The Mentawai Islands lie off the west coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. They offer some of the most perfectly formed surfing waves in the world. Their virtues have been praised in surfing magazines around the world.

Here are some first impressions published in SURFER Magazine:

"Just when you thought you'd seen it all, you realize you haven't. This was my first trip to this area, and it shocked me. I've been going on surf trips for 30 years and bar none this is the richest wave field I've ever been to. You see photos of this place on the printed page and go, 'Yeah, wow!' But you have to go there to appreciate the area, how remote it is, and how beautiful and wild and how many damn surf spots there are. It's like a miracle...

"... Another thing that really struck me about this area is how pristine it all was. Most of the islands were just schoolbook fantasy scenes--palm-lined, white sand beaches with thick jungle beyond that. Sometimes there was a little hut built on the end of a point. But for the most part, nature overwhelmed any sign of man. There's something very satisfying about that."

In addition to surfing, the area offers beautiful island beach walks, and memorable contacts with the local Mentawai people, who live close-to-nature in small villages on the unspoiled islands.