The D’Bora
Welcome to Mentawaidaze and the website of KM D’Bora.
The D'Bora is an 80 foot timber vessel running affordable quality surf charters in the Mentawai Islands. Her owners, Charlie Josal, Tom Plummer and Joey Melroy have teamed to create this unique vessel with all the modern amenities, but a decidedly local Indonesian architecture and flair. With many years combined experience in the Mentawais, they've pooled the best possible crew with Joey acting as onboard manager and surf guide traversing the length and breadth of the Mentawai Islands to get you your fill of waves, and then some.
Vessel specifications
Length: 80 ft
Crusing speed: 8 knots
Engine: Nissan RE8 300 hp
Generator: 20 KvA x 2
Radio: Icom HF and VHF
Radar: Furuno 24 mile
GPS: Garmin
Sounder: Garmin
25 person SOLAS liferaft
Flares
Lifejackets
Fire Extinguishers
TV, DVD and stereo with Ipod jack
16 berths in two private double cabins and dorm
Two bathrooms
Large top deck hanging and meal area with tunes
5 Mtr Aluminum tender with 175Hp Suzuki
Rigid Hull Inflatable with 15hp Yamaha
Mentawaidaze / D'Bora Surf Charters
Jln Nipah 1A, Padang, West Sumatera
Office Phone : +62-751-36370
Office Manager Mobile : +62-812-6652788 (Mis)
24/7 Contact Mobile: +62-812-662-8487 (Charlie)
Onboard Satfone : +88-2166-852-4490
Email : info@MentawaiDaze.com
Rates and Schedule 2011
US$2600/pax/12 nite charter
- July 9 - 21
- July 23 - August 4
- August 6 - 18
- August 18 - 28
- September 3 - 15
- September 17 - 29
- October 1 - 13
- October 15 - 27
- October 29 - November 10
- November 12 - 24
- November 26 - December 8
Rates and Schedule 2012
US$$2600/pax/12 nite charter
- January 21-february 2
- February 4 - 16
- February 18 - March 1
- March 3 - 15
- March 17 - 29
- March 31 - April 12
- April 14 - 26
- April 28 - May 10
- May 12 - 24
- May 26 - June 7
- June 9 - 21
- June 23 - July 5
- July 7 - 19
- July 21 - August 2
- August 4 - 16
- August 25 - Sept 6
- September 8 - 20
- September 22 - October 4
- October 6 - 18
- October 21 - November 2
- November 3 - November 15
- November 17 - 29
- December 1 - December 13
Charter Info
KM D’Bora runs 11day/12 nite charters unless otherwise stated. The vessel will depart with a minimum of 6 guests. Special rates are available in the low season.
Charter package includes: Air conditioned accommodations in either private cabin or dorm, 3 hearty meals/day and snacks in between, 3 free beers/day, juice, sodas, hot drinks and drinking water, round trip airport transfers, use of snorkeling and fishing equipment, zone permits and local donations, mentawai government US$3/person/day tax
Charter package does not include: Air tickets, insurance (strongly advised including medi-vac), excess baggage, surfboard or other airline charges, costs incurred by late surfboard arrivals, meals before/after charter, extra nites in Padang city.
How to book
In the first instance contact us to check that your charter dates are available. You will then need to secure your dates with a deposit of 25% of the total charter cost.
Payments can be made by International Transfer to D’Bora company account. Balance is due 45 days before departure date or in circumstances where payment via International Transfer is difficult, final payment can be arranged in Padang before D’Bora departure. Final payment can be made by Visa or Mastercard (3% fee) or in USD (new notes)/EURO/AUD currencies only.
Once you have secured your charter date get in touch with your travel agent to purchase flights to Padang. Purchasing tickets online is possible if that is your preferred approach. Read our ‘Getting to/from Padang section for more info.
Mentawaidaze / D'Bora Surf Charters
Jln Nipah 1A, Padang, West Sumatera
Office Phone : +62-751-36370
Office Manager Mobile : +62-812-6652788 (Mis)
24/7 Contact Mobile: +62-812-662-8487 (Charlie)
Onboard Satfone : +88-2166-852-4490
Email : info@MentawaiDaze.com
Book Now
How to book In the first instance contact us to check that the charter date you are interested in is available. Once you get the okay from us you will then need to secure your dates with a deposit of 25% of the total charter cost.
