*But why didn't we go to Mentawi?

Well, 'coz we carried a "S.E. Asia" guidebook for this trip since we're going to see 5 countries of the region. Unfortunately, the guidebook only mentions the most visited places of Sumatra since there are 10 countries in S.E. Asia the book had to cover. Hence, remote Mentawi Is. wasn't covered by that guidebook since the Is. don't see much touristm being too remote.

But if we only had an Indonesia guidebook which surely covers Mentawi Is., then we most like have visited it since the pics of Mentawi are so inviting!