Thermal Travels: Risk and Reward in the Banyak Islands

Thermal traveller Gregory Swanson recounts his adventurous boat trip to the Banyak Islands.

"Bleary-eyed but running on stoke, I made my way onto the speedboat that was to transfer our group to The Dream surf charter. The 31 hours of travel had not quite set in yet. The anticipation of jumping into the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean for the first time was keeping me awake, and I was putting up a good fight against the jet lag. Once on the boat, we set sail for the Banyak Islands, planning to take about 12 hours of motoring overnight to get to our first surf spot.

"That night of sleep was a rough one, being in the middle of a storm rocking back and forth in my bunk. The captain told us the next morning that it was the worst storm he's seen in five years.

"The crew worked tirelessly throughout the night, managing the boat and making sure that we all made it safely through. We found out that our speedboat was too damaged and had to make our way back to port to drop it off. Luckily, we had a backup rigid inflatable boat to use – and so, before we knew it, we were on our way for the second time. Spirits were still high. There's nothing like an unexpected tropical storm that'll bring everyone together!

Mentawai surf charters

Wouldn’t you know it, but the most concentrated string of world-class waves on the planet exists off a highly remote archipelago. Thus, it’s no surprise that scoring the very best surf on a trip...

Thermal

"The captain told us the next morning that it was the worst storm he's seen in five years."

"The rest of the trip was more than I could ever have expected – empty or minimal crowds to surf, machine-like waves breaking left and right, crystal clear waters with fish that I'd never seen before – and to top it off, an amazing group of new friends to share this experience with.

"Thank you to Chris, our guide, for coordinating everything and making the whole trip a smooth and memorable one! I can't wait to do another trip with The Dream, knowing that whatever happens, we're in very capable hands."

– Gregory Swanson, Thermal Traveller

"Empty or minimal crowds to surf, machine-like waves breaking left and right, crystal clear waters with fish that I'd never seen before..."

Banyaks Dream

Located off the western coast of Sumatra, the Banyak group consists of 99 islands, most of them uninhabited. Due to their remote location, the Banyak Islands have remained something of a hidden...

Thermal— Bruno, Banyaks Dream