Payment can be made by International Transfer to D'Bora company account or via Paypal (below). Balance is due 45 days before departure date or in circumstances where payment via International Transfer or Paypal is difficult, final payment can be arranged in Padang before D'Bora departure. Final payment can be made by Visa or Mastercard (3% fee) or in USD (new notes)/EURO/AUD currencies only.
Pay charter deposit for one person USD$650
Pay charter balance one person USD$1,950
Pay full charter one person - USD$2,600
Mentawaidaze / D'Bora Surf Charters
Jln Nipah 1A, Padang, West Sumatera
Office Phone : +62-751-36370
Office Manager Mobile : +62-812-6652788 (Mis)
24/7 Contact Mobile: +62-812-662-8487 (Charlie)
Onboard Satfone : +88-2166-852-4490
Email : info@MentawaiDaze.com
Travel to/from Padang City
Padang is most easily reached from Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur. Some airline websites you can check to work out the best route from where you live:
We will be happy to organise your stay at one of the nearby hotels in the centre of Padang which are clean, safe, reasonably priced. From there it is only a short walk to restaurants, bars and local shops.
When travelling to Indonesia, it is a strict requirement that your passport be valid for AT LEAST six months. You can apply for a two month tourist visa in your home country or pay US$25 for a 30 day visa upon arrival. Make sure to have US dollars handy on arrival at Padang airport as it will save you time and money rather than dealing with airport money changers. If you are planning to travel to stay longer than 30 days in Indonesia you can apply to your nearest Indonesia Consulate or Embassy for a 60 day visa.
Upon arrival at Padang Airport you will be met by an English speaking representative from D'Bora (look for the KM D'Bora sign) who will ensure a safe and hassle free journey to your hotel or the boat. When you arrive back in Padang at the end of the charter we organise your transfer from the boat to your hotel or to the airport.
If it is your first time to Indonesia things might seem a little crazy and chaotic. Just remember that Indonesia is still a developing country and the city of Padang more so. Padang is not Bali! Rest assured however, that we have been doing surf charters for a long time and that we will have D'Bora staff and crew guiding and assisting you from the time you step through customs and immigration until you get on the boat and the same again when you arrive back from your charter.
What to bring (or what not to!)
Clothes and gear: A well known rule of thumb when deciding what clothes and gear to pack for a journey is to pack your bag and then take half out. In the case of a Mentawai surf charter, we suggest you take out two thirds. The key is to travel light. You will be in the water for a good part of your trip and time spent onboard will be in a pair of shorts and a tee shirt.
Boards: Three boards will generally have you covered: Two shortys and a mid (say 6'6 – 6'8). As Mentawai is blessed by super clean conditions most of the year you can get away with riding smaller boards on the bigger waves.
Trekking
Who are the guys with the tatts? Sikerei, the shaman keepers of the Mentawai. The jungles of Siberut Island are home to a race of people that have been studied intensively by anthropologists for years due to their unique and enduring traditional culture. Though these people are slowly being syncretised into Western ways of life, in the heartland of the island you will still find Siberut natives who are living day to day lives as they have for hundreds of years.
D'Bora offers guided treks to Siberut Island to meet with and spend a night staying in the longhouses of the real Mentawai locals. An excursion to Siberut Island is not easy; it involves a 3 to 4 hour longboat ride up through the rivers that divide the island, then a trek through super humid jungle often times knee deep mud to access the villages. However once you arrive at your destination you may have the chance to witness some of the traditional rites of these people such as tattooing, teeth filing or even purification ceremonies overseen by brightly decorated shamen. Or maybe join in making loin cloth or processing sago palm harvested from the nearby jungle. You might get muddy, wet and be at times uncomfortable however by taking part in a jungle excursion you will gain a deeper understanding of the island chain than is possible from the air-con comfort of your charter boat.
D'Bora guides are the people who actually originate from the villages of Siberut. They speak the jungle dialect and are networked directly with the people who you will visit which ensures that you have a 'real' cultural experience. Contact us for more details if you are keen to do a jungle trek during, before or after your trip on D'Bora.
Mentawaidaze / D'Bora Surf Charters
Jln Nipah 1A, Padang, West Sumatera
Office Phone : +62-751-36370
Office Manager Mobile : +62-812-6652788 (Mis)
24/7 Contact Mobile: +62-812-662-8487 (Charlie)
Onboard Satfone : +88-2166-852-4490
Email : info@MentawaiDaze.com
Contact
Email: info@mentawaidaze.com
Padang office address: Jl Bandar Olo 8, Padang, West Sumatra
Padang office telephone: +62-812-6652788 (Mis)
Onboard satfone number : +62-882-1668524490
