The Playgrounds region of the Mentawais is one of the most diverse surfing destinations on the planet. With waves constantly working for all levels of surfers, this is the ultimate surf trip destination. Below we will break down the spots according to surf level.

Beginners

Burgerworld is a slow, fat, peeling right-hand swell magnet. When it’s small everywhere else, this is the spot. However then when the swell is big, it maxes out pretty easily. It is a great wave to learn on as it works on any tide, and even when it’s shallow, you’re relatively safe from hitting the reef.

On the other side of the same island, lies McDonalds. If Burgerworld is onshore, check out this spot. It’s essentially a left-hand version of its burger counterpart. It breaks and peels even slower, making it the perfect spot for practicing your backside turns, and for longboarders too. It also stays pretty deep even on the low tide.

Towards the south of the region is A-Frames. An interesting wave, technically an a-frame, the right just isn’t very good. When this wave meets swell it can produce barrels and extremely rippable walls. However, when it’s small, it is the perfect beginner wave. It breaks super slow, over soft reef, and only speeds up after the takeoff section. It is the perfect wave to learn on, ride a log, or a twin fin.

Intermediates

In my personal opinion, Beng Beng is the most fun left-hander in the area. It produces perfect walls, at the perfect speed. It is super safe on the high tide, but beware of the end section on the low. I’ve pushed it to the end and found myself walking over reef, you don’t want to make the same mistake, trust!

On the same island as Beng Beng is the wave of Pitstop. This is an epic right-hander that barrels super easy. It is not the longest wave in the region, but super high performance when there’s swell. Otherwise, it’s a rippable little wave that sits right in front of the beach, perfect for intermediate surfers.

Around the corner lies Nipussi. This is a fat rolling right-hander that peels along pretty sharp reef. It can be surfed on any tide when the swell is big enough, but does get more fast and gnarly on the low. This is also another swell magnet, so look to it if the swell drops off.

And in the south, we have 4Bobs. Surfable on all tides if the swell is big, this is one of the most mechanical waves in the region. It is super fun and breaks over super sharp reef so watch your feet when you jump off. Some would say it's a bit boring to surf, but I would say it’s consistent and that helps with practicing maneuvers.

Chargers

E-Bay is a wave between Pitstop and Beng Beng. When the swell is big enough, it is a daunting, fast, and barrelling left, producing super heavy tubes that break on an abrupt reef shelf - so make sure to kick out before the end section because it gets super shallow!

The notorious Bank Vaults is another epic wave that is well known in the Mentawais. It is a fat right-hander that bowls up and produces deep barrels. It may seem like it has a mellow takeoff, but it’s actually a super technical wave that you need to set up for in order to get the section to barrel over you. When this spot is on, it is on.

Hideaways is the pristine left-hander of the Playgrounds region. Producing perfect barrels, with clean and rippable walls, this is a very fast wave breaking over sharp reef that seems to always be too close, even when it’s high tide. There can sometimes be a strong current here that pulls you out to sea, so make sure you keep your eye on markers.

Last but not least, is Kandui Left. This is the big-time barrel wave of the Mentawais. Producing XL conditions when the right dry season swells hit, it’s an extremely technical and fast wave that breaks over shallow reef. This isn’t a wave for the faint-hearted.

With many different waves on offer, this is the ideal surf destination for all kinds of surfers.

Photos by Kayli Wouters and Federico Vanno (@liquidbarrel)

Written by Kayli Wouters

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