Sikuai: A nice-small island located in the middle of nowhere

The trip:

1. Friday night, a van picked me and 4 other collagues from Pekanbaru (one of them is Rintjez, TB member). This van brought us in 7-8 hours road trip to Padang, West Sumatera. In the middle of the trip, it was stopped in a restaurant (Terang Bulan Restaurant in Lubuk Bangko) and we had a chance to taste a different style of Minang Food, with a very fresh sambal (chili paste), thick kari sauce - full of coconut milk, made it gravy and tastes nice, which at the same time, lots of calories. Original drink from the area: "teh talua" - very hot tea poured over an egg and stirred very fast, so the egg will be cooked within seconds and bubbles. Original Minang Soto (clear soup with glass noodle and pieces of roasted beef inside), of course, a nice companion for the sambal.

Once you enter a Minang Restaurant, they will serve all dishes in plates right away on yoyr table, then the white rice.. and you are free to take which ever you like (If you think you can't escape with this, change your mind, because the waiters are able to memorize and count whatever you have taken before:).

2. Around 4 am in the morning, we arrived in Padang and we dropped in our colleague's house, to have a short rest and bath. Additional service, other than a very warm welcome that we received, his Mother made us another Minang soto, which tasted so good.

3. We have finished freshen up and his Father took us with his car and drove us to the Port where we will meet the boat to the island. On the way he drove to Padang Beach, just to take a quick glance of surfers and fisherman.

The beach is average with grey sand, but the tide looks nice for surfing. Padang town itself looks nice with some old buildings, touches of culture in their houses' roofs. and don't miss the colorful "angkot" - public van.

4. We waited in the port and nearly fallen asleep when Rudolf - from Travel Agent, came and chat with us and a few minutes later, the speed boat is ready and we off to the island!

5. The boat trip was fast and fascinating, the coastal area was changing from solid wide land with greenery and green water to small separated isle with clear blue water and later on dark blue water with no waves at all. Took us barely 1 hour to start to see Sikuai Island exactly in front of us.

6. Dropped off from the boat and the euphoria of taking pictures, posing here and there was in the air:).

The beach was stunning, with really fine-white sand and very calm water. Exactly in front of the port, the lobby located with a waiter was waiting for us with welcoming drinks of fresh coconut. This resort is a newly renovated and changed owner, thus the facility is not complete. They have garden view cottages and sea view cottages. Which I recommend the sea-view since it is very nice to be able to sit in the porch and and enjoy the ocean. We can rent snorkel + goggles and fins for ~8USD/hr. Canoing for 6USD/hr. Biking, Motorcycle. Also diving package for ~130USD. They said that they are arranging for Jetski, but hasn't come up yet. The electricity in this island is running on gen-set, which they turn off between 9 - 4 pm everyday, means, no TV, no AC, no cellphone/camera charge (We can handle the charge, and who really come here for a TV and AC anyway?)

The hot water was not working when we came, so we must forget that kind of indulgence.

7. We checked in and got into the room, without wasting time, we strolled along the beach. There is a walking track around the island which took around  1-hour to cover all (exclude the time wasted to stop, and taking silly pictures, or just to admire the fish, eels, snakes). The water is so clear, so that we can see the bottom of the beach. The coral was not that various and colorful, but we can see some inside the water. When we arrived other side of the island, the sea is a bit rough, more that the previous side, probably because it is facing the open ocean.

8. Later on that day, we rented the snorkling gears and jump ourself to the sea, near a wrecked port, where seemed that all kind of fish gathered here. This was my first time snorkelling and I was amazed with the big blue starfish, with many kind of fish around us, which I can't tell the names, but Rintjez, to her interest just happily called one by one fish:), there were couple of sea urchins as well.

9. We couldn't catch the sunset since it was cloudy and rained a bit, then later on that evening we went to have dinner in the restaurant. We had a bad story on lunch, where they seemed doesn't have any food stock at all, except, fried rice and kangkung. But the dinner was quite good, since the supply boat came and stock them with food.

10. Strolled along the beach and watching people fishing, we're so fortunate that it was full moon at that time. Got a very good sleep with a clear sound of waves (no wonder that people do sell CDs for this kind of sound, since it's true that helps you to sleep)

11. Start the new day by climbing the stairs to the top of the hill. The highest point in this island, named sunset plaza. to catch the sunrise.

But it's true they called it Sunset Plaza instead of Sunrise Plaza, since sunset will be seen bordered with the ocean, while the sunset that we waited, came up on top of another island.

12. Visit another part of the beach and found out that because of the tide last night, the waves are a bit rough. We just sat on the beaches and let the waves pushed and pulled us, and fill our swim suit with tons and tons of gravel and sand.

13. Couldn't get enough of snorkelling, we did it again, with a lower water, made us more difficult of climbing back from the wrecked part of the old port. We scratched ourself while trying to lift our bodies up. But amazingly, due to salty water, the scratched was easily dry and heal by itself so fast.

14. Prepare ourself for checked out and went to wait for the boat, this time it was raining so hard and we took a bigger boat, instead of speed boat.

We had fun in the deck of the boat after the rain stopped.

15. Starving, right after arrived back to Padang, we went to search for a Padang Satay (Barbequed beef with gravy fluor based sauce) after got a recommendation of where to go from my friend.

16. Just seemed that the fun is not over yet, inside the van which picked us and drove us back to Pekanbaru, the driver got for himself; a mini TV playing oldies songs:).

17. Arrived back in Pekanbaru on Monday Morning 4 am, with wasted body, so sleepy, tired, burnt skin, scratched legs and arms.. but happy!!!

Link to Rintjez pictures http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/18744