Sikui Island is one of the islands located on the west side of Sumatera. This island is a member of Mentawai Archipelago. Administratively, Sikuai Island is located in the region of Bungus Teluk Kabang District, Padang, West Sumatra. This island is approximately 23 km from Padang City which could be reached using speedboat. This island was started to be developed as a tourism object from 1994. Sikuai Island is a tropical paradise offering all beauties and experience of a tropical island, for instance white sand and soft beach, warm waters, coral reef richness, and various species of fish. The calm wave, line of coconut trees, and a lush and green tropical rainforest are all well maintained and natural. The most attracting scenery could be seen in the sunset, when the sun glows red with orange background “drowning” into the bluish ocean. Such an amazing panorama!
Despite the beauty, this island is not really popular. Many travelers or tourists does not know much about the Sikui Island in West Sumatera. This island is like newly discovered. This island should be visited when you spend holiday in the land of Minang (Padang). Usually, tourists will prefer visiting Gadang Clock, Anai Valley, Gadang Houses, and the legendary beach where the story of Malin Kundang was taken place if they are having holiday in West Sumatera. Indeed, those tourism objects are the mainstays of West Sumatera, but slowly but sure Sikui Island will join them and become of the favorites.
Sikuai is one of 19 islands which are inside the region of Padang City. This island is about 38.6 square meters or has the area of 40 hectares. Although it is not yet famous if compared to the other tourism objects, Sikuai Island could be said as one of the developing tourism object in West Sumatera, especially for marine tourism. In this island, you can do some water activities such as snorkeling, diving, fishing, or just swimming on the clean water of Sikuai Beach whilst watching the beauty of sea biota including coral reefs.
To access this island, from Padang City exactly from Bungus Bay, you will need a boat for crossing into Sikuai. Bungus Bay is about 23 km south of Padang City. Besides Bungus Bay, you could also depart from Wisata Bahari dock in Batang Harau Street. If you take this way, Sikuai Island could be reached in 25 minutes on speed boat or 60 minutes using ship or from Muara Port with travelling time around 45 minutes with ship and then from Airud Bungus in 35 minutes. There are 25 cottages built in this island. Besides that, facilities like restaurants, meeting / conference room, swimming pool, or even bicycling and jogging path to go around the island are available. The stairs which were built in this island reaching the top of the hill, allowing the tourists to enjoy the sunset and sun rise from the top spot on the island.
If you consider a quiet and peaceful holiday destination, this island is a perfect choice. In the line of coconut trees neat the resort, there are some hammocks hanging on the trees for relaxing and enjoying the fresh air. After that we could go to the beach, playing or walking on the sand and then swimming. Here, you could easily see some turtle hatchlings swimming between the reefs. Not just that, other activities like snorkeling around the island or canoeing on the calm waters are also fun to be tried in the peaceful atmosphere of Sikuai Island. The clear water makes the underwater biota visible even from top of your canoe.
The trekking or jogging lane is also available behind the resort. There is a green tropical rainforest with its high hill which could be explored. This hill is already equipped with 369 stairs if you want to go up the stairs and reach the top of the hill. It will need a tough effort though, because for arriving to the top needs 30 minutes or more. It will be energy draining activity, but all will be paid off with the amazing panorama of the ocean with some small islands around it. Moreover, if you arrive on the top at the sunset, you will see the view that you will never forget. However, the minus point of this island is the lack of electricity. The electricity source for the resort is from a generator and unfortunately turned on only from 17.00 to 08.00 in the morning.
Some water sports are also worthy to try here, such as banana boat, snorkeling, mountain cycling, or speed boat. Activities like venturing the forests, trying the coconut fruits and its fresh water will also be a unforgettable experiences. Spending holiday in Sikuai Island offers a true relaxation and peace.