East Kalimantan |
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On the east coast of Kalimantan, a little south from the world famous Sipadan area, are more equally impressive, but less well-known islands & reefs.
These difficult to reach dive sites are now beginning to open up to divers - and the intrepid travelers who make it this far will not be disappointed.
Just like the Sipadan area, East Kalimantan has a lovely combination of big fish dives and critter dives. The area is most famous for its Manta Rays, which can congregate here in huge numbers. There is also a very unusual lake dive.
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 The star of the show here is Sangalaki - a tiny island surrounded by a gentle sloping reef. The reef itself is interesting, but the real draw card are the numerous Manta Rays that feed on the plankton rich waters surrounding the island.
There is no need to go deep here to find the Mantas. They normally swim just below the surface, so spending the whole dive admiring these majestic creatures is normally no problem. Most of the Mantas are black and white and around 3-4m in size, but the area also has a few, very unusual pure black Mantas, reaching 6m in size.
Maratua, also known as Big Fish Country, is another splendid site. The oddly shaped island creates a large lagoon with outer walls droping off into oblivion. As its nick-name suggests - big fish are regular visitors. Huge schools of Barracuda often engulf divers, Trevally & Tuna hunt all around and Sharks are not uncommon. Look above, and you may be lucky enough to see a school of Eagle Rays cruising by. Large Bull Rays are also seen here, along with occasional Manta sightings.
The islands off East Kalimantan are not all about big fish though. Just like the more famous sites of Sipadan to the north, there are plenty of macro delights to be found. Nestled in the lagoon created by the unusual Maratua Island, tiny Nabucco Island has Frogfish, Mandarinfish and many other wierd & wonderful creatures.
Derawan Island, while not blessed with great visibility, is blessed with a wonderful diversity of critters with Flambouyant Cuttlefish, Blue-ringed Octopus, Leaf Scorpionfish, Ghost Pipefish, Ribbon Eels and Seahorses making a home here. The island, which has one resort, is also a nesting ground for Green Turtles and they are often seen swimming along the reef. Nurse Sharks & Leopard Sharks can be spotted resting on the sand during the day.
This coast also has one of the world’s most unusual dives - Jellyfish Lake. About 20,000 years ago, techtonic activity created an uplift of rock, now known as Kakaban Island. This process also completely trapped a large area of seawater in the middle of the island, cutting off the marine life inside from all outside influences and allowing it to follow its own evolutionary path.
Now, the lake is home hundreds of stingless jellyfish of four different species, plus unique sponges, tunicates, crustaceans & anemones. The lake also has its own unique species of sea snake. If you want to dive somewhere really unusual, this lake could well be it.
On the outer edge of the island are some good dive sites too. Barracuda Point, Kakaban Drop-off & Tanjung Point are all great drift dives with plenty of pelagics. There is also a deep cave here, but it is only recommended for very experienced divers with the necessary training and safety equipment.
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The East Kalimantan area is a remote region that is not easy to reach. Diving has recently begun to get a foothold in this special area, making it possible for divers to experience the area's many treasures.
Resorts around Derawan are the only option as a dive base, with no Liveboards including the area in the itinerary as yet. |
 
The Derawan islands are the base for exploring the spectacular diving of East Kalimantan. They are situated south of Sabah on the huge island of Borneo.
There are around 30 islands in total, but it is only possible to stay on 3 of these - Derawan, Sangalaki & Nabucco. Each of these have dedicated dive resorts making daily trips to all the local dive sites.
To reach Derawan, take a flight from either Jakarta or Singapore to Balikpapan, then an onward flight to Berau. Catching an early morning flight from Jakarta or Singapore enables you to make the connection to Berau the same day.
From Berau, it is around an hour's boat ride to the Derawan Islands. Alternatively, it is possible to fly or take a boat from Tarakan in Sabah, Malaysia.
Accommodation is included in dive packages and there are no other options other than the dive resorts. Sangalaki is the cheapest option, offering fairly simple but comfortable bungalows. Derawan & Nabucco are more upmarket.
These islands are fairly remote and the main activities away from the reefs are nature-watching and simply relaxing.
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| Sipadan is Malaysia's most famous dive spot and rightly so.
These nutrient-rich waters attract huge numbers of Turtles, while the area is also home to Sharks, Bumphead Parrotfish, Trevally, Barracuda and more... |
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Are you addicted to the thrill of big marine encounters? Do you crave up-close & personal encounters with gentle giants or apex predators? Then check out our guide to Asia's best spots for big fish encounters... |
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