SBY 06 - 7 Days Life Transition of Indigenous Mentawai
Program Details & Highlights
Program Highlights
You’ll be taken away far from the tourist trail, into the heart of Siberut Island. Deep within their rainforest where indigenous people live close to nature, there will be NO Electricity and NO mobile phone access. These uncomplicated rainforest dwellers are struggling to maintain their traditional lifestyle against the paradoxes of modernization. This trek is only recommended if you are physically fit and prepared to accept very basic and often uncomfortable conditions. Meet, stay, explore and experience Mentawai Culture. A trekking combination of village life and rainforest. Learn about sago processing, bark cloth processing, do other activities that will heighten your interest in and fascination with the Mentawaian natural philosophy.
Program Details
One of the isolated Mentawai Islands off coast Padang, West Sumatra, named Siberut, is inhabited by the indigenous Mentawaian. A group of people who live close to nature in the heart of this island’s rainforest. Some of them still maintain their ancient way of living and some are in transition.
The indigenous Mentawaians are culturally patrilineal groups and social life is centered around the UMA, a communal long house lead by a chief of the clan. They believe in animism. All objects are supposed to have spirits. Their shamans called “Sikerei” will connect them to those spirits. Their respect for nature or environment is reflected in an elaborate beliefs system as their cultural characteristic.
This is a challenging trek to the heart of Siberut National Park to experience the daily life with Mentawaian families. You will stay as guests of a local “Sikerei” in the Uma. On this basic condition, you will gain a unique insight into the life of Mentawaians who maintain a belief system based on living in total harmony with nature.
Day by Day SBY 06 - 7 Days Life Transition of Indigenous Mentawai
Day 1: Salamaik Datang-Arrival (Monday) at Minangkabau International Airport (D)
Welcome to Padang, West Sumatra, meet and greet. Directly transfer for check in at comfortable hotel in Padang. Have chance to rest and relax and wait as the rest of the group arrives. After hotel dinner our guide wills brief the program orientation.
Day 2: Crossing Mentawai Strait (BLD) (Tuesday)
Morning transfer to Muara Harbour (around 06:00 - 06:15 AM, depending distanve from hotel) and boarding at 07:00 AM. Breakfast box provided. Crossing Mentawai Strait, transit to Sikabaluan (around 4 hours boating), loading more passengers about 1 hour and continue about 2 hours boating to Muara Siberut (depends on waves and other sea condition) Upon arrival, luggage clearance supported by our local team and public transport transfer to local house where our lunch is prepared. Our team will manage guest registration with local authority. Walking to small harbor, boating to the land of Indigenous Mentawai by small wooden boat for about 2.5 hours (depends on river’s current and tide. Upon arrival at the Mentawai land, luggage clearance and our porter will be ready to carry our stuffs. Walking to “Uma”, Mentawai communal house, passing the muddy, slippery single logs, sago tree plantation, forest trek with green lovely view, unique wild life animals and plants. Upon arrival at “Uma”, bed setting, dinner and staying at this local house.
Day 3-4: Experience Indigenous Mentawai Daily Life (BLD) (Wednesday-Thursday)
Here, with basic condition, you will gain a unique insight and experience into the lives of these people who maintain a belief system based on living in total harmony with nature. Explore the rainforest of Siberut National Park near the indigenous Mentawaian remote village. If you are lucky, we can see endemic primates “Bilou” (Hylobates klosii) or “Joja” (Presbytis potenziani). Experience their daily activities such as searching for Sago worm, making sago powder (Mentawaian main food), fishing, making loin clothes, “Shaman” works or rites, making poison, handcrafting, hunting, and other cultural activities when we are there. Tattoo-making will be special. Cultural performance will be a program for the last night. While staying in Mentawai, meals will be provided by our local chef.
