4 Bobs surf

4 Bobs

Intermediate
Reef break · Moderate · Best: April–October · All tides
Working best in Mentawai now HT’s (Hollow Trees / Lance’s Right) Epic · 1.3m @ 11s View →
Conditions right now
Epic
Wave
1.5m
Swell
1.4m
11s · S
Period
11s
Wind
16 km/h
NNW · gust 27
Offshore
Water
31°C
Air
26°C

Surf report

Tide rising · High 12:00 PM 0.8m
Time Surf Swell Wind Tide
6 AM 1.5 m
1.4m 11s S
15 km/h off
0.5m
9 AM 1.5 m
1.4m 11s S
12 km/h off
0.5m
12 PM 1.5 m
1.3m 12s S
8 km/h off
0.8m
3 PM 1.5 m
1.4m 12s S
4 km/h cross
0.6m
6 PM 1.5 m
1.4m 12s S
7 km/h cross
0.3m
Best session today
10 AM–12 PM
Offshore 1.3m swell @ 11s

Next 24 hours

Wave Swell
0.0 1.3 2.5 8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PM11 PM2 AM5 AM

Wind

Speed Gusts (km/h)
0 15 30 8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PM11 PM2 AM5 AM

Tide

High 12:00 PM · 0.8m Low 7:00 PM · 0.3m High 2:00 AM · 0.9m Low 8:00 AM · 0.4m
H 12 PM L 7 PM H 2 AM L 8 AM H 2 PM L 8 PM H 3 AM 8 AM2 PM8 PM2 AM8 AM2 PM8 PM2 AM

7-day outlook

Best days
Wed, Jun 10 Best
1.5–1.6m
Thu, Jun 11
1.6–2.3m
Fri, Jun 12
1.9–2.3m
Sat, Jun 13
1.6–1.9m
Sun, Jun 14
1.6–1.8m
Mon, Jun 15
1.6–1.8m
Tue, Jun 16
1.4–1.6m

Hourly detail

Show next 24h
Time Wave Swell Period Wind Tide
8 AM 1.5m 1.4m S 11s 16 NNW off 0.5m
9 AM 1.5m 1.4m S 11s 12 NW off 0.5m
10 AM 1.5m 1.4m S 11s 10 NNW off 0.6m
11 AM 1.5m 1.3m S 11s 6 NNW off 0.7m
12 PM 1.5m 1.3m S 12s 8 N off 0.8m
1 PM 1.5m 1.3m SSW 12s 6 NNE off 0.8m
2 PM 1.5m 1.3m S 12s 6 NNE off 0.7m
3 PM 1.5m 1.4m S 12s 4 ENE off 0.6m
4 PM 1.5m 1.4m S 12s 3 ENE off 0.5m
5 PM 1.5m 1.4m S 12s 5 ENE off 0.4m
6 PM 1.5m 1.4m S 12s 7 ENE off 0.3m
7 PM 1.5m 1.5m S 12s 9 NE off 0.3m
8 PM 1.5m 1.5m S 12s 9 ENE off 0.3m
9 PM 1.6m 1.5m S 12s 10 ENE off 0.4m
10 PM 1.6m 1.6m S 12s 10 ENE cross 0.5m
11 PM 1.6m 1.6m S 12s 9 E cross 0.6m
12 AM 1.6m 1.6m S 13s 9 E cross 0.8m
1 AM 1.7m 1.7m S 13s 7 ENE off 0.8m
2 AM 1.7m 1.7m S 13s 6 ENE cross 0.9m
3 AM 1.8m 1.7m S 13s 7 E cross 0.8m
4 AM 1.8m 1.8m S 13s 6 E cross 0.8m
5 AM 1.8m 1.8m S 13s 6 ENE off 0.6m
6 AM 1.9m 1.9m S 13s 5 E cross 0.5m
7 AM 1.9m 1.9m S 13s 6 ESE cross 0.4m

About 4 Bobs

4 Bobs is a lively Mentawai reef break with a fun, performance-oriented character that clicks for intermediate surfers. Expect multiple peaks and rideable walls that invite top-to-bottom surfing without the extreme consequences of the heavier breaks nearby. It's a sociable wave that works across a range of swell sizes, offering something different each session. Great for building Mentawai confidence in a less intense setting.

Local knowledge

Hazards

The reef is shallow at low tide and, like all Mentawai coral, sharp and alive — wipeouts can result in nasty lacerations and sea urchin encounters, so reef booties are worth considering. Multiple peaks mean surfers can converge unexpectedly; keep your head on a swivel, especially when the boat fleet is anchored up and the lineup fills. A moderate channel rip runs alongside the break — useful for paddling out but worth tracking if you get caught inside.

Getting there

4 Bobs is boat-access only — you'll reach it aboard a charter or day-trip vessel out of Padang or from a liveaboard working the South Mentawais. Boats anchor in the channel off the break; entry and exit is via the channel where the water is deeper, avoiding the live reef. There are no warungs or land infrastructure here — everything you need comes off the boat.

Board

A versatile shortboard in the 6'0"–6'4" range suits the majority of conditions, with enough rocker to handle the punchier sections. On smaller, mushier days a groveller or hybrid fish will keep you flying through the slower walls; step up to a 6'6"+ if a solid swell pushes the size and power up.

Localism

mellow — relaxed vibe.

Where to go now

4 Bobs vs. nearby, live
Spot Surf Swell Wind Now
4 Bobs Best now
this spot
1.5m
1.4m 11s
16 off
Epic
1 km away
1.5m
1.4m 11s
15 off
Epic
2 km away
1.1m
1.1m 11s
9 off
Good
2 km away
1.5m
1.4m 11s
15 off
Epic

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Surfing in Mentawai

Full Mentawai surf guide →

If there's one name that makes surfers go quiet and start saving, it's the Mentawai. This remote archipelago of more than 70 islands sits off the west coast of Sumatra, fully exposed to raw Indian Ocean swell, and it has earned its reputation as one of the most concentrated, high-quality wave zones on Earth.

✈️Getting there

All routes run through Padang, the port city in West Sumatra. Fly into Padang's Minangkabau International Airport (PDG), usually via Jakarta, or via Kuala Lumpur or Singapore on regional carriers.

🛵Getting around

The Mentawai are about boats, not roads. Once you arrive, your daily transport to the waves is by boat — either the liveaboard itself or the resort's tenders and speedboats running surfers out to the breaks.

🌤️Climate & season

The Mentawai are equatorial, hot and humid year-round, with water warm enough for boardshorts or a thin top (roughly 27–29°C). There's no real winter — just wetter and drier patterns.