Rags Left surf

Rags Left

Advanced
Reef break · Moderate · Best: May–October · All tides
Working best in Mentawai now Greenbush Epic · 1.5m @ 11s View →
Conditions right now
Good
Wave
1.6m
Swell
1.4m
10s · S
Period
10s
Wind
10 km/h
NNE · gust 21
Offshore
Water
30°C
Air
24°C

Surf report

Tide falling · Low 7:00 AM 0.4m
Time Surf Swell Wind Tide
6 AM 1.5 m
1.3m 10s S
8 km/h off
0.4m
9 AM 1.5 m
1.3m 11s S
9 km/h off
0.5m
12 PM 1.5 m
1.2m 10s S
9 km/h cross
0.7m
3 PM 1.5 m
1.2m 10s S
5 km/h off
0.6m
6 PM 1.5 m
1.1m 11s SSW
3 km/h off
0.3m
Best session today
6 AM–8 AM
Offshore 1.3m swell @ 10s

Next 24 hours

Wave Swell
0.0 1.3 2.5 5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PM11 PM2 AM

Wind

Speed Gusts (km/h)
0 15 30 5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PM11 PM2 AM

Tide

Low 7:00 AM · 0.4m High 1:00 PM · 0.7m Low 7:00 PM · 0.3m High 2:00 AM · 0.9m
L 7 AM H 1 PM L 7 PM H 2 AM L 8 AM H 2 PM L 8 PM H 3 AM 5 AM11 AM5 PM11 PM5 AM11 AM5 PM11 PM

7-day outlook

Best days
Wed, Jun 10
1.5–1.6m
Thu, Jun 11 Best
1.6–2.1m
Fri, Jun 12 Best
1.8–2.0m
Sat, Jun 13
1.6–1.8m
Sun, Jun 14 Best
1.6–1.8m
Mon, Jun 15
1.5–1.7m
Tue, Jun 16
1.4–1.5m

Hourly detail

Show next 24h
Time Wave Swell Period Wind Tide
5 AM 1.6m 1.4m S 10s 10 NNE off 0.5m
6 AM 1.5m 1.3m S 10s 8 N off 0.4m
7 AM 1.5m 1.3m S 10s 4 NNE off 0.4m
8 AM 1.5m 1.3m S 10s 7 NNE off 0.4m
9 AM 1.5m 1.3m S 11s 9 NNW off 0.5m
10 AM 1.5m 1.3m S 11s 8 NNW off 0.6m
11 AM 1.5m 1.3m S 10s 9 NW cross 0.7m
12 PM 1.5m 1.2m S 10s 9 WNW cross 0.7m
1 PM 1.5m 1.2m S 10s 9 NW off 0.7m
2 PM 1.5m 1.2m S 10s 7 NW off 0.7m
3 PM 1.5m 1.2m S 10s 5 NW off 0.6m
4 PM 1.5m 1.2m S 10s 4 NNW off 0.5m
5 PM 1.5m 1.2m SSW 11s 3 NNW off 0.4m
6 PM 1.5m 1.1m SSW 11s 3 N off 0.3m
7 PM 1.5m 1.1m SSW 12s 6 NE off 0.3m
8 PM 1.5m 1.2m SSW 11s 6 ENE off 0.3m
9 PM 1.5m 1.2m SSW 11s 5 ENE off 0.4m
10 PM 1.6m 1.3m S 10s 5 NE off 0.5m
11 PM 1.6m 1.3m S 10s 6 NE off 0.7m
12 AM 1.6m 1.3m S 11s 7 NE off 0.8m
1 AM 1.6m 1.4m S 11s 5 E cross 0.9m
2 AM 1.7m 1.5m SSW 11s 4 E cross 0.9m
3 AM 1.7m 1.6m SSW 12s 4 E cross 0.9m
4 AM 1.7m 1.7m SSW 13s 4 ENE off 0.8m

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
this spot
1.6m
1.4m 10s
10 off
Good
1 km away
1.6m
1.4m 10s
10 off
Good
Thunders Best now
15 km away
1.4m
1.2m 10s
7 off
Good
19 km away
1.6m
1.4m 10s
7 off
Good

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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.