MAKAKAN
Simakakang Island  ·  Mentawai
Reserve
Reserve
1°35′S 99°12′E  ·  Simakakang Island, Mentawai

The horizon
becomes part of the
architecture.

Simakakang Island, Mentawai.
@makakan.estate
A house designed for long stays on a quiet island in the Mentawai. Over time, it became something people asked to experience..
01
Arrival

The water changes colour first.

You arrive from open ocean. The boat turns into the channel. The water shifts from turquoise to deep green.
Sound changes too. The engine note remains the same, but the world it moves through is different.
The channel brings you to the entrance on the jungle side. You step from the boat into the building. You cross the living room. You arrive at the beach.
You start to understand why people come this far.

You step from the boat into the building.

You arrive at the beach.

The channel — mangrove to reef, Simakakang Island

The architecture does not compete with what surrounds it.
It stands.

1°35′S  ·  99°12′E  ·  Simakakang Island, Mentawai
02
Between Two Waters

Between
two waters.

Mangroves on one side — still, shaded, grounding. The ocean on the other — open, energetic, alive.
Reef offshore. Mangrove channels at the shoreline. Each side changes the rhythm of the day.

Simakakang Island sits within the Mentawai archipelago off the west coast of Sumatra - a place where the Indian Ocean meets ancient forest, and where the rhythms of the natural world remain largely unchanged. Makakan is the first private residence on Simakakang Island in the Mentawai Islands.
One of the most quietly respected wave regions in the world. You feel it the moment you arrive.

Made from what
the island offered.

The Architecture

Architecture by

Yew Kuan Cheong.

The building emerges from the landscape.
Yew Kuan's portfolio spans the most respected territories of tropical architecture — Aman, Four Seasons, COMO and Alila. Private residences for Donna Karan and Keith Richards. Each project is a study in restraint.
At Makakan, the arrival sequence comes first: water, mangrove, bridge, glass, ocean. The pool aligns with the open water.
Timber for warmth, concrete for permanence, open frames in place of walls. A private residence — not a hotel, not a resort. The distinction shapes everything. It stands.
The Roof
An ironwood roof shaped in reference to the traditional Mentawai boat. Partly concealed by palms and the shade tree that predates the building.
The Site
One hectare of private beachfront land at the edge of Simakakang Island. Mangroves to one side. Coral reef and open ocean to the other. No roads.
The Material
Volcanic stone. Ironwood. Local hardwoods. Carved timber carries Mentawai motifs - not as decoration, but as acknowledgement. The building belongs to the island.
03
The Space

Timber frames sky.
Concrete anchors the floor.

Morning light moves across the room at a precise angle. You are not looking at the landscape. You are inside it.
The Living Room
Mangrove on one side. Ocean on the other. It is not a view. It is a condition.
Open-plan living connects dining, lounge, and veranda in one continuous volume. This is where most of the day happens — morning coffee facing the reef, lunch in open air, the hour before dinner when the light turns the water gold.

One volume.
Two worlds.

The KITCHEN

The kitchen is the centre.

A private chef. Every meal prepared in your kitchen, for your group, at the hour you choose.

The menu is built around what is available - locally caught fish, Indonesian produce, adjusted to your preferences before arrival.

Meals follow the rhythm of the day.
Breakfast facing the reef. Dinner under the ironwood roof as the light leaves the water.
The Mezzanine

Above everything.
The full sequence.

The quietest place in the building. Set above the living room, with a direct line to the sunset.
Bed
Double
View
Open ocean. Direct sunset.
Bathroom
Private bathroom at pool level.
Climate
Air conditioning.
Suite one

The Light
Room.

Pale stone, light timber, natural linen. The bedroom opens to the reef - water visible from the moment you wake.
Ceilings rise to six metres. The quality of light changes through the day in a way that becomes its own event. In the morning, before anyone else is awake, the light room earns its name.
The reef turns from grey to green to blue while you're still in bed.
Bed
King. Unobstructed ocean and reef view.
Bathroom
En suite. Mangrove and jungle view.
Character
Light palette. Beach side of the building.
Climate
Air conditioning. Ceiling fan. Cross-ventilation.
Suite TWO

The Dark
Room.

Deep timber, volcanic stone, darker linen. The same ocean view - a completely different register.
This suite operates in shadow and warmth. The bathroom opens to the mangrove side - dense, close, private. Where Suite One opens to the light, this room keeps it out.
The carved timber surrounds carry Mentawai motifs.
Bed
King. Unobstructed ocean and reef view.
Bathroom
En suite. Mangrove and jungle view.
Character
Dark palette. Jungle side of the building.
Climate
Air conditioning. Ceiling fan. Cross-ventilation.

No fixed hours.
No shared spaces.
No other guests.

Some come for the waves. Others just to be near them.

One booking.
No schedule.

