Equity Opportunity in Macaronis Resort via Silabu Unit Trust
Investment in Macaronis Resort via Silabu Unit Trust provides unique lifestyle benefits as well as becoming an ordinary unitholder with equal entitlements to the income and assets while taking part in the long term capital growth of the business.
Below we have answered some common questions about investing in Macaronis Resort via Silabu Unit Trust. If you are interested in becoming a unitholder and would like to know more, you can submit the application form at the bottom of this page and we’ll be in touch.
The assets of Macaronis Resort are held in a privately held trust known as Silabu Unit Trust established in year 2004. The person responsible for safeguarding the trust and its assets and distributing the annual income in accordance with the trust deed is Dr Eghardt Brand, a specialist medical doctor, practicing in both the UK and Namibia where he holds dual citizenship.
Dr Brand was the team doctor in the 2024 French Olympics for Namibia, he is a member of the Surfing Doctors, he is a philanthropist having his own non-profit foundation, and he is also head of our non-profit organization, ‘The Pagai Foundation’. Dr Brand was our first and largest investor following a tsunami which damaged Macaronis Resort in year 2010. Dr Brand was directly responsible for having financed a large portion of the refurbishments completed at that time.
Dr Brand donates his time and services as head of the Pagai Foundation to recruit international doctors who assist in carrying out medical clinics in the surrounding villages and manages programs including the removal of cataracts to restore eyesight to local villagers who otherwise would not have access to medical services. In 2019 the Pagai Foundation in partnership Padang Eye Clinic cured blindness for 13 local Silabu Villagers.
Dr Brand and his partner Hayley Brand are also keen scuba divers and are qualified PADI diver instructors. Hayley Brand is also a qualified marine biologist with an interest in coral reef conservation, which is also one of the many initiatives of the Pagai Foundation.
Macaronis Resort remains debt-free after maintaining a positive cash flow position throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Since April, 2022, the business has flourished, consistently hosting more than double the occupancy compared to pre-pandemic levels with more non-surfers visiting as well.
In year 2023 and 2024 Macaronis Resort hosted record bookings, almost double that of 2019, which was largely influenced by having so many guests book on promotional rates released during the Covid-19 pandemic. With higher room rates and lower maintenance costs going forward, we’re expecting another bumper year as we make new improvements and continue to expand the resort facilities.
Due to limited availability, our guests often need to book 6-12 months in advance to be assured of availability, which is a very unique and advantageous position to be in, as we can now put more of our focus, time, and energy into looking after our guests! Macaronis Resort is fully Indonesian managed which our guests greatly appreciate and this has numerous advantages at the operational level as well.
In 2022 and 2023 new investors made approximately a 5% return on their investment while long term investors continued to see their investment grow. Over the years the business has invested in growth to expand our occupancy to 24 rooms while also improving and expanding other resort facilities.
Visitation entitlements provide savings of approximately USD 4000 annually for a family of four, before taking into consideration any prospective financial return on investment. As the value of the business continues to grow, owners continue to enjoy visitation entitlements that they can either use or sell to earn an additional return on investment.
There have been numerous improvements made over the years that have supported the continued capital growth of the business. In 2019 we switched to selling packages in USD from the declining AUD, as well as adjusting our pricing strategy and implementing an online bookings system. We also switched to using the Mentawai Fast Ferry instead of using the slow overnight ferries, and we began using our new aluminum high-speed Catamaran instead of relying on wooden longboats. In 2019, the company built a new medical clinic and doctor’s accommodation quarters, new dry and recreational equipment stores, made kitchen and laundry expansions, and built a new staff canteen.
During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-2021, Macaronis Resort expanded its accommodation to include two duplex villas comprising 4 family-sized deluxe suites, and in 2022-2023 a new gym and yoga gazebo were built (recently expanded in 2025). Another two premier deluxe suites were added in 2023 and two more family suites are being built in 2025. During 4 weeks maintenance closure in Nov/Dec 2023, important improvements were made including construction of a new large poolside gazebo dining area, a new front entrance jetty with floating pontoon, and Surfalot was repowered with twin 300 Hp outboard engines.
In 2024 a 50 seat aluminum Catamaran was purchased with dimensions 12.8M X 4.8M, built in 2017, and powered by 4 x 250hp Suzuki outboard engines (used only 150 hours). This vessel will further enhance our already impressive boat fleet while eliminating reliance on 3rd party hired speed boats whenever the Mentawai Fast ferry is cancelled. This will save a lot of expense and we are also planning to start fortnightly Monday transfers that will enable the resort to offer 10/11 night trips with only 1 night in Padang combined with Friday transfers aboard Mentawai Fast. This will be more attractive to guests coming from further away such as those visiting from Brazil and the USA.
Future planned developments include a zinc alum logistics storage facility that will include a solar power renewable energy system installed on the rooftop to reduce and eventually eliminate our reliance on diesel generators, as well as construction of a skate park/bowl for recreation and surf coaching purposes, and rehabilitation of the lagoon water front in readiness for a future expansion (currently underway).
Aside from the prospective financial returns, owners and their families get to enjoy one week of complimentary visitation entitlements annually. Visitation entitlements provide savings of approx. USD 4,000 annually for a family of four and no management or body corporate fees apply. If not visiting, unitholders can elect to sell their visitation entitlements to make an additional return on investment and there are various other Perks as well. Unitholders may also trade visitation entitlements, for example, two unitholders owning a minimum investment parcel may make an arrangement to each visit for 2 weeks every 2 years, instead of visiting for 1 week annually.
