DERAWAN ARCHIPELAGO
About The Location
Located just away from the mainland of East Kalimantan in the district of Berau, the Derawan archipelago comprises 31 islands. The most well known among these are the islands of Derawan, Sangalaki, Maratua and Kakaban. Here is Indonesia’s largest nesting site of the rare and endangered giant green turtles and hawksbill turtles.
The entire marine conservancy region covers a total area of no less than 1.27 million hectares. It is the perfect tropical paradise with warm, isolated islands, 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 even whale sharks and whales.
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About The Dive Sites
Derawan has several diving terrains ranging from walls to caverns and fringing reefs. The island is also popular with green turtles that use it as a breeding ground laying their eggs at night.
There is a diversity of marine life around Derawan, and macro shooters will have a field day shooting as 4 different species of pygmy seahorse can be found here! Other highlights include jawfish, cuttlefish, huge seafans, nudibranchs galore, blue ribbon eels and multi colored crinoids.
Sangalaki is known all over the world as the capital of Manta Rays. Some of them are giant and gorgeous ray that have wing span up to 5 meters wide.
To the east of the island are Manta Avenue, Manta Parade and Manta Run - where the manta rays can be found feeding, gills wide open, on a rich supply of plankton minutes from the beach.
Maratua has several impressive dropoffs and a great drift dive can be done through the channel into the lagoon. The channel entrance is at 27 meters and strong currents sweep by attracting large pelagics such as eagle rays, mantas, barracuda, tuna, mackerel, mantas, hammerheads, and variety of sharks. It is the home of the barracudas.
Kakaban Island is one of the only 2 stingless jellyfish lake in the world when the island was naturally uplifted thousands of years ago, and isolated the marine ecosystem from the sea. Only snorkelling without fins is allowed in the lake to protect the fragile environment here.
Dive Sites around Kakaban are totally different from the calmness of the lake, as you will face strong currents with lots of barracudas and sharks!
About Derawan Dive Lodge
Located on the island of Derawan, which is the main island of the same- named archipelago just off the coast of East Kalimantan in Indonesia. Built on a private white sandy beach, the lodge with just 10 rooms is a perfect place for everyone who likes the personal touch in his holiday. Its size creates its own uniqueness and the feel of a boutique resort.
However whilst maintaining our 'lodge' tag, we strive to emulate a resort standard given the limited resources on the island. Diving at Derawan is very diverse, ranging from spectacular wall dives to wreck and shore dives. There is an incredible diversity of small marine life in the shallows, as well as an ever dominant presence of turtles cruising along the reef edge in deeper water. Add to this one of only two stingless Jellyfish lakes in the world and you're up for a perfect diving holiday!
With two 14m purpose built dive boats and a fully self-contained dive centre including NITROX, along with professional friendly service, the Derawan Dive Lodge caters for guests who want to experience diving at its best. Our highly trained and experienced Tasik Divers team lives for the diving, so each one is the ideal buddy for your Tasik diving experience.
