous for them.

Recommended Board: A few extra inches will help you get into the waves easier and give you enough speed to make it out of the barrel.

Distance from Kandui Resort: Bankvaults is located north of the resort – access to the break requires a 15 – 20 minute canoe ride.

Beng Beng

Beng Beng is an extremely rippable left located a few hundred yards away from E-Bay and Pitstops. It’s probably one of the easiest waves to surf in the Mentawais and is fun for surfers of all ability levels. The area surrounding Beng Beng is breathtaking as it sits nestled inside a small bay with literally one of the most scenic views imaginable all aroundyou. The best size to surf Beng Beng is waist high to a foot overhead – even though it’s relatively short some people like this wave more than other waves that are considered far superior.

Our Advice: Give Beng Beng a try – simple.

Recommended Board: Any type of board works great here.

Distance from Kandui Resort: Beng Beng is located off of Nyang-Nyang Island – access to this wave requires a 30 minute canoe ride from the resort.

Burgerworld

Burgerworld is considered a last alternative when everywhere else is flat. Anything bigger than three feet here flattens out into a mushball. However, the positive aspect of Burgerworld is that there s always something to ride here. Even though it’s not a premiere wave it is a fun alternative when everywhere else isn’t breaking.

Our Advice: Maybe we were too hard on Burgerworld. It definitely has its days, especially when it’s small everywhere else. It’s a lot easier to surf this wave backside but still can be fun when you get used to it’s tempermental nature.

Recommended Board: Shortboard or fish if you brought one.

Distance from Kandui Resort: Burgerworld is located northwest of the resort – access to the break requires a 30 + minute canoe ride.

E-Bay

E-Bay is a fast, barreling left that gets good when it’s head high or bigger. When a pumping west swell is marching through, E-bay does a close impersonation of Padang Padang on Bali without the death cliff looming inside. The overall set-up at E-bay is flawless, stereotypical Indonesian, with beautiful, bluish-green water and tall palm trees everywhere. Besides its aesthetic beauty, double overhead E-bay is a beast and force to be reckon with.

Our Advice: E-Bay is pretty fickle. If you get to surf here consider yourself lucky. Even if E-Bay isn’t breaking you have a great alternative 100 yards away at Pitstops. You won’t realize there are waves in there unless you check it out in the dinghy.

Recommended Board: Usually you can get away with your shortboard but anything overhead and you might want to grab the next largest board in yourarsenal.

Distance from Kandui Resort: E-Bay is located off of Nyang-Nyang Island – access to this wave requires a 30 minute canoe ride from the resort.

Hideaways

Hideaways is an occasionally heavy left near the Playgrounds region that isfrequently visited by Kandui guests. In the last few years it has been one of the “go to” waves because it is a lot more consistent the other world class waves in our area and can handle a lot of the more annoying wind directions like straight souths. Hideaways has the ability to be a sick cavern or offer up a rippable shoulder. You can really only surf it on medium to high tide, at low tide it sticks out of the water and unless you like reef cuts stay away!

Our Advice: Hideaways is known as the “Mentawai Pipeline” – if you’re not a competent surfer or comfortable in ledgy waves be careful out there.

Recommended Board: A slightly bigger board makes for an easier entry.

Distance from Kandui Resort: Hideaways is located northeast of the resort – access to the break requires a 10 minute canoe ride.

Kandui

Kandui a.k.a Kanduis or Nokandui is one of the fastest, down the line, left-hand barrels in the world. Kandui is an obscenely hollow wave with your only option for survival being tucked inside its enormous, gaping jaws. Unless you’re comfortable pumping inside the barrel the best you can hope for is to find the right line, exert a little extra front foot pressure, and hold on. Most of the waves will simply outrace you; however, the thrill of charging through the longest barrel possible is more than worth the effort. If the conditions are right you’ll take your share of beatings; butchances are you’ll kick out of the best barrel of your life as well.

