Rags Left surf

Rags Left

Advanced
Reef break · Moderate · Best: May–October · All tides
Working best in Mentawai now Iceland Epic · 1.6m @ 15s View →
Conditions right now
Epic
Wave
2.3m
Swell
1.8m
15s · SSW
Period
15s
Wind
18 km/h
SSE · gust 41
Onshore
Water
29°C
Air
29°C

Surf report

Tide rising · High 4:00 PM 0.7m
Time Surf Swell Wind Tide
6 AM 2.0 m
1.5m 15s SSW
17 km/h cross
0.4m
9 AM 2.2 m
1.7m 15s SSW
17 km/h on
0.1m
12 PM 2.3 m
1.8m 15s SSW
15 km/h on
0.3m
3 PM 2.3 m
1.8m 15s SSW
18 km/h on
0.7m
6 PM 2.4 m
1.9m 14s SSW
19 km/h on
0.6m
Best session today
6 AM–8 AM
Cross-shore 1.9m swell @ 13s

Next 24 hours

Wave Swell
0.0 1.5 3.0 3 PM6 PM9 PM12 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM

Wind

Speed Gusts (km/h)
0 25 50 3 PM6 PM9 PM12 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM

Tide

High 4:00 PM · 0.7m Low 10:00 PM · 0.1m High 4:00 AM · 0.7m Low 10:00 AM · 0.1m
H 4 PM L 10 PM H 4 AM L 10 AM H 4 PM L 11 PM H 5 AM L 10 AM 3 PM9 PM3 AM9 AM3 PM9 PM3 AM9 AM

7-day outlook

Best days
Fri, Oct 23 Best
1.9–2.4m
Sat, Oct 24
2.1–2.4m
Sun, Oct 25
1.8–2.1m
Mon, Oct 26
1.7–1.8m
Tue, Oct 27
1.6–1.7m
Wed, Oct 28
1.4–1.6m
Thu, Oct 29
1.2–1.4m

Hourly detail

Show next 24h
Time Wave Swell Period Wind Tide
3 PM 2.3m 1.8m SSW 15s 18 SSE on 0.7m
4 PM 2.4m 1.8m SSW 14s 20 SSE on 0.7m
5 PM 2.4m 1.9m SSW 14s 20 SSE on 0.7m
6 PM 2.4m 1.9m SSW 14s 19 SSE on 0.6m
7 PM 2.4m 1.9m SSW 14s 15 SSE on 0.4m
8 PM 2.4m 1.9m SSW 14s 15 SE cross 0.3m
9 PM 2.4m 1.9m SSW 14s 14 SE cross 0.1m
10 PM 2.4m 1.9m SSW 14s 13 SE cross 0.1m
11 PM 2.4m 1.8m SSW 14s 15 SE cross 0.1m
12 AM 2.4m 1.8m SSW 14s 12 ESE cross 0.2m
1 AM 2.3m 1.8m SSW 14s 12 ESE cross 0.4m
2 AM 2.3m 1.8m SSW 13s 10 ESE cross 0.5m
3 AM 2.3m 1.8m SSW 13s 10 SE cross 0.6m
4 AM 2.3m 1.8m SSW 13s 14 SE on 0.7m
5 AM 2.3m 1.8m SSW 13s 13 SE cross 0.6m
6 AM 2.3m 1.9m SSW 13s 13 SE cross 0.5m
7 AM 2.2m 1.9m SSW 13s 15 SE cross 0.3m
8 AM 2.2m 1.9m SSW 13s 16 SE cross 0.2m
9 AM 2.2m 1.9m SSW 13s 15 SE on 0.1m
10 AM 2.2m 1.9m SSW 13s 15 SE on 0.1m
11 AM 2.2m 1.9m SSW 13s 15 SSE on 0.1m
12 PM 2.2m 1.9m SSW 13s 16 SSE on 0.2m
1 PM 2.2m 1.8m SSW 13s 16 SSE on 0.4m
2 PM 2.2m 1.8m SSW 13s 18 SSE on 0.6m

About Rags Left

Rags Left is a powerful, hollow left-hander peeling over a shallow reef in the Mentawais, delivering long, well-defined barrels when the swell hits right. It pairs well with its right-hand neighbour, offering variety in a single session. Advanced surfers will relish the steep drops and tubing sections, but the reef demands respect and full commitment. Best tackled with a solid swell forecast and plenty of barrel experience under your belt.

Local knowledge

Hazards

The reef at Rags Left is extremely shallow and razor-sharp, with live coral that will fillet exposed skin on a wipeout — booties are worth considering even if they cost you feel. Rogue sets can catch you inside and hold you down on the reef, so strong swimmers and breath-hold confidence are non-negotiable. Watch for boat traffic from charter vessels anchoring in the channel, particularly during peak season when multiple boats work the same zone.

Getting there

Rags Left is boat-access only — you'll be arriving via surf charter or speedboat transfer out of Padang, typically as part of a multi-day Mentawai boat trip. Most charters anchor in the channel between Rags Left and the right, and you jump straight off the back of the boat into a short paddle to the lineup; confirm your skipper's exit plan before paddling out, as channel positioning shifts with the tide.

Board

A proven, high-performance shortboard in the 6'2"–6'6" range with a touch of extra volume suits the fast, steep drops and barrel sections on standard SW swell; step up to a 6'8"–7'0" when the swell pushes overhead-plus and the wave starts throwing thick and heavy. Skip the fish — this wave demands a board that can handle late drops and hold a line through a fast, pitching tube.

Localism

moderate — be polite, wait your turn.

Where to go now

Rags Left vs. nearby, live
Spot Surf Swell Wind Now
Rags Left Best now
this spot
2.3m
1.8m 15s
18 on
Epic
1 km away
2.3m
1.8m 15s
21 on
Epic
15 km away
2.2m
1.7m 14s
18 on
Epic
19 km away
2.6m
1.9m 14s
21 on
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.