Derawan

The island is the practical hub for the Derawan archipelago in East Kalimantan. The underwater profile features gentle coral slopes and seagrass beds dropping to a maximum depth of 20 metres. The defining feature of the immediate water is an unusually plenty of green and hawksbill turtles. You often see them resting on ledges or feeding in the shallows right under the resort jetties. The local government runs a marine protected area covering over 285,000 hectares. Historical data indicates thousands of female turtles nest across these islands annually so the beaches are heavily patrolled by rangers to protect the eggs.

The house reefs and jetty pillars are heavily utilised for macro diving. The seagrass beds and rubble zones yield sightings of Satomi pygmy seahorses and flamboyant cuttlefish along with robust and slender ghost pipefish. Blue-ringed octopuses and frogfish are found in the shallows with a good guide. A dedicated local site named Macro Mania rewards slow observant diving with regular cephalopod encounters. The current is mild so these sites work well for beginners and photographers looking for long bottom times.

The wider archipelago offers distinct marine environments across Maratua, Sangalaki and Kakaban.

Old Pier and Derawan House Reef

Skill level: Open Water | Ave depth: 5–15 m | Max depth: 20 m | Current: Mild to none | Visibility: 15–30 m The sloping sand and rubble beneath the jetty pillars provide excellent macro conditions. This is where you find the blue-ringed octopus and ghost pipefish hiding in the structure. Night diving under the pier frequently reveals hunting lionfish and bobtail squid burying into the sand.

Big Fish Country (Maratua)

Skill level: Advanced | Ave depth: 25–30 m | Max depth: 40 m | Current: Very strong | Visibility: 15–30 m This massive break in the Maratua atoll reef acts as a choke point for tidal water. Divers deploy reef hooks at the channel entrance to watch tornadoes of chevron barracuda and large schools of bigeye trevally. Grey reef sharks and occasional eagle rays ascend from the deep basin. The down-currents mandate advanced certification and drift experience.

Gorgonzola (Maratua)

Skill level: Advanced | Ave depth: 15–30 m | Max depth: 40 m | Current: Moderate to strong | Visibility: 15–30 m An expansive wall dive famous for bumphead parrotfish and Napoleon wrasse. Eagle rays fly by frequently. You drift along the steep limestone drop-off observing the larger pelagics in the blue.

Turtle Traffic (Maratua)

Skill level: Advanced | Ave depth: 15–30 m | Max depth: 40 m | Current: Moderate to strong | Visibility: 15–30 m A vertical wall dive famous for an exceptionally high concentration of resting green and hawksbill turtles. The steep drop-off also attracts schooling jacks.

Manta Run (Sangalaki)

Skill level: Open Water | Ave depth: 5–18 m | Max depth: 18 m | Current: Mild to gentle | Visibility: 15–30 m Sangalaki features shallow fringing reefs that act as critical cleaning stations and feeding grounds for resident reef manta rays. Encounters rely heavily on lunar and tidal phases governing plankton blooms. The mild conditions make this highly accessible for all levels.

Blue Light Cave (Kakaban)

Skill level: Advanced | Ave depth: 20–30 m | Max depth: 30 m | Current: Moderate | Visibility: 15–30 m A signature cavern dive on the outer seaward reef of Kakaban. An opening in the limestone wall lets intense blue daylight pierce the interior. Strict cavern safety protocols apply.

Barracuda Point (Kakaban)

Skill level: Advanced | Ave depth: 15–30 m | Max depth: 30 m | Current: Strong | Visibility: 15–30 m A sheer limestone wall swept by strong currents. The promontory offers high-voltage drift diving with frequent sightings of hunting tuna and schooling barracuda.

Bagan Platforms (Talisayan)

Skill level: Open Water | Ave depth: 5–10 m | Max depth: 10 m | Current: Mild | Visibility: 10–20 m Coastal waters near Talisayan host whale shark aggregations year-round. These animals feed under stationary wooden fishing platforms. The dives occur in extremely shallow water directly beneath the structures. The platforms relocate seasonally based on monsoon winds so the boat run from Derawan varies.

The primary diving season runs from April to November. The most reliable surface conditions and optimal visibility peak between June and August. Water temperatures consistently sit between 28 °C and 30 °C. Sharp thermoclines can drop temperatures to 25 °C at depth along the Maratua walls.

