Mahi-Mahi

Book your flights to the international airport in Medan, Indonesia (either via Jakarta, Bali, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Bangkok).

On arrival in Medan, you take a 1-hour flight to Simeulue Island on the same day with WingsAir. It may be necessary to stay overnight in Medan depending on the time of your flight arrival. We can book your domestic airfare (Medan-Simeulue) and can recommend excellent, clean and affordable places to stay in Medan that range from 3-to-5 stars.

Our staff will greet you at the airport upon arrival at the Simeulue airport, and after a quick 30-minute car ride you will reach Mahi-Mahi Surf Resort.

YES! There are people at the airport that often falsely claim to be working for us (and other surf resorts), WHO ARE IN NO WAY ASSOCIATED WITH US. They often do help you with the check-in process, but always with the expectation of a tip. It is our recommendation to check in with Lion yourself.

With regards to getting your boards on the airplane, the procedure is roundabout and makes little sense, but hey, it's Indonesia. Please allow enough time to check your boards in, and make your way through the check-in process, which changes constantly. As of recent, you have to check-in and they withhold your passport and ticket until you walk across the terminal to pay for your surfboards and RECEIVE A RECEIPT, and then walk the boards even further to the oversized luggage area. After completing these two tasks, please return to the original check-in counter, and show your receipt to receive your passport and ticket.

YES! For large groups, we recommend mixing your boards into various board bags. Lion allows only 8 board bags on the plane. Meaning, if you are a large group, and there are other people coming to the island, there is a risk that your board bag may not make it the same day, but will likely arrive the next day. Thus, mixing boards is a good way to mitigate the unfortunate event of someone's bag not arriving. We are very sorry that this is sometimes the case, but we are not the airline and have no control over their operations. PLEASE UNDERSTAND YOU ARE COMING TO ONE OF THE MOST REMOTE PLACES IN THE WORLD, WHICH MEANS THINGS AREN'T QUITE AS SMOOTH AS BACK HOME!

Travel

– Airport transfers to and from Mahi-Mahi Surf Resort.
– Travel around Simeulue island via motor bike (first-come, first-served) and car trips with the surf guide based on conditions. To be clear, the surf-guide makes a call about where the best waves will be on the island, and guests can join him by signing up for the trip. Private cars can be organized and rented for guests' own private use, but is subject to availability and takes time to prepare.
– A surf guide to show you various surf breaks on Simeulue Island.

Accommodation

– 3 delicious buffet styled meals a day, and unlimited purified drinking water.
– Snacks, Drinks, Beer, Smoothies, and afternoon coffee available for purchase.

– Free use of snorkel gear.
– Surfboard, soft-top, longboards, and stand-up paddle boards for rent.

- Wi Fi in our dinning area

Boat trips

– Our 42. ft. live-aboard boat is on stand-by to chase swells in the Banyak Islands, fish, dive, or simply to explore. Talk to us about setting up a 1, 2 or 3+ day excursion.

The boat is $1,440USD/day. Rooms are billed per-night. So, we deduct room charges for the nights you are on the boat. HOWEVER, because we bill the boat PER DAY, out of a courtesy to you to cut down on transit time and maximize surf time in the Banyaks, we usually do the crossing to the Banyaks at night, arriving to the boat and leaving Simeulue BEFORE the pay period of the boat starts - for this night, we still charge for your room. If you don't want to leave at night, we can leave in the morning, but it does cut down on your surf time in the Banyaks.

For example, you take a three day trip to the Banyaks in the middle of your pre-booked stay at Mahi-Mahi. For example's sake, you are paying for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday on the boat. You choose to leave Sunday night and sleep on the boat to get there sooner. We deduct your room charge for Monday and Tuesday night (you return Wednesday and sleep at Mahi-Mahi), even though you left for the boat late Sunday night from Mahi-Mahi.