The day moves on its own - between the ocean, the house, and whatever feels right in the moment.
Makakan is a fully serviced residence for up to six guests. No programme unless you want one.
Hospitality
Private chef. Daily meals prepared for your group. A discreet host, present when needed.
On the Water
Boat and captain. Surf guidance. Snorkelling, paddleboard, reef and open water.
On the Island
Jungle walks. Private yoga. Massage on request. Mangrove channels explored by kayak.
At the Table
Breakfast facing the reef. Dinner under the ironwood roof as the light leaves the water.
05
The Estate

Makakan
Estate

Two primary bedroom suites with direct water access. A mezzanine above the living room creates a third sleeping area, with its own bathroom at pool level and direct sunset view. Up to six guests
Each suite is equal in proportion, with direct outdoor access and climate-controlled rooms. The open-plan living and lounge space forms a continuous volume.
Bedrooms
3
2 suites + mezzanine
Max Guests
6
Pool
17m — infinity edge
Setting
Oceanfront
Structure
Timber, concrete, volcanic stone, and ironwood.
Managed by
Aloita Resort
Land
1 hectare — private beachfront
Use
Exclusive
THE LAND
No roads. No other structures visible from the property. One hectare of private beachfront — mangrove on one side, coral reef and open ocean on the other.
POWER
Solar-powered. Rainwater collected and filtered. The systems support the house quietly — the island sets the rhythm.
THE ISLAND
Simakakang is quiet, remote, and largely untouched. The Mentawai archipelago sits off the west coast of Sumatra, at the edge of the Indian Ocean.
MANAGED BY ALOITA
Operated by the team behind Aloita Resort — over two decades on Simakakang Island. The staff know the island, the water, and the rhythms of this place better than anyone.
06
What is Included

What is
included.

One rate. The residence, the staff, the boat and every meal - entirely yours.
The Residence
Full private use. Up to 6 guests.
All Meals
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared daily by your private chef. Preferences discussed before arrival.
Housekeeping
Daily housekeeping and evening turndown.
Watersports
Non-motorised watersports at your shoreline. SUP, snorkelling equipment, kayak.
Personal Host
Present when needed, invisible when not.
Available beyond the rate
Surf & Ocean
Guided surf boat, private surf sessions, fishing, spearfishing, and sunset cruises. Arranged privately.
Wellness
In-villa massage, private yoga, island explorations, and cultural visits.
Mornings start slowly. Coffee, ocean, no plan yet.
Some go out to surf. Others stay, read, swim, disappear for a while.
Lunch stretches longer than expected.
By afternoon, the day has already decided what it wants to be.
Sunset comes without needing to check the time.

A few things
worth knowing.

Makakan is a private residence — not a resort and not a hotel. There is no reception, no check-in time, no other tables. The house is arranged around your group before you arrive.

The entire residence is yours — fully staffed and privately run for your group. All meals are prepared by your chef, with service, housekeeping, and day-to-day arrangements handled for you. Ocean experiences, wellness, and time on the island can be shaped around how you choose to spend your stay.

Makakan is booked for exclusive use regardless of group size. Two guests or six, the residence and the island remain entirely yours. Each stay is tailored to your group, dates, and preferences — shared on enquiry.

Guests typically arrive via Padang, West Sumatra. From there, a private boat transfer brings you through the Mentawai Islands to Simakakang Island.
Private aircraft charter from Jakarta or Singapore directly to the Mentawai Islands can also be arranged.
Every arrival is coordinated in advance to ensure a seamless journey to the island.

No roads. No other structures. Electricity and internet function reliably. The island keeps its own rhythm. That is part of what you are here for. Medical coordination and evacuation logistics are in place.

Yes. Daily boat access to nearby reef breaks with a dedicated surf guide. The Mentawai Islands are one of the world's most regarded surf destinations. The schedule is yours.

Children are welcome. Exclusive use means the pace, the meals, and the water are entirely yours to arrange. The mezzanine sits directly above the living room — a natural separation without distance. The reef, the jungle, the boat: children arrive with schedules; they leave with tide marks.

As remote as it gets.
As comfortable as it should be.

Occasionally

Private charters. Selected collaborations.

Introduced periodically.
Presented independently.
Curated case by case.
CURRENT
Download details
Operated by the team behind Aloita Resort — over two decades on Simakakang Island.
Reserve

Begin here.

Tell us when you'd like to come.

Exclusively yours.

We respond within 24 hours
Reservations
reservations@makakan.com
Location
Simakakang Island
Mentawai Islands, Indonesia
Recognition

For editors
and press.

Architecture by Yew Kuan Cheong of AreaDesigns, with structural development by Earth Lines Architects. Makakan is the first built residence on Simakakang Island — a project documented for editorial and architectural publication.
Photography, architectural drawings, and project notes are available to editors. Press enquiries welcome.
Press
press@makakan.com
High-resolution images  ·  architectural drawings  ·  project notes available on request
From the creators of Aloita Resort · Simakakang Island
Simakakang Island, Mentawai Islands, Indonesia
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