PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Everything to sort out before
Getting to Padang, what the ferry actually involves, what to pack, and what daily life in the Uma is like. If something here is unclear, message us and we will answer properly.
Getting to Padang
Minangkabau International Airport (PDG) is the gateway. Arrive at least one night before your tour starts, because the boat leaves at 7am and there is no later option.
Flights
Daily connections from Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, and several a week from Singapore. Jakarta to Padang is about two hours.
Where to stay the night before
Anywhere central in Padang works. Tell us your hotel and we collect you from the lobby at 5.30am.
Visa
Most nationalities get a visa on arrival for 30 days. Check the current rules for your passport before booking flights.
THE JOURNEY
Padang to the Uma takes most of a day.
There is no airstrip and no road to the village. The four legs below are all included in the tour price, and your guide travels with you the whole way.
3–6 HOURS
Fast boat
Muaro Padang harbour at 7am to Maileppet on Siberut. Bring seasickness tablets if you are prone.
30–60 MIN
Road transfer
Car or motorbike from the harbour to the river landing, depending on group size and conditions.
2 HOURS
Dugout canoe
Upriver into the forest. Around 2.5 hours coming back downstream at the end of the tour.
1.5 HOURS
On foot
Muddy jungle path to the Uma. Rubber boots are provided and porters carry the logistics.
WHAT TO PACK
Pack light. Everything you bring, you carry through mud.
Bring
Fast-drying trousers and light shirts
Long sleeves for the evenings
Rain poncho, hat, sunblock
Head torch, power bank, spare batteries
Sleeping bag or a light blanket
Insect repellent and personal first aid
Dry bag for the canoe legs
Cash in rupiah
We provide
Rubber boots, sizes 37 to 43
Mattress and mosquito net
All meals and drinking water
Cooking gear and firewood
Permits and paperwork
Porters for the logistics
Leave behind
Hard suitcases, hair dryers, anything valuable you would hate to get wet, and single-use plastic bottles. There is no rubbish collection on Siberut, so whatever comes in has to go out again
Store the rest of your luggage at your hotel in Padang. We can arrange it if they will not.
LIFE IN THE UMA
What the days are actually like.
Sleeping
On a mattress with a mosquito net, on the wooden floor of the family house, alongside everyone else. No private rooms and no doors.
Washing
In the river, in swimwear or a sarong. There is no toilet in the Uma. Your guide will show you where to go.
Eating
We provide food, such as rice, vegetables, fruit, and so on, but there will be local foods such as, Sago, river fish, chicken, taro and forest greens, cooked over the fire. Vegetarian is possible if you tell us before you travel.
Electricity and signal
None of the places we visit have electricity, only government solar panels used for lighting at night. Most areas are out of signal range. Bring spare batteries or a power bank.
Health and fitness
You need to be able to walk 1.5 hours on uneven, muddy ground carrying a day pack. Guests from their teens to their seventies have done it.
See a travel clinic about malaria prophylaxis and routine vaccinations well before you fly.
Bring any prescription medication you need, plus extra. The nearest clinic is hours away by canoe.
Travel insurance is highly recommended, covering medical emergencies, evacuation, trip cancellation and other unforeseen circumstances.
Being a good guest
Ask before photographing anyone, especially during a ceremony. Your guide will tell you when it is not appropriate.
Do not hand out sweets, money or medicine directly. If you want to give something, talk to your guide first.
Bring nothing in single-use plastic. Everything you carry in, you carry back out.
The family will offer you food and drink. Accepting is the polite response, even if it is only a little.
Tell us when you want to come.
Send your dates and we will reply with availability, the ferry day and the full itinerary.
