Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Mar–Oct · Moderate current · 28–30.5°C (coldest Jan, warmest Apr)
- Current
- Moderate
- Water temperature
- 28–30.5°C (coldest Jan, warmest Apr)
- Visibility
- 8–30m: Commonly around 20m, with 8m on a bad day.
- Experience
- Most of the archipelago is approachable at Open Water level: the Sangalaki manta sites are shallow and usually mild, and the Derawan house reef is a walk-in.
01 · Marine life
What you may see
Sightings are never guaranteed. The bars show typical likelihood by month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | occasional |
| June | peak season |
| July | peak season |
| August | peak season |
| September | peak season |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
The Important Shark and Ray Areas assessment gives a photo-ID-backed two-season pattern: May-October around the Talisayan bagan platforms, and November-February closer to Derawan itself.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Reef mantas are the signature animal at Sangalaki.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Schools stack at the mouth of the Maratua channel alongside the barracuda, most reliably when the current is running.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Recorded at the Maratua channel and Kakaban's Barracuda Point, usually in current and usually as singles or small groups: not the densities of Indonesia's shark-focused regions.
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
Derawan House Reef
Derawan House Reef: Shore- and jetty-accessible reef with green turtles resting under the pilings.
3–25m · Mild current
Kakaban Barracuda Point
Kakaban Barracuda Point: Wall with a lip around 30m; reef hooks are standard practice when the current runs.
10–40m · Strong current
Kakaban Jellyfish Lake
A landlocked brackish lake in the middle of Kakaban island, reached on foot by boardwalk from the jetty.
0–3m · None current
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsModerate. Fly to BEJ. Typical trip $–$$.
Route overview
Moderate
Reachable but with some friction: 1 domestic flight, a 2.5h overland transfer, a 1.5h boat crossing.
Airport options
BEJ
Kalimarau Airport (Berau / Tanjung Redeb)
The practical arrival airport; domestic flights from Balikpapan (BPN) or Jakarta, then a road-plus-speedboat transfer to Derawan or a speedboat from the Berau river jetty to Maratua
BPN
Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan International Airport (Balikpapan)
Nearest international airport, with direct services to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur; connect onward to Berau (BEJ)
RTU
Maratua Airport
Small airstrip on Maratua itself, served only by a short Wings Air hop from Berau (BEJ); schedules are thin and change often
Typical trip cost
$–$$
under $2,000 to $2,000–4,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- Land-based is the norm and is not expensive by Indonesian dive standards.
- Nabucco Island Resort's published 2026 diving pricelist lists a 20-dive package at EUR 968, a 10-dive package at EUR 533 and single dives at EUR 55, with accommodation on top; a day trip out to Sangalaki and Kakaban is EUR 68 and needs six people.
- Budget Derawan homestay packages start far lower: a private 3-day/2-night diving package is quoted from about USD 281.
- Extras add up: Kakaban lake entry IDR 100,000 per person, Tanjung Batu port fee IDR 10,000, and a shared Berau speedboat transfer quoted at IDR 6,000,000 for the boat, split between passengers each way.
- Liveaboards running Berau-to-Berau itineraries sit higher, commonly around USD 200-350 per day.