Mentawai Expeditions to Siberut Island

Discover one of Indonesia’s most remarkable Indigenous cultures through private expeditions

For more than three decades I have been travelling to the Mentawai Islands, building long-term relationships with families living deep inside the rainforest of Siberut.

Today I organise a limited number of private expeditions and cultural journeys for travellers, photographers and filmmakers who want to experience Mentawai life respectfully and beyond conventional tourism.

Rather than simply visiting a village, we spend time with Mentawai families, living in a traditional uma, sharing daily life and, when appropriate, witnessing ceremonies and rituals that continue to shape one of Indonesia’s oldest living cultures.

Discover the culture, history, photography, documentary project and detailed articles about the Mentawai people.

Why Travel With Me?

Beyond cultural tourism, into everyday life.

Unlike conventional cultural tours, these expeditions are built around relationships rather than itineraries.

My first visit to Siberut was in 1990. Since then I have returned many times, gradually becoming part of community life through friendships built over decades rather than days.

Travel follows the rhythm of the forest and the people who live there. Ceremonies cannot be scheduled, conversations cannot be rushed and every visit develops differently.

Whether your interests lie in culture, photography, anthropology or simply understanding another way of life, every expedition is designed around respect, curiosity and genuine immersion.

A Different Way to Explore Siberut

Travel slowly. Stay longer. Experience the Mentawai through daily life.

Reaching the Mentawai interior is part of the journey itself.

After crossing from mainland Sumatra to Siberut, we continue by vehicle and motor canoe into the rainforest, travelling upriver to communities that remain far removed from Indonesia’s towns and cities.

Most expeditions are centred around a traditional uma, the Mentawai clan house, where we stay with our hosts and become part of everyday life rather than simply observing it.

Accommodation can be entirely within the uma, or traditional rusuk house for travellers who would like a little more privacy. Days are shaped by the forest, family life and, when appropriate, traditional ceremonies.

There is rarely a rigid timetable, and that flexibility is one of the greatest strengths of these journeys.

Highlights of a Mentawai Expedition

A typical journey may include many aspects of traditional Mentawai life, including:

Travelling by motor canoe deep into the rainforest.
Staying in a traditional uma.
Sharing daily life with Mentawai families.
Forest walks and learning about medicinal plants.
Traditional fishing and food gathering.
Craft making and preparation of hunting equipment.
Learning about Mentawai spirituality and the role of the kerei.
Witnessing ceremonies when they naturally take place.

Every expedition is different, because every family, season and visit is different.

Photography in the Mentawai

The Mentawai have been one of my principal photographic subjects for more than thirty years.

Photography is not the purpose of these expeditions, but it often becomes a natural extension of spending time with people. The strongest photographs rarely come from rushing between locations. They emerge through patience, familiarity and trust.

Whether you travel with professional camera equipment or simply enjoy observing another culture more closely, the journey itself creates opportunities that cannot be planned.

Meet Your Guide

My journey into the Mentawai began in 1990 while studying biology in Indonesia.

After completing my Master’s degree in Animal Behaviour in the Netherlands, I continued travelling and working throughout remote parts of Asia, organising expeditions, documenting wildlife and Indigenous cultures, and building long-term relationships with communities across the region.

The Mentawai became far more than a destination.

Over more than three decades, the friendships I have built with families on Siberut have made it possible to organise journeys based on trust, respect and genuine cultural exchange rather than tourism.

Today I combine that experience with my background in expedition leadership and photography to help travellers experience one of Indonesia’s most remarkable living cultures.

Learn More About the Mentawai

Over the years I realised there was simply too much to share on a single page.

I therefore created TheMentawai.com, a dedicated website bringing together everything I have learned through more than thirty years of visiting Siberut.

There you will find detailed articles about Mentawai culture, history and spirituality, extensive photography galleries, updates on my documentary film project and practical information for anyone interested in learning more about the Mentawai.

Join a Mentawai Expedition

If you have ever wanted to experience the Mentawai beyond a brief village visit, I would be delighted to share this remarkable culture with you.

On the dedicated Mentawai Expeditions page you will find detailed information about upcoming departures, private journeys, accommodation, sample itineraries, practical travel information and what you can expect during your stay on Siberut.

Whether your interest lies in culture, photography, anthropology or simply spending time in one of Indonesia’s last great rainforest societies, every expedition is designed around respect, curiosity and genuine human connection.