Day 5: Back to West Sumatra Mainland (BLD) (Friday)
After breakfast and farewell with local host, back to main village and transfer to local house. Chance to clean your stuffs and take shower. Lunch time and boating back to Padang at 3.00 PM. The trip will take approximately 3,5 hours and directly transfer to comfortable hotel in Padang. Dinner will be in the street food court and Padang night walking about 1.5 hours.
Day 6: Back to West Sumatra Mainland (BLD) (Saturday)
Breakfast, lazy morning, and enjoy hotel facilities. Before midday : Padang City Tour; combination of cultural, historical and modern atmosphere trip, Indian Ocean Sunset Break. Lunch will be at local restaurant and hotel farewell dinner with special Minangkabau cultural performances.
Day 7: Airport Transfer - Sampai Jumpa (B) (Sunday)
Free program at your own leisure until airport transfer or continue with the next program.
- 2.5% will be donated to support Green Tourism Institute to educate and advocate West Sumatra local community about “sustainable tourism”.
- Small Group Trip (Maximum 8 Pax)
- Don’t forget prepare your backpack for 4 days trip in Mentawai while the main luggage will be kept safely in our hotel storage.
- In “Local Communal Residence”: you’ll face and deal with very basic conditions.
- In communal sites our team will manage and advise about rubbish handling.
- In communal residence, you’ll get dormy bedding style, we usually provide single tent, mosquito net (bedding equipment).
- The trip’s purpose is to experience culture from a journey, expected that local people will carry out culture sharing in order to maintain the good thing from their side as many outsiders are interested to see and recognize it deeper. Beside, tourists are encouraged to support and develop a part of this world as a destination for peace and mutual respect. And cultural sharing about the good life.
- This is an open trip, you will join other travelers from around the world.
- Special private trip or out of the schedule please contact us.
- The routes are in remote areas, away from tourist trail and most activities directly deal with local people. Our guides will brief about appropriate behavior, both culturally and environmentally.
- In most routes, there will be no phone signal and electricity.
- Don’t worry about meals, we provide in our team a “chef” supported by locals.
- Bring your own repellent/mosquito spray and private medicine.
- This trip is not recommended for someone with any respiratory problems.
- For any force majeure situation, operator will change the route/activities to similar ones.
- Trip starts and ends at Padang (West Sumatra-Indonesia)
- If you want to continue with our program “17 Days, Coastal Land to Highland of Minangkabau Unique Culture”; you’ll be separated from the group at day 5 and directly transfer to Pariaman. You will also get price adjustment and discount for taking both programs.
- Above price is a starting price based on 2 pax and twin sharing room (the more pax join and directly confirmed, there will be a significant price adjustment.
3 Nights at “Uma”, Mentawai communal house (really at basic condition)
3 Nights B&B at Padang (4-star hotel)
*Single Supplement only for Hotel (+ € 66 / $ 74)
Meals as stated in program detail (7X dinner, 6X lunch, 7X breakfast)
* Please inform us for any dietary or vegetarian requirements
- Tour Design.
- 6 Night Accommodation as in “Accommodation & Meals” Information.
- Meals as in “Accommodation & Meals” Information.
- Comfortable Tourist Transportation (adjusted to number of travelers) while you’re out of Mentawai Islands.
- Fast Ferry Transfer to and out of Mentawai Islands.
- Experience Local Transport on certain occasions
- Licensed English-Speaking Guide and Mentawai Speaking Local Guide.
- Tour Crews (Logistic, Local Chef, Videographer & Photographer)
- Trekking Equipment (First Aid, Sleeping Bag, Mattresses, Head Lamp, Trekking Stick and Mosquito Net).
- Donation to Green Tourism Institute and certification as Green Friend of Indonesia.
- All Entrance Fees, donations to local community and activities fee.
- Private Cultural Performances at Farewell Dinner
- CD Documentation
- International Flight Ticket
- All Personal Expense or Anything out of Inclusions
- Tipping (Please contact us for suggestion)
- Insurance