Hey all

Have booked a trip to Mentawai Islands in Julyand am after some advice from others that have been.

The place we booked through gave us some advice and basic recommendations. They suggested to be sure vaccinations were up to date and suggested anti malaria vaccinations.

Just wondering if anyone else who has been got vaccinations for malaria or anything else?

We're staying at a land based camp, so I imagine we'll encounter a few mozzis.

Cheers

malaria will be just tablets, it does pay to go to a travel doctor if you look on the gov travel website it has the locations.

I stayed at a land camp last year and took the tablets with me but didn't take them, they do make you feel a bit ordinary/spacey for a couple days.

Take all the good stuff like betadine as well, I bought some of the plastic spray on stuff and that stuff was amazing for the little cuts on me hands and feet.

Take some antibiotics with ya for any infections. Cuts can get very nasty very fast.

Cheers for that - Had a look around and there's a travel clinic here, so I'll book in and have a chat with them before I go.

If your doc surfs they will just give you a script for the anitbiotics also take heaps of sunscreen, anti inflammatories cream and tablets, strapping tape, gauze, butterfly tabs, dettol and rash cream

I've been a few times, and if you are staying on a land camp i would definitely recommend the following:

Bring bug repellent, the GOOD stuff thats high in DEET.
For cuts and scrapes bring some waterproof band-aids, betadine or antiseptic cream, a can of that spray on bandage and some of that chinese red ointment (Tieh Ta Yao Gin) if you can get your hands on it
A light long sleeve shirt and long trousers are a good idea if you get attacked by mozzies here
I know people who bring their own mozzie nets as well, as the ones at some of the camps aren't always in the best condition.

See a travel doctor a couple of weeks before you go, make sure your Tetanus shot is up to date.
The doc will talk you through the pros & cons of Hep A and Cholera vaccines (both water-borne viruses)
You can also ask about Malaria meds and strong antibiotics like cephalexin.

Personally, I have purchased but have not taken malaria meds myself. They can be super expensive ($160 for a 12 day supply) and you have to start taking them before you leave, and continue for a couple of days after you return. Then there are the side affects - as mentioned above, some people feel spaced out for a few days, while for others, their skin can get really sensitive to the sun and burn easily - not what you want for a surfing holiday in the tropics.

Took a heap of first aid gear across on a boat charter a couple of years back. I would also recommend a small bottle of super glue or Loctite 401, can be used for many purposes, board or body. I also took across a egg shell mattress in the board bag, protected the board and made the boats mattress bearable.

I know it's hot but on lower tides a 1-2mm long sleeve wetsuit top. You wouldn't believe how man times it saved my back from getting slashed up.

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synsies1000 said..
I know it's hot but on lower tides a 1-2mm long sleeve wetsuit top. You wouldn't believe how man times it saved my back from getting slashed up.

Some blokes like a 'reef tattoo' as a life-long reminder of that epic ments trip!

Just came back epic time / waves recommend all of the above particularly covering up during the day while in the water the sun just cooks you I smeared my face with zinc every day next time I will be taking better rashies / wetsuits with full arms will look at the ones with hoods also.

I asked resident expats about malaria while there, all said it was around occasionally but none had caught it. I used mossy spray (bushmans) and covered up.
There are plenty of mossies some of the islands have pretty extensive inland swamps / mangroves.

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IFocus said..
Just came back epic time / waves recommend all of the above particularly covering up during the day while in the water the sun just cooks you I smeared my face with zinc every day next time I will be taking better rashies / wetsuits with full arms will look at the ones with hoods also.

I asked resident expats about malaria while there, all said it was around occasionally but none had caught it. I used mossy spray (bushmans) and covered up.
There are plenty of mossies some of the islands have pretty extensive inland swamps / mangroves.

Awesome - Where did you stay Ifocus? We're at Pei Pei Lodge - Siberut.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

Skywinty this wave is up your way where you will be staying you will almost certainly surf this.........one of the "secret waves" (photo of me by Grant Davies) we had it to our selves not a drop of water out of place fu(k it was good. Spent the day over the Playgrounds area to surf Rifles....it was sectioning, 50 guys out and all burning each other so we had to put up with the above :-)

I stayed over at Aloita, Telescopes area not the same amount of options as where you are but still really good.

Everyone remembers to bring a first aid kit,but not too many remember to throw it in the boat when you go for a surf,which means you may have to wait a couple of hours sometimes to get back to the camp before doing much about it ..50/50 peroxide and water in a small spray bottle straight on any cut as soon as it occurs ...the old lime remedy is probably better than nothing !
My other item on any boat /ferry anywhere in indo is a waterproof bag(which will protect your electronics/etc) with a thermal rash vest wrapped around a litre bottle of water ...if it all goes to shi8 you can hang on the bag . be well hydrated and warm

www.theinertia.com/surf/surfer-brett-archibald-rescued-after-27-hours-stranded-in-indian-ocean/





until the sharks eat you!

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Prawnhead said..
Everyone remembers to bring a first aid kit,but not too many remember to throw it in the boat when you go for a surf,which means you may have to wait a couple of hours sometimes to get back to the camp before doing much about it ..50/50 peroxide and water in a small spray bottle straight on any cut as soon as it occurs ...the old lime remedy is probably better than nothing !
My other item on any boat /ferry anywhere in indo is a waterproof bag(which will protect your electronics/etc) with a thermal rash vest wrapped around a litre bottle of water ...if it all goes to shi8 you can hang on the bag . be well hydrated and warm

www.theinertia.com/surf/surfer-brett-archibald-rescued-after-27-hours-stranded-in-indian-ocean/





until the sharks eat you!

Good point Prawn the guys I went with were using pure alcohol to treat cuts rather than peroxide said it was less painful (didn't look it) than lime juice.

Far out IFocus... I was already excited... but now I'm really pumped. Thanks for posting that pic...
Bring on July.

Hey Skwinky I took my anti malarial tabs as some of my friends have been infected (not from the ments) and hit pretty hard and my doc told me they also help with coral cut infections.

Have a great trip - sooooo jealous

Bill