We strongly recommend that you withdraw a sufficient amount of money from the ATMs at the Medan airport. There are ATMs on Simeulue Island but these are highly unreliable with foreign cards. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON THEM TO WITHDRAW CASH. We suggest withdrawing at least 5 million Indonesian Rupiah for your stay (~USD400).

The bungalows are nestled in front of large, easily accessible hills, just meters behind the resort. This is perhaps the safest tsunami evacuation option in Sumatra. If there is an earthquake, tsunami sirens in the nearby mosques and warnings are automatically issued to staff cell phones. It is a short walk to safety along a path up to the hills behind.

It is a matter of personal choice whether to take anti-malarial medication. Mosquitos are annoying and can transmit deadly diseases. However, there is extremely little malaria and dengue fever on Simeulue Island. A fan turned on during the night is effective in deterring mosquitos. Please be aware to put on mosquito repellant in the early mornings and evenings when they are most active. We suggest applying plenty of mosquito repellent, but if you are very concerned consult your doctor and bring some anti-malarial medication.

Simeulue Island is perhaps the least crowded destination in Sumatra. We are fortunate enough to have waves all around the island, including The Peak out front, barreling reef breaks, fun beachies, and mellow reef breaks. There are waves to suit all levels of surfers and to keep the numbers down. Locals don’t surf (yet!) and charter boats do not visit the area.

Yes. There is good mobile phone coverage at the resort. Wi-Fi internet is available in our dinning area and we also have sim cards available to keep you connected at all times.

If it is an emergency, please e-mail bookings@mahimahisurfresort.com or call +62 812 60117259

As the majority of people in Simeulue are Muslim, women are asked to dress moderately outside the confines of the resort area. This means no bikini or topless sunbathing on the public beach, but is allowed within the resort. Men should wear t-shirts when making trips outside the confines of the bungalow area, and always wear shoes. It is also important to note that waving with the left hand is very rude in Indonesia, and is to be avoided.

SURE! We take any and all clothes and donate them to the local Mosque, which does a good job about dispersing what comes in to those that need it. We also accept items for our Kid's Club and education programs for the local youth. If you feel obliged, take a look at our donation list of things we constantly need. Thanks in advance!

You should bring whatever you are comfortable riding when the waves are good back home. A normal shortboard plus a semi-step-up quad will treat you well. If you like to ride a fish or a longboard, that’s okay too, there are spots for all kinds of boards. Be sure to bring a ding repair kit and extra boards as it’s easy to snap one out here. Think about bringing a board with heavier glassing.

Yes, there are a couple ding guys around. Just to be aware, the materials available here are not the same back home! Bring some cloth and some epoxy sun cure if you ride epoxy boards.

Yes, it is mandatory. Please get travel insurance with medical evacuation incase a serious emergency should occur. It’s also a good idea as the domestic flight to and from Medan can be cancelled or delayed.

Citizens of the US, Australia, and Europe require a passport with a minimum six months of validity left from the day you arrive back in your home destination. If you do not have six months validity Indonesian Immigration will deny your entry.

Most travelers coming from the US, Australia, and Europe are issued tourist visas upon arrival, but if you carry a passport from other countries it is worthwhile checking to see if you need a visa.The standard tourist visa is applicable for up to 30 days.

If you are intending to stay longer, you will need a 60-day visa from your country of origin. You can also enter Indonesia with a 30-day tourist visa and extend for another 30 days at the immigration office.

No, there is not.

We seldom have this problem, but if so they come to Simeulue the flight the next day. We have boards for rent during this kind of scenario.

This is where travel insurance comes in handy. Be sure your outgoing flight from Medan to elsewhere budgets enough time as Lion air is notorious for being late.

Look for our staff in Mahi Mahi shirts or our resort van with Mahi Mahi branding and our staff will bring you to the resort.

Pack light, but bring plenty of t-shirts and board shorts, along with sunscreen. Bring a few leashes as they can snap, and a few boards as they can break. Bring some duty free if you like, but either put in your check-in luggage, or keep in your duty-free purchase bag and carry it on. There is no duty free store in the Medan airport.

