The Mentawai people who live on the eponymous islands to the west of Sumatra are better known as the 'Flower People', because the notion of beauty is essential to their culture. This culture also pays attention to the spirits of the forest, which the locals both venerate and fear. They hunt, fish and raise livestock for food, but the Flower People are best known for their tattoos, often from head to toe. They decorate their skin to preserve their soul and prevent it from detaching from their bod...
Welcome by your English-speaking tour-guide and transfer to your hotel, located in the city center.
Early in the morning, you’ll arrive at Padang port and board a speedboat heading to the island of Siberut. Around midday, the boat stops in Sikabaluan for a lunch break before continuing on at around 1 p.m. You’ll reach Maileppet by approximately 2 p.m., where your guide will be waiting to welcome you and accompany you to his village. This first encounter is a chance to meet the locals while your guide makes final arrangements and takes care of supplies to ensure your stay goes smoothly.
From the village of Rokdok, a motorized pirogue will take you to the Buttui region (about 1.5 hours).
From there, you'll begin a one-hour trek through the jungle to reach the uma ,a traditional longhouse , where you’ll settle in and begin your stay with the Mentawai, often referred to as the "flower-men."
This is the perfect moment to get acquainted with your host family and embrace the start of a unique cultural experience.
Over the course of six days, you’ll immerse yourself in the daily rhythms of Mentawai life. From learning how to prepare sago ,their staple food, to searching for sago grubs in the forest, helping craft traditional kabit loincloths, or discovering how they prepare poison for their hunting arrows, you’ll take part in time-honored practices passed down through generations.
You’ll join the women of the clan for river fishing or head into the forest for walks in search of fruit or visits to nearby uma (traditional houses).
Evenings offer a special opportunity to spend time with the clan's shamans (Sikerei) and deepen your connection with the host family. Please note that while a shamanic ceremony or hunting expedition would be a rare and remarkable experience, we cannot guarantee their occurrence.
You’ll also have the chance to meet another Mentawai family — Aman Ipai — who lives just an hour’s walk away.
After a fond farewell, you head back to Muntai on foot and by canoe (4 hrs), where the fast-boat to Padang awaits. Arrive in Padang around 6-7pm and transfer to your hotel.
Free time until transfer to the airport.