Getting Here

Probably the biggest hindrance to enjoying a wonderful stay at Aloita, or any land stay in the Mentawais for that matter, is simply getting there in the first place.   While our exotic location provides our guests with that added feel of serenity and privacy, it can also be a logical nightmare to simply arrive at our island oasis.  But after several years of ironing out the kinks, we now have several options to get our guests to our resort in a safe, inexpensive, and convenient manner.

The first hurdle you need to tackle is getting to the Minangkabau International Airport in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia.  It is the only international airport in the area, so if you tell your travel agent, “I need to get to the Padang Airport”, he or she should know what you’re referring to.  No significant sized international planes arrive at this airport, so you will have to take one of the smaller commuter flights from either Kuala Lumpur, or Jakarta, as the are the only major ports that connect to Padang (as of September, 2010, there are no longer any connecting flights from Singapore).  From Kuala Lumpur, the main option is Air Asia, which has several different options that go to Padang every day.  From Jakarta, the most popular option is Garuda Air, which also flies every day with several different options.  There are several other reliable airlines that travel these routes as well, such as Lion Air, Batavia Air, and Mandala Air. 

Once you arrive in Padang, our crew in Padang will coordinate your ground transportation and hotel stay if necessary, and will guide you along to one of the multiple means of getting from Padang to Aloita.  Please note that in 2010 SMA Airlines canceled their flights to Rokot, so there is no longer a flight option to the Mentawais.

Ferry

The most popular option is via the Ambu Ambu ferry.  By Indonesian standards, it’s one of the nicest ferry options there is.  It can be a little hectic in the main galley, but most of our guests are lodged in their own private, air conditioned cabin.  The boat is a very large, stable automobile ferry that can house dozens of vehicles and hundreds of guests, so you will feel very little rocking and rolling, even in the heaviest of seas.  As of April, 2010, the Ambu Ambu operates on the following schedule:

Sunday: Padang – Tua Pejat  (DEP: 08.00 PM    ARR: 6.30 AM)
Monday: Tua Pejat – Padang  (DEP : 08.00 PM   ARR: 6.30 AM)

Thursday, week 1 & 4: Padang – Tua Pejat  (DEP: 08.00 PM    ARR: 6.30 AM)
Friday, week 1 & 4: Tua Pejat – Padang  (DEP: 08.00 PM   ARR : 6.30 AM)

Tua Pajet is the capital of the Mentawais, and its dock is less than 10 minutes away from Aloita.  So, the ferry usually departs around 8:30pm in the evening, and our guests sleep through the night, and awaken around daybreak the next morning very close to our resort.  You will then be picked up by our speedboats and whisked away to Aloita, arriving early enough to catch a quick breakfast and a full day of aquatic activities.  The cost for the Ambu Ambu is $62usd for the first person, and $10usd for each additional person sharing a private cabin.  There are additional overnight ferry options, but the Ambu Ambu is easily the nicest, cheapest, and most convenient.

Private Speedboat

If you have a larger group, and you arrive at a time that’s not convenient for the Ambu Ambu or SMA, then a private speedboat might be the best option for you.  Typically we need a fair bit of advanced notice to contract out a private speedboat, and the cost is usually in the neighborhood of $1,500usd.  Therefore, if you have a small group, this is often a very expensive option.  However, if you have 7 or 8 friends to split the costs, this becomes a very viable means of transportation. 

The main advantages of the speedboat are speed and flexibility.  A private speedboat can essentially take off on any day before approximately 2pm, and it usually takes less than 3 hours to get to the resort.  The disadvantages are (sometimes) cost and a potentially rough ride.  If you get glassy conditions the whole way, you’ll think there is no better way to travel.  But if it’s raining or windy or a huge swell is running, it can be the roughest 3 hours of your life.  For this reason, it’s not recommended for small children.

Private Boat Charter

Like the speedboat, with enough advanced notice we can contract a larger charter boat for your trip from Padang to Aloita.  The costs of such a charter vary, usually in the $1,500usd – $1,900usd range, but the capacity is usually significantly higher as well, ranging anywhere from 8 – 15+ people per charter. 

The main advantages of this method of transport are comfort, privacy, and (with enough people) cost.  If you get enough people to share with, this is a bit like your own “private Ambu Ambu”.  Most people will have their own private air conditioned room, and you will sleep through the night and arrive at daybreak at the resort.  A meal service can be incorporated as well.  The charter boats aren’t quite as impervious to weather as the Ambu Ambu, but they certainly handle it much better than the speedboats.  And, even if you’re rocking-and-rolling, you will always stay dry.  The other potential disadvantage is cost if you don’t have enough people to split the tab.

Ground Transportation and Hotel Stays

Once you arrive at the Minangkabau Airport, our ground crews will transport you to your next destination.  If necessary, Aloita Resort will coordinate a hotel stay at one of the clean, reasonable establishments in downtown Padang.  From the airport to downtown Padang is about a 40-minute drive, and we charge a very reasonable rate of $20usd/person.  Most private speedboats will pick you up at the Muara River Harbor in downtown Padang.  The Bungus Harbor, where the Ambu Ambu and many private charters depart from, is an additional 40-minutes away.  Thus, the ground fee from the airport to the Bungus Harbor is $30usd/person. 

Indonesian Travel Agent

We have our own internal Indonesian travel agent that can get you the lowest possible prices on all your Indonesian flights and accommodations, and plus she just makes the entire process much smoother if you’re running into any problems.  Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.  If you would like to research specific arrival dates and times on your own prior to your trip, please see the following websites for local airlines below:

Garuda Air:  www.garuda-indonesia.com
Air Asia:  www.airasia.com
Lion Air:  www.lionair.co.id
Batavia Air:  www.bataviaair.co.id
Mandala Air:  www.mandalair.com