No, alcohol is forbidden on Simeulue.

Subject to availability and for hire, yes.

Yes! We accept credit cards, but add a 3% fee to the total bill's amount. Alternatively, Bank Transfers are the most cost efficient way to pay.

For your final activities and drink bill at Mahi-Mahi, we accept cash and credit cards only and DO NOT accept transfers as all bills need to be finalized before leaving. Again, we add a 3% fee for credit card transfers.

It’s up to you but:

Travel Money: $400USD
Board Bag Fee: 200,000IDR/board/one-way for Lion Simeulue-Medan
Money for Tipping Local Staff: $75USD is average

Hopefully with enough advanced notice we can accommodate any and all requests. For extra, we can order lobster and crab for special dinners.

This list is only given as a guideline, YOU MUST SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE prior to composing your First Aid Kit.

Mahi-Mahi Surf Resort will not be held responsible for guest’s auto-medication.

Washes / Cleansing / Antiseptics Agents

Betadine (Povidone Iodine)
Small bottle of 3% Peroxide
Small bottle aqueous chlorexidine
Normal Saline (0,9%)
Cleaning Materials
A packet of Q-tips
Cotton Gauze squares

These are only products suggestions, all equivalents are suitable. Best suggested sizes 10 cm (4 inches) patches – suggested numbers 5 to 10 of each.
LEUKOSTRIPS Skin Closure Strips : 100% polyamide material coated with a hypoallergenic adhesive which allows almost pain free closure of the wound.
DUODERM Waterproof Hydrocolloid : moisture-retentive wound dressing. Versatile, easy to use, suitable for managing different stages of wound healing and multiple wound types such as thickness abrasions and ulcers which are not infected. Accelerate healing and reduce scarring in.
PRIMAPORE Conformable Adhesive Non-woven Dressing : combine an absorbent pad with a soft and conformable fixative layer for the simple and effective management of wounds
BACTIGRAS Paraffin Gauze Dressing : antiseptic, soft paraffin dressing which soothes and protects the wound whilst helping to reduce wound infection and inflammation. It has low adherence and allows the wound to drain freely into an absorbent secondary dressing. Suitable for covering wounds such as minor burns, lacerations, abrasions, graft sites and leg ulcers.
MELOLIN Low Adherent Dressing : highly absorbent cotton and acrylic fibre pad which is heat bonded on one side to a very thin perforated polyester film
OPSITE Plastic Skin Dressing (or skin spray) : moisture vapour permeable, conformable and extensible. It is widely used to provide a moist wound environment for superficial wounds; also ideal for use as a secondary dressing.
HYPAFIX Conformable, Adhesive Retention Tape : self-adhesive, non-woven fabric sheet for secure and rapid fixation. Provides complete coverage of the entire dressing, thus reducing the risk of contamination. Conformability that simplifies shaping around joints and awkward body contours to allow greater freedom of movement. Permeable to both air and moisture, helping to reduce the risk of maceration.
Antibiotics

Reef cuts or any other foreign body introduced in your skin (wood splinter…) can potentially evolve towards an infected wound. In order to avoid this inconvenience, it is highly advised to treat a wound presenting signs of infection fast. Please check with your Doctor the most recommended antibiotic treatment suitable for you while in Indonesia.

OTHER

Please be sure that any medical information that you will share with us will stay confidential. If you feel like it’s important for us to know any particular medical condition, such as asthma, chronic illness, diabetes, etc… feel free to inform our Manager. It would also be good to know your blood type and any allergies you have to medicines, food, bugs… For short stays of 2 to 4 weeks, we recommend a tetanus booster, plus hepatitis A and B and typhoid.

Please consult with your GP and check all of your immunizations are up to date for travels to remote parts of Indonesia. Bring a supply of any prescription drugs you are taking at the time of travel and make sure you bring the necessary paperwork that goes with it in case of an emergency. If you are prone to sea sickness please bring some preventable medications.

For more information please consult your doctor