Be sure to ask about the lunar cycle if you want to put first manta rays at Sangalaki. Their feeding patterns follow the tidal shifts closely. Tides also govern the drift entries at Maratua. The guides time the Big Fish Country drops to catch the rushing water at the channel mouth.

Getting from Semporna to the Berau regency involves several land and sea connections. There are no direct commercial flights between Tawau and Tarakan. Allow at least 36 to 48 hours for the journey with 2 nights in transit.

The sea route has three stages. You take a late afternoon overland taxi from Semporna to Tawau city. Morning ferries depart before a same-day transit is viable so you overnight in Tawau. The next morning involves an international ferry to Nunukan followed by a domestic speedboat to Tarakan. You clear Indonesian immigration at Tunon Taka Port in Nunukan. Once in Tarakan you need a second overnight stay before catching a private charter speedboat for the three-hour open-water crossing to Derawan the following morning. Speedboats do not operate after dusk so any delays push the crossing to the next day. If severe weather prevents the direct open-water crossing you take a longer route by boat and road via Tanjung Selor and Tanjung Batu port.

The alternative air route takes you from Tawau via Kuala Lumpur and Balikpapan to Kalimarau Airport in Berau. From Berau you take a two-hour road transfer to Tanjung Batu port followed by a 30-minute speedboat ride to Derawan. This avoids the physical discomfort of the ferries but still matches the maritime timeline. Flights to the Maratua airstrip remain structurally unreliable for coordinated itineraries so they do not feature in standard plans.

Border protocols are confirmed at enquiry because they vary by nationality and crossing point. Indonesia allows citizens of many countries to enter via an Electronic Visa on Arrival. Applying online via the official Directorate General of Immigration portal at least 48 hours prior to the border crossing is highly recommended. An e-visa saves you queuing to pay at the seaport.

If your trip starts and ends in Sabah, check your Malaysian visa status for the return crossing. Certain nationalities require a valid Malaysian Multiple Entry Visa to return to Tawau. The team checks passports and certifications early in the booking process.

Derawan island functions as a lively local village intertwined with places to stay and eat. Accommodation ranges from basic homestays and backpacker lodges to mid-range overwater resorts. Higher-end secluded resorts sit out on Maratua but staying there isolates you from the village atmosphere found on Derawan.

The islands rely heavily on cash. There are no ATMs accepting international cards anywhere in the archipelago so you must withdraw all necessary Indonesian Rupiah on the mainland prior to boarding the transfer boats. Cash covers all port levies, local park entrance fees and incidentals.

Power generation relies heavily on diesel generators. Smaller homestays may experience scheduled outages during daylight hours. Internet connectivity is exclusively reliant on cellular networks. You need a local Telkomsel SIM card for stable 4G signals because alternative networks suffer severe dead zones offshore.

Sangalaki operates a government-run turtle nursery. Patrols manage night-time nesting observations to prevent light pollution. Dive operators enforce no-touch rules during all turtle encounters.

Derawan suits experienced divers who will make the longer journey for its variety of marine life. The journey requires patience and flexibility. You accept rugged transit phases to reach uncrowded sites and massive geographical variety.

If you want a highly managed resort experience with short boat rides and easy transfers you should stay in the Semporna islands. Mabul and Kapalai offer excellent macro diving with easier transfers.

Pairing the pelagic density of Sipadan with the manta cleaning stations of Sangalaki makes an excellent Borneo dive circuit. You need a minimum of 14 days to absorb the transit times between Sabah and Kalimantan safely. You dive Semporna first to use the mature places to stay and eat before transitioning to the remote East Kalimantan frontier.

A typical Sabah and Kalimantan itinerary includes 6 nights in Semporna followed by the transit days and 5 nights in Derawan. The sea journey from Semporna to Derawan via Nunukan does not involve flying so divers are not restricted by the standard no-fly surface interval. You can dive in Semporna on the morning of your departure to Tawau. Allow a full 24 hours after your last dive before any commercial flight out of Berau.

• Maratua
• Sangalaki
• Kakaban
• Sabah and Kalimantan
• Getting there

Send your dates along with the names of everyone coming and your certification levels. The team comes back to you with a workable itinerary mapping out the border crossings and dive days.