Expenses and travel info

You will get flights to Indo or Kuala Lumpur for around £500 per person (probably cheaper if you book well in advance).

Flights from KL or Jakarta to Padang will cost under £100 return per person. If from KL on Air Asia you will need to pay for over sized baggage to get you boards on (£20 or so).

If staying in Indo for under 30 days you will get a visa on arrival for £20. No need to apply for one before leaving.

We advise for you to get travel insurance including helicopter evacuation just in case. An insurance policy that allows for this, for the whole year, is around £80.

Upon Arrival

After landing, it's a quick walk to the arrival terminal where you will go through immigration and customs. The following tips assume you will arrive at Padang via an international flight.

Immigration

Those that haven't gotten a visa prior to arrival (which is most of us) will have to pay a US$25 fee for a 30 day visa. Have this fee ready with exact change in crisp, new bills. It's a good idea to put the receipt in your passport for safe keeping once you have cleared immigration.

Customs

After immigration, it's on to the baggage claim and customs check. Be advised that a porter will very likely grab your stuff in this area whether you want him to or not. If you don't need him, you should firmly but politely say "TIDAK" (NO) and don't let them carry your baggage. If you do opt to use a porter, he should carry your stuff to your transportation and load it as well. The going rate for a tip is no more than US$3 - $5. It's a good idea to have a supply of singles in your wallet for this sort of thing.

Welcome

Once out of the terminal, look for our representative holding the "Aileoita 02 " sign. He or she will guide you from there to your transportation which will take you to a local hotel to unwind before continuing to the boat.

On the Boat

This is a surf trip. We want you to cut loose and have good time! There are, however, a few basic rules we would appreciate that you follow while on board our boats:

• No shoes or reef booties on board.
• Don't hesitate to ask the crew for anything you need.
• Help yourself to refreshments if you're thirsty.
• If you're hungry, let us know.
• Point out any potential problems with the boat to a crew member even if you are not sure.
• Smoking allowed only outdoors.
• Only dry clothes inside the cabin.
• No drugs.
• Conserve fresh water as much as possible.
• Put rubbish in it's proper place.
• Keep your belongings tidy.
• Always observe good surf etiquette in the water.

Most of all, listen to your surf guide. Other than having the last word on everything that happens onboard, remember that he has years of experience, has all the latest swell info, and knows what tide and wind conditions are best at each break.