Reef

right

Level 7/10

Bankvaults

Mentawai, Indonesia

🪸Sharp reef🏝️Remote🦈Sharks

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Bankvaults is a playful right-hander in the heart of the Mentawai's famous Playgrounds zone—a wave that rewards smooth, flowing surfing with multiple linking sections. The reef setup creates a series of workable walls that connect when the swell direction and tide align, offering opportunities for big carves and occasional tube sections. It's less intense than nearby Lance's Right or Macaronis, making it an excellent option for intermediate to advanced surfers looking for quality waves without the hectic crowds or heavy consequences.

Bankvaults surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today4

Fair

2.0mSSE@9s

18km/h

2.0m@9s

18km/h

Thu5

Fair

2.0mSSE@10s

12km/h

2.0m@10s

12km/h

Fri6

Good

1.3mS@17s

11km/h

1.3m@17s

11km/h

Sat7

Good

1.5mSSW@16s

21km/h

1.5m@16s

21km/h

Sun8

Fair

1.5mSSE@12s

14km/h

1.5m@12s

14km/h

Mon9

Fair

1.4mSSE@8s

10km/h

1.4m@8s

10km/h

Tue10

Poor

1.2mS@10s

5km/h

1.2m@10s

5km/h

Wed11

Fair

1.2mS@11s

5km/h

1.2m@11s

5km/h

Thu12

Good

1.2mSSW@14s

9km/h

1.2m@14s

9km/h

Fri13

Fair

1.1mS@11s

5km/h

1.1m@11s

5km/h

Groomed 5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 16 km/h · PM 20 km/h · Tide at 8am (0.1m) Groomed

Swell

2.0m

SSE(163°)

Score: 25/25

Period

Short period

Score: 4/25

Wind

18km/h

ESE(118°)

Score: 23/25

Weather

27°C

0.2mm99%

First light 5:28amSunrise 5:58amSunset 6:11pmLast light 6:41pm

Windswell

0.3m@3s

Secondary

1.1m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell2.0m @9s SSE outside window

Wind18 km/h ESE offshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 12:00–4:54pm · through highIdeal tide: 0.5–1.5m

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

26°

27°

28°

26°

27°

26°

27°

28°

27°

28°

27°

28°

27°

25°

26°

27°

28°

26°

27°

28°

27°

28°

27°

28°

29°

26°

27°

28°

3m1.5

sec

10s

17s

16s

12s

10s

11s

14s

11s

swell

windkm/h

15g28

18g27

20g27

19g25

21g27

18g28

13g27

10g14

12g18

11g17

10g16

10g14

9g17

13g18

14g19

17g23

20g27

19g28

22g29

22g31

15g26

16g25

14g23

14g20

13g20

14g25

9g24

9g18

11g16

7g17

7g19

3g18

4g16

6g15

5g13

10g16

7g17

0g16

4g14

6g12

13g23

9g23

6g19

7g18

10g17

9g17

4g16

4g14

5g13

4g12

tidem

1:00am0.7m

8:00am0.1m

2:20pm0.7m

8:30pm0.2m

2:10am0.7m

8:43am0.1m

3:07pm0.8m

9:30pm0.2m

3:10am0.6m

9:12am0.1m

3:51pm0.9m

10:16pm0.1m

3:56am0.7m

9:48am0.1m

4:19pm1.0m

4:37am0.7m

10:16am0.1m

4:51pm1.0m

5:22am0.6m

10:45am0.1m

5:30pm1.0m

5:55am0.5m

11:15am0.1m

6:00pm1.0m

12:50am0.0m

6:30am0.5m

11:45am0.1m

6:30pm0.9m

1:22am0.0m

7:04am0.5m

12:12pm0.1m

7:03pm1.0m

1:55am0.1m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

1:00 am

High · 0.69m

8:00 am

Low · 0.13m

2:20 pm

High · 0.66m

8:30 pm

Low · 0.24m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Fair

Components

Swell Direction1/25

Swell Size25/25

Swell Period4/25

Wind23/25

Raw Score53/100

Adjustments

✨ Wind History+6

🌊 Tide-2

⚠️ Weak Component-5

Adjusted Score52/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score52

✨ Groomed🌊 Too low for this tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to PDG, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell2.0m @9s SSE outside window

Wind18 km/h ESE offshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: SW (220°)
Direction range: 200° - 250°
Size range: 1m - 3m
Ideal size: 1.9m - 2.5m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: ESE (120°)
Offshore range: 80° - 160°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: mid
Optimal range: 0.5m - 1.5m

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

7/10

Crowd level

3/10

Access: Boat charter from Padang. Part of Playgrounds area.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Bankvaults?

Bankvaults is a reef break in Mentawai, Indonesia, that mostly breaks right.

What swell works best at Bankvaults?

Bankvaults picks up swell from the SSW round to the WSW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the SW. It starts working at around 1m and handles up to about 3m, with the sweet spot around 1.9 to 2.5m. Period matters too: aim for 14s or longer, as anything under 10s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Bankvaults?

An ESE wind is dead offshore at Bankvaults, and anything from the E round to the SSE keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Bankvaults?

Bankvaults is at its best around mid tide, roughly 0.5m to 1.5m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Bankvaults?

The most reliable run of swell at Bankvaults comes Apr to Oct. April-October dry season. SE trades offshore.

How cold is the water at Bankvaults?

The water at Bankvaults averages around 28°C, so boardshorts or a rashguard will do. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Bankvaults good for beginners?

Not really. It's rated 7/10 for difficulty and suits experienced surfers. The lineup is usually quiet (crowd 3/10). Remote location. Shallow reef sections.

How do I get to Bankvaults?

The nearest airport on our list is PDG. From there you need a boat to reach the break (we estimate around $200 USD, but confirm with an operator). Boat charter from Padang. Part of Playgrounds area.

What other surf spots are near Bankvaults?

The closest breaks we track are Beng Bengs (1.3 km), Stormrider (5.9 km) and Macaronis (17 km), handy when Bankvaults isn't working. We track 7 spots around Mentawai in total.