Our Advice: The bigger it gets, the easier it gets. Don’t surf here when it’s too small unless you like to get cut up on the reef. The only good advice we can offer is to be go fast or go home, don’t even think about going for a turn – why would you?

Recommended Board: Use a slightly bigger board than normal to get the necessary speed and into the waves early.

Distance from Kandui Resort: Kandui is located on the opposite side of our island – access to the break requires a 5 minute luxury canoe ride or 10 minute dinghy ride.

Karangbat Left

Karangbat Left lies smack dab in the middle of “Playgrounds.” It breaks best on a direct south swell and is a fairly straightforward wave for people of all abilities. The wave itself runs almost exactly one hundred yards over a shallow, but manageable reef. While sitting in the line-up you are surrounded by a triangle of islands which offer a really unique perspective. Easily visible from Kandui Resort Karangbat Left is surfed by those people looking to take a fish or longboard out and get some longish rides. Even though it’s soft a lot of the time with a medium tide you’ll have a blast!

Our Advice: Karangabat Left is a lot more fun that meets the eye. Most people surf 4 Bobs over Karangbat Left, but if there are a few too many people at 4 Bobs it won’t hurt to give it a try!

Recommended Board: Any fun shape, fish, or longboard is perfect for this wave.

Distance from Kandui Resort: The 2nd closest wave to the resort, 2 minute tender ride at most.

Nipussi

Nipussi is a high-performance right situated inside a reef-laden cove. Most people line up at the apex of the point and surf a solid wall that hugs the inside, but during a west swell some people prefer to sit wide and wait for the swinger sets which break in the middle of the cove. Nipussi always has waves and is a good alternative when the rest of the islands are flat. It’s known as one of the mellowest waves in the islands but it’s still a powerful wave.

Our Advice: Nipussi is at it’s best when it’s on the small side and low tide. There is not much of a lip to hit here so we suggest big section floaters or sweeping roundhouse cutbacks to be the best approach. It’s beautiful here, have fun.

Recommended Board:

Distance from Kandui Resort: Nipussi is located north of the resort – access to the break requires a 15 minute canoe ride.

Pitstops

Pitstops is one of the most high performance waves in the Mentawai Islands.Located a few hundred yards away from E-Bay you can’t really tell if Pitstops is breaking unless you take a close look. The wave itself starts breaking in a compact area over reef, remarkably, if you’re not paying attention, the take-off can be quite challenging. However, once you’re on your feet you’ve got a really fun, semi-backwashy wave to carve, pull in, or boost on. As the wave progresses it starts breaking over a combination of sand and reef until eventually expiring itself on a beautiful tropical beach. One of the most photogenic waves in the world.

Our Advice: Can produce one of the best sessions of your trip, or one of the worst. The wave lends itself very well to some people and extremely poor with others. It doesn’t hurt to give it a try if you’re in the area.

Recommended Board: Shortboard/Fish

Distance from Kandui Resort: Pitstops is located off Nyang Nyang Island – access to the break requires a 30 minute luxury canoe ride.

Rifles

Rifles is one of the longest, most perfect, awe-inspiring waves in the world. When it’s breaking properly with a hint of northwest wind you can expect four to six hundred yard right walls with numerous tube sections. Rifles is a violent barrel from start to finish, sometimes when you think you are coming out another section will throw over, and another, and another. If you do come out and see it lining up, you have to put the pedal to the metal to make itthrough the next barrel section. Surfer Magazine dubbed Rifles the 6th best wave in the world!

Our Advice:If you catch it good, just one good wave, your trip is a success. The trick here is to be on the look-out for sets as you’re paddling back out. Believe us, you can take off anywhere down theline and still get the best wave imaginable – good luck!

Recommended Board: The fastest board you have, unless you’re pro you’ll need it.

Distance from Kandui Resort: Rifles is located in front of Kandui Resort a little bit to the south – access to the break requires a 5 minute luxury canoe ride or 10 minute dinghy ride.