Derawan Islands (East Kalimantan)

Overview

The Derawan islands must be everyone’s dream of the perfect tropical paradise: warm, isolated  islands with soft white sand beaches fringed with waving palm trees, pristine seas that change color from green to deep blue, and an amazing underwater life of giant turtles, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs and barracudas, stingless jellyfish and sometimes, whales  Derawan is indeed one of world’s richest areas in bio-diversity. 

Small wonder that the Derawan Islands are considered the third best dive destination in the world. Located just away from the mainland of East Kalimantan in the district of Berau, the Derawan archipelago comprises 31 islands, most well known among these are the islands of Derawan, Maratua, Sangalaki and Kakaban. Here is Indonesia’s largest nesting site of the rare and endangered giant green turtles and hawksbill turtles, where one can daily watch turtles lay their eggs in the sand or swim to sea with the turtles. The entire marine conservancy region covers a total area of no less than 1.27 million hectares.

Here, you can find 460 different species of corals, ranking this area second only to the Raja Ampat Islands in West Papua. The Nature Conservancy and a team of international experts also found more than 870 species of fish here, ranging from tiny pygmy seahorses to giant manta rays. On some days, groups of up to 50 manta rays have been seen feeding together in Derawan’s waters, says the Conservancy.

While on Kakaban, you can find the world's largest and most diverse jellyfish lake, including four unique species of stingless jellyfish one of which can swim upside down. It is for this reason that Kakaban is considered for UNESCO nomination as a World Heritage Site.



Things To Do 

Sangalaki Island
You can visit the sea turtle conservation here and if you're lucky you can see newborn turtles ready to be released to the sea or sunbathing and swimming in the pristine white beach or snorkel and see manta rays if you're luck. 




Kakaban Island
Kakaban Island is so special that inside the island is vastly occuppied by a lake which hosts a bunch of stingless jellyfish which you can only find in 2 places: here and in Palau you can swim in the lake and surrounded by jellyfish :)

When you get bored with jellyfish you can snorkel near the jetty area....there are lots of corals and colourful fishes...one of the best snorkeling spot and of course if you dive there are many dive spot around the islands.

Swimming With Sea Turtle
You can easily do this if you stay at the cottages over the water run by locals all you have to do is sit in the jetty or from your verandah and when you see them, jump into the water and discreetly come from behind them. If you manage to catch up just gently rub his shell and avoid scaring the turtles by pulling him grab his shell so he follows you.

Sangalaki Island
Don't miss to visit sangalaki island. it's only about 2 hours from derawan by fisherman's boat and take even less time using the speedboat. If you're lucky, you'll meet some Manta Rays. they will swim around your boat. we met like 10 of them! if you spend a nite on this island (no hotel on the island at the moment) you will see turtle laying their eggs on the beach every night. they're endangered species, so please don't disturb them. 


Kakaban Prehistory Lake
The lake was originally the lagoon of an atoll, formed by corals over a period of two million years. As a result of movements in the earth's crust the coral reef was raised above the sea level, trapping 5 km2 of seawater within a 50 meter high ridge, effectively creating a landlocked marine lake.

The organisms found in the lake are originally seawater species such as marine algae, sea anemones, jellyfish, sponges, sea cucumbers, crabs, and several small fish species. Seawater, which seems to enter the lake through small cracks and crevices in the surrounding reef rock, is diluted with rain water, to produce a brackish water environment. Over thousands of years the inhabitants of the lake have adapted to their unusual environment. No large channels or connecting caves have been discovered, so no larger animals have been able to enter or leave the lake for thousands of years. Marine scientists are still trying to solve the mystery of how the isolated and fragile lake ecosystem supports the requirements of its plant and animal communities. Only one other similar lake ecosystem is known; it is found on Palau in Micronesia, about 1000 km east of the Philippines. 

