Getting to Sibolga
Surf Banyak charters depart from the Sumatran port of Sibolga, and the easiest way to get there depends on whether you are coming from overseas or you are travelling elsewhere in Indonesia.
If you are coming directly from overseas, it is easiest to fly to Medan, where our Sumatran partners BORASPATI can organise a meet and greet and your domestic travel to and from Sibolga so you don’t have to do anything. You can order the Boraspati package as part of your trip with Surf Banyak at the following rates:
Medan – Sibolga Transfers:
$250 per passenger, includes return Merpati flights Medan-Sibolga; meet and greets at Medan and Sibolga; transport to and from hotels (hotel costs not included); and transfer of boards/luggage to and from Sibolga by hired van (note that Sumatran airlines usually cannot take an entire group’s surfboards and have restrictions on length/weight). Basically you arrive in Medan and Boraspati look after the rest!
Alternatively, if you’re an hard core independent traveller and cheapskate with experience, you can get yourself from Medan to Sibolga by public bus for under twenty dollars and in a day, but you’ll be needing more than a surf at the end of it! We recommend getting the Boraspati option unless you are experienced in Sumatran logistics.
Many of our guests visit Nias and you can catch a ferry directly from there to Sibolga, or go there after your trip. Boraspati can also help with accommodation and transport on Nias.
When do I need to get there?
You must be in Sibolga by 11am on the Monday of departure. If you come from Medan you’ll probably be travelling on the Merpati flight departing Medan at 0950, and we’ll collect you at Sibolga airport just before 11am. If you have the Boraspati package, you’ll need to be in Medan by 0830 am on the Monday in time to make the Merpati Sibolga flight. If you want to come in on the same day, the Silk Air flights from Singapore arriving in Medan 0755 are ideal for this. You can also come into Medan from Kuala Lumpur on Air Asia AK450 arriving at 0735.
When do I book my flight home?
On the way home, we recommend you stay the night in Medan on Friday and depart on Saturday after your return, as the domestic flights from Sibolga to Medan are often delayed due to weather. If you really need to depart on the Friday night, we can aim to connect with flights leaving Medan after 5:15pm, but you must have fully comprehensive travel insurance as we can bear no responsibility for missed connections due to domestic airline delays or cancellations. If you are catching a ferry to Nias etc. we are usually in port in Sibolga with you ready to leave around 9am.
Note that Air Asia and Valuair are a point-to-point airlines leaving from the budget terminals in KL and Singapore, and you usually need to clear customs, get your baggage and go to another terminal to get your onward flight. Silk Air/Singapore Air and Malaysian Airlines can connect your luggage from Medan to most onward flights.
Can you organise accommodation in Medan?
Yes, via Boraspati we can book the Danau Toba or equivalent at $50/room/night twin share ($60 for 3 people); or the Marriott $100/room/night twin share ($120/night 3 people). The Marriott is a good bargain in Medan with a breakfast that you have to see to believe.
