Destination Tales: Jordan Heuer of Kandui Villas
Kandui Villas is a slick, eco-conscious family Resort, located in the heart of the Mentawai, in the prolific Playgrounds Region.
In short – it’s wave central, there’s a wave for pretty much every level of surfer.
Jordan Heuer set up Kandui Villas to provide a clean, safe resort option for surf travellers to feel comfy and confident enough to bring their partners and families along for the holiday.
Perfect Wave Travel’s Ben Horvath caught up with Kandui Villas owner/operator/waterman Jordan Hauer.
Perfect Wave – How many seasons have you done in the Mentawai now, Jordan?
Jordan – “I have done 24 seasons here in the Mentawais and 22 years of that I was living here year round.”
How was the 2023 late and 2024 early season 2024 so far?
“The Late 2023 early 2024 season has been a bit below average for Mentawai Standards, but what that translates to for surf travellers = better waves every day than you would usually be getting at home! ”
Where have you and your guests been surfing?
“We surfed all over the place, including 4-bobs, Aframes, Pistols, Kandui Left, Hideaways, Nipussi, BengBeng, Good Times, Burgerworld, and McDonalds, and some of our guests said they had the best waves of their lives! ”
How have the crowds been in the water?
“The surf has had minimal – no crowds, often just with our guests sharing the lineups.”
How’s your vibe & season 2024 shaping up in terms of the weather patterns and early swells? Are you feeling like it’s going to be a good year?
“We had a bit of a shocker of a Mid-Late 2023 season with inconsistent swells, not so good winds and super cold water, and it wasn’t until super late season that we had some really fun surf and conditions. Everytime this pattern has happened in the past we have had a phenomenal next year, so I think 2024 is going to be a cracker of a year with endless pumping surf and excellent wind conditions!”
Tell our readers a little bit about the amazing set up there at Kandui Villas. What are guests choices of breaks on the daily surf front?
“We have easy lefts and rights, intermediate lefts and rights, as well as some of the fastest, hollowest most perfect advanced waves on the planet, all right here on this amazing Karamajat island. There is really something for everyone here.”
Most know you have No Kandui left straight out front, and one of the world’s best rights, Rifles, a very short dinghy ride up the reef away, what are the other go to options nearby for guests?
“Right out in front of our swimming pool we have small gentle waves at Kanna’s for beginners. Up the point from that is Kandui Left which is known as a heavy, super fast hollow break, and it is when it is big, but when it is smaller it can be a rippable fun wave for small tubes and turns, and can also be really fun for long boarding as well. On the other end of the resort is Baby Kandui, which depending on the size, can be anything from a gentle easy long board break, or a long fun wave with many turn sections break, to a triple over head 20 second freight train tube ride and everything in between depending on the swell size and direction. Around the corner we have gentle, easy Malibu Right breaking off the sand island.
“Further around the corner is playgrounds left and right which is a great place for beginners to intermediates to get long, perfect easy, fun waves. Past that is 4 Bobs, which is a fun, easy waves that has a nice wall for big carves. A not well known break is the inside reforms at 4 Bobs during high tides. It is the perfect place for kids and beginners to learn on with long, gentle rolling Waikiki type waves. Outside, in front of 4 Bobs is the picturesque, playful, fun A-frames (left hander) breaking off the front of a small palm covered island.
“Up the point from 4 Bobs is the rarely surfed Razor Blades, which is usually too small and fast, but on the right swell direction with a big enough swell and high enough tide it can be a really lightning fast, and sometimes makeable right hander. Up from Razor Blades is Rifles and up from that there can sometimes be a few fun bowls to be had on the right day.”
Lets catch up in another month and get another surf report from the frontlines?
“Sounds good, and I look forward to it. Today and especially this afternoon was really good out front at Kandui Left and it was only our guests out all day scoring with no other charters or land camps even coming by to have a sniff at it.”
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