Gusung-Gusung (Sand Dunes)
There are several sand dunes near Derawan Island which you can visit during low tides. A nice place to take pictures :)






Snorkeling in Stingless Jelly Fish Infested Lake
Most def you should go snorkeling with them stingless jellyfish. It's really fun to swim among floating jellyfish. 

Most Recent Restaurants in Derawan
Derawan Cafe
The restaurant is part of Derawan Cafe resort. The food is so-so and price higher than average. But it has a nice swimming beach in front of it and the jetty extends out the farthest adn there is a nice snorkeling spot at the end of the jetty. So it is a pretty nice place to hang out and have drink.


Warung April
Like everything else in Derawan food takes time to prepare so it means they're so fresh :)
The choices are: fish, shrimps, chicken and squid grilled fish with the hot homemade chilly sauce is the best.
Any Resto in This Village: Order Couple Hours Before
There's 1 resto in the resort, but it caters only for guests who are staying in and they only provide in buffet style and cost USD10/pax. I once wanted to dine in but they said I shld have had to inform them few hours in advance due to limited food!

As a backpacker, I went to dine in some 'warung' (small restaurant) in the village. But it took ages to order food, in average for 2 hours!
The best one is 'ILHAM' - it's clean and the food is fine, and the best thing is the food came out quicker! :-)
Favorite Dish: Anykind of seafood, it's so fresh and delicious! 

Mirolis Pelangi: Eating By The Sea
The restaurant is part of Mirolis Pelangi Cottage, which is at the far end of the island.
Favorite Dish: We had a nice fried chicken with homemade chilly sauce for lunch and loved it 

Derawan Night Life
In Derawan there's no night life, no bars, no cafes. To spend the night, either u sit around on the jetty/beach to see beautiful sunset and talk over the night with sea breeze, or u see turtles coming to land to procreate! 


Most Recent Transportation in Pulau Derawan
 Fihserman's Boat
if you visit derawan, don't forget to visit the other islands nearby: Sangalaki, Kakaban and Maratua. to get there, just rent a boat from fishermen. to get contact with the fisherman, just ask your hotel manager. He'll be more than happy to help you. It takes 2-3 hours to get to other islands.







4 Seater Speed Boat
From Berau Airport, go by car 20 min to harbour, there find speed boat to take u to Derawan island.

The trip takes 2,5 hrs if weather is good. 1,5 hr u go cruising thru Mahakam river then 1 hr thru the ocean.

This is the hardest part of the journey since the water is very choppy and the bumpy boat makes literally 'pain in the ass' 


Small Plane
From Balikpapan u fly by this kinda plane to Tanjung Redeb/Berau. This plane is so small so they require u to scale your body weight and baggage. So don't bring too heavy things and perhaps u should go on diet before going to Derawan? :-P

Fly by KalStar ot DAS, cost around Rp 550,000/pax/1 way. 



Speed Boat
To get to other islands around Derawan (Sangalaki, Kakaban, Maratua), u have to rent a speed boat. It cost a lot, so u better share with other guests. Boat rent cost Rp 500,000 - Rp 750,000 per day. 






Pulau Derawan Sports & Out Doors
 At Sangalaki the familiar shape of Manta Rays emerges from all directions. Their wing tips breaking the surface at regular intervals. Totally unperturbed by your presence, they swim in eurythmy and sometimes glide right up to you before making a sharp nose-dive into the blue. It is not unusual to find ten of them encircling you. Though most of them are about 3,5 meters (12 ft) wide with a white belly, there are a few black giants with a 6 meters (20 ft) wing span.

Equipment: U don't have to scuba dive to see Mantas. But if u are, world down there is absolutely amazing! Here all the fish are in gigantic sizes, unlike I've seen before! 

Pulau Derawan Favourites 
Favorite thing: Just laying on the beach or on the edge of a jetty...looking at the blue ocean with some turtles swimming, bright blue sky, smell and feel of sea breeze...anything more relaxing than this?