The arduous 10 hour boat trip to Nias start at Sibolga, or you can fly from Medan to Binaka airport (near Gunung Sitoli) in about an hour on a tiny Smac airlines plane. From there it is about 5-8 hours by bus to Lagundri which has over 30 good value losmens right on the sand of Lagundri Bay overlooking the point. The Nias natives used to indulge in head hunting and ritual human sacrifice, but thankfully those days seem over. The roads on Nias island have been greatly improved recently, so now is a great time to check out the west coast for new breaks previously only accessibly by boat. Lagundri Bay is now the starting point to new discoveries in the nearby islands. The Surf Travel Company runs the safest yacht tours to all these islands, but you need to book well in advance. Local speed boats can take you to the Hinako Islands within an hours or so, but it costs around US $200 per boat for a day trip. Local yachts have been reported to do week-long trips for about $100 per person, but this depends upon the number of guys on board and amount of food, beer etc. you need (it might also depend upon how well you can bargain in Indonesia). The right at Bawa and the left at Asu are seriously power full waves for very experienced surfers only. Accommodation on the Hinako islands is very limited, so don?t arrive without a booking. You must bring your own food, water and mosquito net. Ask around Lagundri for more information about any new discoveries on nearby islands.

South of Nias are the Mentawi islands, comprising the Telo group, Siberut, Sipora, Pagai Utara, Pagai Selatan and Enggano. These islands are home to the most primitive, tattoo covered natives in Indonesia. If you feel you can cope with a wild man-of-Borneo-style adventure trip, right out on the edge, this is the place to do it. But be warned, these islands are covered in dense rain forest jungles, there are hardly any decent roads, few place to stay, limited food supplies and few natives can even speak Indonesian. Although there are certainly great waves on these islands, there are plenty of other un crowded place much easier to get to. These islands are justifiably the last frontier, accessibly by boat only.

The Sumatra outer islands are very primitive. Many island require police permits before you arrive. Some may not be able to supply you with food and water, no matter how much money you have. Many natives live a simple subsistence lifestyle, based on bartering, not money. Some would rather receive knives, axes, fishing nets or even beads and betel nut rather than cash. Animistic religions and black magic are still strongly believed in, despite the spread of Islam. The indigenous people believe all things posses a soul, from rock to trees to rivers. It is their belief that illness is caused by upsets to the souls of the objects around us, so western medicines are almost non-existant here.

The Andaman and Nicobar islands north of Sumatra have very good reef surf potential, but are only accessibly through India, where you would be processed by Customs and Immigration. Don?t chance a boat trip from Sumatra-you may be arrested, or even worse, pirated! North of Nias is dangerous pirate territory.

When you look at map of Bali which has over 20 great surf spots, and than compare that small area to the huge size of Sumatra, the mind boggles-there must be hundreds of classic breaks waiting to be discovered! Go to it! But before you go, there are just a few things you should be warned about?.

Malaria is a big problem in Indonesia. Bali?s luxury beach resorts are safe, but inland areas (eg Ubud) and most other islands are not. Each year 300 million people are infected world-wide by bites from the female Anopheles mosquito. One million people die. Drug resistant strains of malaria are spreading through Indonesia fast, so for the latest update on which malaria tablets are right for the region you are visiting, at least two months before you go write to Indo Surf & Lingo (PO Box 950 Noosa Qld 4567 Australia) for a fully-detailed Travel Health Brief application form.

Travel Health Briefs contain the most up-to-date information from the MASTA computer database (Medical Advisory Service for Travelers Aboard). For only $10, they prescribe all the shots you need, the right malaria tablets for your particular trip and much more including emergency numbers. Remember, surfers have died in Indonesia because they took the wrong pills!