Investment in Macaronis Resort is via a privately held trust, open by invitation only, and subject to approval by the trustee. Most often it is our regular guests that become owners, and it is preferred that all future owners share the same passion for visiting Macaronis Resort which enables the owners to contribute in unitholder meetings when discussing future developments and the progress of the business.
Owners enjoy getting to know our wonderful Indonesian staff, many of whom have become like family, and also getting to know members of the local community, and making lifelong friendships with other regular guests that often visit at the same time while surfing some of the most incredible waves in existence. This along with many of the other wonderful experiences is what makes Macaronis Resort such a special place to so many.
We believe that having owners involved who share the same passion for Macaronis Resort and enjoy visiting frequently best serves the long-term interests of the business and this will help to preserve the unique experience for many years to come.
If you enjoy visiting Macaronis Resort, then you may want to consider applying to become an owner. This is a rare and very unique lifestyle investment opportunity. This is also an opportune time to become involved at the beginning of a new growth cycle of the business.
Did you know that the owners and our families get to stay at Macaronis Resort for free for 1 week every year?
That’s right, we the owners, no longer need to pay to stay in one of our 16 deluxe twin share suites receiving only a 20% discount off the retail rates to visit (applicable between 2012 – 2019), but instead, we now get to stay for free for 1 week every year in one of six family-sized deluxe suites, or in one of two premier deluxe twin suites (8 rooms in total), which can also be sold by the owners to earn an additional return on investment if not visiting.
The owners made an executive decision in our 2019 annual general meeting (AGM) to build our own duplex villas comprising of two family suites in each to be funded by earnings, as demand for the resort’s twin share deluxe suites is regularly at full capacity, and we all love visiting just as much as our guests do! If accommodation entitlements are sold and the income from the room goes to the investor allocated that week, then income made from the guest packages sold to room occupants more than offsets the maintenance costs of deluxe suites built for the owners, and considering that often owners don’t end up visiting, this arrangement remains very profitable for the business as well.
And at the end of the day, we really appreciate the fact that there are no maintenance or body corporate fees applicable and we and our families only need to pay USD 50/night to cover basic costs such as meals, fuel for boats and generators, and room cleaning.
Perhaps you’re thinking, surely it can’t get better than this?
Well, think again, because not only do we get to save thousands per year on accommodation, while enjoying handsome returns on investment, but we and our families also receive a 30% discount off all other purchases including additional nights of accommodation (applicable to the room AND guest’s package), bar purchases, merchandise, and resort transfers. It’s also an added bonus to be able to bring along friends who only need to pay the non-surfer rate when sharing our accommodation, saving them USD 100/night plus not having to pay for a room. Or if bringing along a group of friends who have never visited before, the business even offers us to pass on a friendly 10% discount, or we can earn a 10% commission for referring them as new guests!
Perhaps you’re thinking this investment is just for the super-rich?
Well, believe it or not, the deal just described is for a mere USD 27.5K investment providing a lifetime 1-week of annual visitation entitlements which has zero ongoing maintenance costs. Excluding the accommodation entitlements, a new owner can expect approximately 5% growth in their investment annually, as the resort continues to expand.
So perhaps you’re wondering, why is this offer available now?
Good question, the business does not need your capital. In fact, for more than a decade the business has remained debt free, while maintaining strong cash reserves, allowing the business to continue making the various capital improvements. As we are now hosting double the occupancy of pre-pandemic levels, we’re expecting this strong financial performance to continue.
This opportunity has come about because some of our owners are aged in their 60’s and 70’s and can no longer visit due to health reasons, and therefore, a minority are willing to offer this unique opportunity to the right person and their family to enjoy the unique lifestyle benefits of being involved as an owner in Macaronis Resort.
These positions are rare and only become available from time to time when an existing owner decides to sell. Once the available positions are filled, then this offer will no longer be available, and, likely, the same deal may never be available again.
If you think this opportunity might be for you, then get in touch and we can give you an update on the current availability, and subject to certain conditions, the trustee can provide a login to access our private web page which has complete information about investing to become an owner in Macaronis Resort.
a.) You need to fill in and submit the application form at the bottom of this page to apply to be given access to our private web page which contains all of the information about investing.
b.) On deciding to invest, and subject to a position being available, you’ll need to fill in and sign a unit transfer application form with the trustee who represents the Seller, after the Seller has surrendered their unit certificate to the trustee allowing a transfer to proceed.
c.) After the unit transfer application form has been signed by the parties, the buyer can choose to transfer the full payment, or first pay a 10% deposit, to the bank account stipulated on the unit transfer application form.
d.) On receipt of the full payment, or a 10% deposit, the trustee shall then execute the trust deed with the buyer that will be delivered electronically by email to the buyer and the buyer then needs to make the balance payment (if applicable). On receipt of the full payment the trustee will then issue the unit certificate to the buyer stipulating the distinctive numbers of the ordinary units being subscribed.
e.) The trustee will then post by courier mail the original investment documents to the address of the buyer to complete the transaction.
The video below introduces the trustee of Silabu Unit Trust Dr. Eghardt Brand and the clip that follows provides a virtual tour of the owners’ accommodation duplex suites. Please enquire to request a username and password to access our private web page
Please note that applications are accepted subject to meeting certain prerequisites on a first-in, first-served basis. If no ownership positions are available at the time of your enquiry we can add you to our waitlist and you will be notified upon a position becoming available. We look forward to hearing from you!
