Practical information
Everything to sort out before you go
Getting to Padang
Fly into Minangkabau International (PDG).
Flights
Daily connections from Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, and several a week from Singapore. Jakarta to Padang takes about two hours.
Where to stay the night before
Anywhere central in Padang works. Tell us your hotel when you book and we collect you from the lobby at 5:30am.
Visa
Most nationalities get a 30-day visa on arrival. Check the current rules for your passport before booking flights.
The journey
Padang to the Uma takes most of a day.
3–6 hours
Fast boat
Muaro Padang harbour at 7am to Maileppet on Siberut. Bring seasickness tablets if you need them.
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.
1.5 hours
On foot
Muddy jungle path to the Uma. Rubber boots provided, 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, valuables 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 under 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 bring rice, vegetables and fruit, and you will share local food such as sago, river fish, chicken, taro and forest greens cooked over the fire. Vegetarian is possible if you tell us in advance.
Electricity and signal
No electricity, only government solar panels for light at night. Most areas have no signal. Bring spare batteries or a power bank.
Health and fitness
- You need to walk 1.5 hours on uneven, muddy ground with 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 and trip cancellation.
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, even a little, is the polite response.
Tell us when you want to come.
Pick a ferry day and book online, or send us your dates and we will reply with availability.