The Best Tourism on The Derawan Island

The Best Tourism on the Derawan Island, located in Berau, East Borneo, which is now entered into the territory of Nort Borneo. Derawan island has natural beauty under the sea that are well known both in Indonesia and internationally.

Around the Derawan are famous islands such as Maratua, Sangalaki and Kakaban. Beauty underwater in this island is difficult to explain, where there are a variety of marine life and various types of coral reefs that are still good.

When you come to Derawan islands then you will be presented with a wealth of natural scenery and marine, where at least there are about 460 species of coral. This number becomes the champion into second after the Raja Ampat island, Papua. Then you also can meet with about 870 species of fish such as for example dolphins, sharks, dugongs, whales and also the icon that is a giant manta ray.

In this moment I try to review the best tourism on the Derawan island in my article. With the aim to add your insight regarding the island already famous underwater natural beauty.

To Derawan

To get to the island Derawan there are 2 ways overland or air, the following description :

specifically for those who live on the island of Borneo, you can pass route Palangkaraya-Banjarmasin-Balikpapan-Samarinda and Tanjung Redeb-Tanjung Batu-Derawan.

from your current position are already a lot of flight to the city of Balikpapan. Then you continue with two route that you can choose which via Tarakan or via Berau. Each of track does have its advantages and disadvantages. If you choose via Tarakan, the excess is many airlines that provide flights to Tarakan than Berau. But after you arrive in Tarakan and than proceed with further away sea lanes and also no regular speedboat so you have to rent a your own boat. This pathway is very suitable for those who go in the group where the high price of rental boats you can be sharing.

Then via Berau, this pathway is easier for those who go by the number of people slightly. Once you arrive in Berau, many cars travel that is ready to take you to Tanjung Batu and you can continue the journey to Derawan with reguler speedboat. 

1. Derawan Island

On this island youo can stay in cottage that has been provided, mostly cottage is above the beach so you can feel the sensation during sleep by the waves under you. Besides diving and snorkeling there are other facilities that have been provided by the manager you can try watersport and you can observe the behavior of large turtles playing in the sand beach.

2. Maratua Island

The most beautiful icons from Derawan island, this island is the outher direct border with Malaysia and also the Sulawesi Sea. To reach the island Maratua takes about 1 hours crossing from the island Derawan. The island offers the underwater beauty of the objectives of a dive or a professional diver. In this island there are caves and lakes that you must visit.

Maratua already provides the resorts are nice and there are also original settlement Bajo. But for press the budget you can stay at home residents around the price is relatively cheaper. Another attraction on the island is a lake inhabited by hundreds of jellyfish benign, so it is safe to be able to swim together.

3. Kakaban Island

On this island there is also a lake, but larger. Where the water in the lake comes from rain water and sea water seepage through the ground so as to make a different endemic habitat with lakes in the world. In lake Kakaban you can find hundreds of jellyfish that do not sting, jellyfish were trapped for thousands of years ago, then the jellyfish evolved and lost its sting. There are jellyfish with type Golden Jellyfish and Moon Jellyfish.

Besides the lake, the island also has Kahe Daeng, which means “Hole Fish” is a narrow cave that only appears during low tide, so the colorfull coral reefs and also starfish you can easily touch.

4. Sangalaki Island

The island is not too big where you only need about 30 minutes to drive around the island. Sangalaki island presents to you a very beautiful natural scenery and white sand and shady trees. One of the unique island is a place visited by turtles to lay their eggs so that the sea turtle conservation established directly managed by BKSDA Berau.

For tourists who want to see this animal lay eggs must be accompanied by a guide. Because turtles are very sensitive animals, if there is a little light, the turtle will not lay eggs.

As one who has a wealth of underwater nature, Sangalaki island is a compulsory destination. Especially in the waters of this island the divers can meet up with Giant Manta Ray, where there fish swim in groups to hunt for prey that is animal plankton, moreover when the bright moon and event manta ray can gather about 20 more fish.

Several diving spots in the island of Sangalaki :

Derawan islands is an archipelago with amazing underwater, it is no wonder this region has been nominated to become a UNESCO world heritage site in 2005. As one of the world’s coral reefs golden triangle about 53% of coral reefs are in Derawan islands. Then it becomes our responsibility to continue to maintain and preserve this underwater paradise.

So this time my article about the best tourism on Derawan, hopefully to increase knowladge and also as a reference before you visit this island.