Offshore Padang and Mentawai : Underwater Paradise on the Coast of West Sumatra

Sharing borders with the Indian Ocean, the area locally known synonymous with the Malin Kundang legend, prides its underwater stage. On the coast of Air Manis lies a stone believed to be the remain of ungrateful son Malin Kundang who was cursed by his mother. Although having abundant dive sites and island beauties, Padang is more famous for its beaches, swimming and fishing attractions, as well as the ubiquitous Padang restaurant across the archipelago.
Surprisingly, Padang's underwater wonders are not yet well known. On its seabed in the Indian Ocean, dwell various coral reefs, inhabited by colorful fish. The underwater treasures have only been recently noticed by divers exploring the blue world of Padang.

Aligned with the Padang coastline are the Mentawai Islands, spreading west of the Sumatra Island, with its main islands consisting of Siberut, Sipura, North Sikakap and South Sikakap. Not only famous for its world renowned surfing spots, Mentawai also boasts beautiful coral reefs. Mentawai sits on the edge of the Eurasian Plate, which interacts with the Australian Plate. Earthquakes and tsunamis often hit Mentawai, many times exposing its underwater richness as coral reef were elevated above sea level. Although they finally died down, the exposed coral reefs make many people aware now of the underwater life beneath Mentawai's famous waves.

Dive Sites :

• Pieh Island : Pieh's underwater topography is made up of walls and plain, which are inhabited by sea creatures. Among the inhabitants are powder blue tang and Napoleon fish, typical dwellers of the West Sumatra waters. The western and southern parts of the island are covered with corals. The underwater beauty is accessible through snorkeling and diving. Sea turtles often visit the island's white sandy beach to lay eggs. The island is going with coconut trees and a saline swamp can be found in the middle of the island.
• Sinrayu Patch Reef : In this sites, divers can explore a shipwreck at the depth of between 15 or 20 meters. Divers can enjoy unique sight of sandless flat, hard coral. The location is known as gosong kapal or ship patch, likely because of the wreck. Divers can explore a magical trip through small aisles and ruins of the ship. A variety of colorful reef fish can be spotted along the wreck. Sharks are no stranger in this site.
• Sirandah Island : It only takes 40 minutes to get to the island from the Muara Padang port on boat. The small island is about 11 miles away from Padang. The island surrounded by heliopora and the branching coral Acropora. Soft corals dominate the depth of 2 to 3 meters. Coral reefs can be found down to 15 meter deep, contributing to the lush underwater scene. With its clear water and abundant corals, Siranda makes a wonderful spot for diving and snorkeling.
• Suar Patch Reef : The patch lies beneath the waves with a nearby lighthouse marking the area. During low tide, the patch is only 3 to 6 meters underwater with corals can be found down to 12 meters deep. In certain areas, the underwater terrains are made up of sand and on the plains, acropora tabulate and acropora branching colonies. You can dive here because the water is quite clear arround the coral reefs. Cautious diving, however is advised due to strong currents. Divers should have people on boat to keep watch on them.