Once in Medan, you have two travel options to get to Nias: take a flight to Gunungsitoli/Nias or a cab or bus down to Sibolga and then hop on the overnight ferry to Nias.
Flying to Nias Travel Options to Nias
To get to Nias, book a direct flight from Medan to Gunungsitoli with Citilink or WINGS Air. If you fly with a boardbag, Citilink is the best option.
Booking Your Flight:
For a smooth booking experience, we recommend to book on Traveloka.com. Their user-friendly platform makes payment, rescheduling, and even refunds easy. Booking directly on the airlines websites or trying to contact them can be frustrating.
It's good to book the flight enough in advance, as it can happen that all the flights are sold out for the coming days if you try to book spontaneous.
Luggage Policies - Some Tips for Surfers:
Citilink: Check your Citilink ticket – some flights might include 10kg or 20kg of checked luggage. Buy extra luggage online beforehand if needed. Surfboards are free unless they exceed your baggage allowance. In that case, the normal extra baggage fee has to be paid.
WINGs Air: The hand luggage allowance is only 7kg. Checked-in baggage is not included in the ticket price. If you travel with check-in luggage, purchase it online upfront.
WINGS Air charges 1 mio. IDR per surfboard and flight, so it's recommendable to pack smart. Bundle two boards in one boardsock and politely mention you have just one. Mostly, they believe your statement and don't open the boardbag. To increase your chances of success, avoid being the first in line at the check-in counter. Instead, wait until the queue is longer and the staff is busier, as they are less likely to thoroughly inspect your boardbag. Please note that surfboards cannot be pre-booked and must be paid for directly at the airport. Card payments are accepted in Medan, while cash is required in Gunungsitoli.
Surfboard size - Official Rules vs. Reality: Airlines might have strict size regulations on surfboards, but in practice, they're often flexible. If you've made it to Medan with your midlenght or longboard, chances are high that they will accept it on the flight to Nias. However, if the baggage compartement of the aircraft is already full, they might ask you to check it on the next available flight.
With the Ferry to Nias: Laid-Back Travel on a Budget
Can't deal with all the airline baggage and surfboard restrictions? Take the scenic route!
Catch a Taxi & Ferry: From the airport, book a taxi to Sibolga and take the night ferry to Nias. It's a budget-friendly option, but takes around 12 hours to get from Medan to Sibolga. The ferries leave around 9 or 10 pm. It's good to be there at least 2 hours before departure if you already have a ticket. If you don't have a ticket, it's recommendable to already be at the harbor by mid afternoon.
Ferry Schedules: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, the ferry 'Wira Ono Niha' runs directly from Sibolga to Teluk Dalam, which is a 20-minute drive from our place. Every night, the ferry runs from Sibolga to Gunungsitoli, which is about a 3.5 hours drive away from Sorake. Our driver can pick you up.
Ferry Tickets: Buy your ferry ticket online on https://www.wjl-line.com/
Ferry Wira Ono Niha on the route Sibolga - Teluk Dalam
How to get from the airport/harbor to Sorake
The public transport system in Nias is almost inexistant resp. if there is any, difficult to understand because there is no info available about it. That's why we are happy to arrange a pick up for our guests.
Airport pick up: the drive from the airport down to Sorake takes about 2.5 hours. The price is 600.000 IDR
Pick up Gunungsitoli harbor: the drive down to Sorake takes about 3.5 to 4 hours. The price is 800.000 IDR
Pick up Teluk Dalam harbor: this is very close, only 20 minutes drive from our lodge. The price is 300.000 IDR
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