![Surfer in barrel of wave.](https://lp-cms-production.imgix.net/2019-06/148766023_high.jpg?w=1920&h=640&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cedges&auto=format&q=75)
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Mentawai Islands
While surfers have long flocked to the Mentawai Islands for its legendary waves, it's a destination that will also have a far-flung appeal to independent travellers, in particular for those wanting to meet the island's tattooed hunter-gatherer tribes. The islands' pristine beaches are also magnificent and as idyllic as any you'll find anywhere in Sumatra.