How do I get there
Book your international flights to Kuala Namu International airport ( KNO ) in Medan, Indonesia. The easiest way is to go via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur.
It is necessary to arrive in Medan the night before your domestic flight to Simeulue. There is a hotel located within the airport terminal and no need for transport elsewhere.
From Medan it is a brief 1 hour flight to Simeulue, where you will be greeted by our staff upon arrival.
INTERNAL FLIGHTS
We can connect you to North Sumatras’ leading travel agency to book your domestic flights and Medan airport accommodation.
They offer an airport meet and greet service which we 100% recommend to all guests.
Flights with Wings Air are currently available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The flight departs Medan at 8:50am and returns from Simeulue at 10:50am.
Domestic flights are roughly AUD 260 return not including board bags ( approx AUD 100 per board ).
TRAVELLING WITH SURFBOARDS
Due to limited cargo space on the small aircraft, it may be necessary to send some board bags via the overnight ferry to Simeulue. We have surfboards available for guests to use until their own arrive. Our travel agent will coordinate this with you as part of their airport ground handling service at Medan airport. For eg. when there are large groups traveling, you may be advised to each put a single surfboard in a combined board bag to reduce cargo space on the plane and send the remainder via ferry.
SURFBOARD & BAGGAGE FEES
Wings Air charge IDR 1 million rupiah ( approx AUD 100 ) per surfboard in your board bag. Unfortunately this is their policy across Indonesia. Boards can not be pre-booked. Please ensure you have enough CASH in IDR to pay for excess boards or baggage at check in at both Medan and Simeulue airports. There are plenty of ATM’s located within Medan airport, whereas there are no reliable ATM’s on Simeulue. We recommend only traveling with boards in board bags and packing your clothing, toiletries and other essential items in seperate baggage.
once you arrive on the island
You will be greeted by one of our staff who will transport you and your boards to our resort. This is a short 20 minute drive on newly sealed roads through small villages and past beautiful beaches. We have a world class peak right out the front of our resort. You can be surfing the same day!
WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE PACK?
It’s always nice to travel light. You’ll find you spend most of your time in the same pair of boardshorts!
Hopefully you will be spending most of your time in the water, plus we offer a laundry service at the resort. We have prepared a list of essentials to help get you on your way.
We advise you to pack only boards in your board bag, take a seperate bag with clothing, toiletries etc.
A VALID PASSPORT
You must have at least 6 months remaining on your passport. You will not be allowed to enter Indonesia if your passport is due to expire within 6 months.
- Travel insurance is compulsory
- We accept credit card payments at the resort to settle bar tabs and cover extras like boat trips etc.
-PLEASE NOTE – NO RELIABLE CASH MACHINES ON THE ISLAND!
ESSENTIAL CHECKLIST
- Minimum 2 surfboards and some warm water wax
- Sunglasses
- Spare legropes
- Suncream and Zinc - get the good stuff!
- Spare fins
- Thongs, hat, shirt, boardshorts
- Long sleeved shirt / jumper- Waterproof Jacket
- We highly advise traveling with your own basic first aid kit for any reef cuts.
TOILETRIES
We provide complimentary soaps and shampoos. Most toiletries can be purchased on the island if needed.
Towels are provided and refreshed regularly.
A laundry service is available at the resort, please ensure you allow 2 days minimum to wash clothes prior to departure.
SURFBOARD REPAIRS
Surfboard repair services are available at the resort, however we still advise you to bring a surfboard repair kit or solar wax for minor scrapes.
WI-FI & PHONE RECEPTION
We have reliable wifi available throughout Aura Surf Resort ( included in your stay ). The speeds are adequate for video calls and voice calls. Sim cards are no longer easily available to foreigners traveling in Indonesia. We highly recommend installing WhatsApp on your phone prior to your arrival.
The last bits & pieces
- All rooms are equipped with a universal electricity adaptor including USB ports. Indonesia is the same as Europe- 2 round pins ( if you’d rather bring your own )
- Snorkelling gear
- Fishing gear, lures, rod, speargun
- International drivers license