To go to any boat in the Mentawai’s Islands is MANDATORY to have a travel insurance. Remember that
should cover extreme sports.

We have a first aid kit for cuts and bruises. For more severe cases, in some villages of the Mentawai, there
are health centers with foreign doctors working (since the tsunami these service centers have been set
up). For very critical cases, we will assist the guest to be transported to Padang and then a better hospital
in Malaysia or Singapore. All costs will be paid by the guest. That’s why it’s important to have a travel
insurance.

You will obtain a VISA On Arrival (VOA) and it’s valid for 30 days. It costs IDR 500.000 (around USD 30 dollars). For longer stays (more than 30 days), you should ask for an extendable VISA.

Make sure your passport satisfies the six month validity passport rule. Passports should have at least six
months of validity when traveling to Indonesia. That means if your passport has less than six months
remaining until the expiration date, you should renew it right away.

Indonesian domestic flights are often subject to delays or cancellations. Therefore, we strongly recommend planning your flight to Padang with potential delays in mind. It is essential to arrive in Padang no later than 3:00 PM on the first day of the boat trip. Additionally, please schedule your departure flight from Padang no earlier than 12:00 PM on the final day of the boat trip to ensure a smooth transition.

Sibon Charters offers a professional photography service on board to capture your experience. Please note that the image package is not included in the trip price and is available as an optional add-on. The cost of the package is USD 350 per person, which includes all photos and videos, as well as lifestyle images. To receive your images, we recommend bringing an external hard drive or USB flash drive (minimum 100GB, preferably USB 3) that is compatible with the Apple operating system. This ensures a smooth transfer of your memories.

Sibon Jaya and Sibon Baru are equipped with Starlink, offering unlimited internet access for USD 60 per person. Additionally, both boats feature a smart TV for your entertainment and convenience during the trip.

We no longer recommend the use of local SIM cards as we did in the past due to the challenges involved. Local SIM cards must be registered at a mobile phone network provider branch, which requires a passport for registration and can be time-consuming. Additionally, local holidays may affect the availability of this service. However, international SIM cards are welcome and may work well in certain regions of the Mentawai Islands. As an alternative, Starlink is available on board for reliable and convenient internet access.

Sibon Charters have a satellite phone on board. This phone can be used at any time by anyone to make
international calls. The use of the phone is charged (50.000 rupiahs/minute). Whenever you want to call
your families and friends, just ask for our surf guide.

We provide two towels per person for use during the trip. If you find enough, no need to bring towels.

We have on board snorkel masks and fins. But keep in mind that around 20 different people per month
use the same equipment daily. Maybe it will not be in same conditions as your personal equipment that
you use twice a year. Or could happen that the whole group wants snorkel at the same time and maybe
we won’t have enough equipment for the entire group. For that reason, if snorkel is on your priority list,
feel free to bring your personal equipment. We bet you won’t regret!

It is forbidden the possession and use of any illegal drug in the boat. Indonesian law is very strict on this
subject. As you may know, some people have been arrested for drug trafficking and sentenced to death.
If someone is caught inside the boat carrying any kind of drug, it will be landed at the nearest village.

If you are traveling from Kuala Lumpur or Jakarta to Padang with Air Asia (only), please don’t forget to buy
sports equipment as check in baggage in advance (when buying your ticket or managing your booking on
the website before check in time). Paying for sports equipment when boarding can be 10 times more
expensive.

Please, don’t forget to take with you USD 80 in cash (or the same amount in AUD or Rupiahs) to pay the
surfing tax created by the Indonesian Government.

Around 30 days prior to the boat trip, we will contact you requesting:
– passport details (full name, number, nationality, expiration date)
– flight date and time to/from Padang to schedule your transfer to/from the airport
– if you have any food restriction
– if you wish to order extra alcohol (other than the 24 beers already included in the package)
Once you have this information ready, at any time from today, you can send it to us.
In addition, we will also send you the package voucher once you paid in full.
If you have any questions regarding your travel, do not hesitate to write us at siboncharters@gmail.com
and we will be happy to assist you in preparing your trip.

Sibon Charters has a partnership with Bonsai Surf Lodge, a cozy and Indonesian style homestay in Padang.
All our guests are taken to this homestay before departure to wait to the right moment to get aboard.
There our guests can rest, take a bath, swim in their nice pool, access the internet, with no additional cost.
Also, it’s possible to have an Indonesian meal and local beer and drinks (additional cost). In case you need
to stay for a night, there are nice and air-conditioned bedrooms. Their rates are very affordable. Need to
book in advance.

– Number of passengers required: Minimum 8, Maximum 12 (for exclusive groups there is no minimum number of passengers)
– To book an individual spot or the whole boat, it’s necessary a booking deposit of USD 1000/ per person, up to 10 days after the reservation request. This amount is not refundable in case of waiver, by any reason. However, the spot can be transferred to other person indicated by the guest, without any cost
– No spot will be blocked and hold without the booking deposit
– The remaining balance must be paid until 60 days prior to departure. If the payment is not made before this date, the reservation will be canceled
– No refund is applied in case of natural disasters, such as tsunami, earthquake, storms, floods, etc. or due to political instability, be it local, national or global
– The remaining balance payment (not including the booking deposit) could be refunded only in case of waiver up to 30 days before departure. Taxes for the transfer will be paid by the guest. – Individual bookings are welcome, considering we need a minimum of 8 guests to confirm the charter. In case there isn’t the minimum number of bookings, the guest will be reassigned to other date or will have the full value paid refunded (including the booking deposit). In special situations, boat can depart with less than 8 guests.
– The boat can stay on a bay or a protected area for the period of time necessary, in case of an emergency, bad weather or any other reason demanded by the captain or surfguide. Our main goal is to keep the safety of the guests.