General Informations

Derawan Island
Derawan Island is located in east of Kalimantan island and can reached easily from Balikpapan.

Derawan island have varied of biota, from walls and fringing reef to caverns. Big green turtles (chelonia mydas), whitetip leopard and nurse sharks, schooling barracudas, napoleon wrasses, cuttle fish, spanish mackerel, jacks and batfishes, and ornamental reef fishes hang out in record densities and diversity. There are also big fish in the waters: Whitetips, Blacktips, Grey reef Sharks and even the occasional Blue Makko can be seen for examle at the Blue Trigger Point.

Sangalaki
Just over the border from Borneo is the island of Sangalaki - a superb dive spot where big numbers of manta rays frolic all year round. Many destinations claim that mantas are frequent visitors but few can truly lay claim to having resident mantas all year round, and so many of them!

Here, all size of Mantas emerge from any direction. Their wing tips breaking the surfaces at certain intervals. Diving is the way to interact with this giant plankton eater. The Sangalaki Island marine reserve consist of a coral archipelago in East Kalimantan province. The Marine Park has an area of 280 ha. The main attraction of the park is its beautiful underwater world

Not only can you dive whenever you want with large groups of mantas, flipping and rolling all around you, but you can also snorkel in a freshwater lake which seems more like stingless jellyfish soup, and enjoy the splendid rugged wall dives of nearby Kakaban. Being at Sangalaki is like being in several great dive destinations at once - manta rays, macro, Jellyfish Lake and splendid wall dives, a winning combination.

Another highlight of Sangalaki diving is the site known as Jellyfish Lake on nearby Kakaban Island - the sight of thousands of jellyfish floating around you has an almost other-worldly beauty to it, and you need have no fear of stings while snorkelling here (you can't dive in the lake). There are four different varieties of jellyfish in the lake situated in the middle of the island. With no access to the open sea, the jellyfish here have had no encounters with their natural predators and as a result have lost their sting.
Kakaban Island
Has a salt water lake around 5 sq ft kilometers. The only sample of this kind of lake only found that in Palau, Micronesia. The sea surrounding Kakaban Island is home of Barracuda.

Maratua Island
Maratua island is the home of the barracudas. This kind of fish is easily be seen underwater. Other islands of the archipelago are the domains of sea birds. Derawan Island and Maratua Island are the Islands where the Bajau people live. Banjar and Kutai Dayak also live on these two islands, while the other islands of the archipelago are not inhabited.


Our Diving Trip

Day 1.
Arrive in Tarakan airport by flight, Our representative will be waiting outside the arrival hall and ready to escort you, to the ship for immediate boarding. Cabin allocation and ship orientation will take place before departure. Take this opportunity to familiarize yourselves with the vessel, make yourself comfortable. Dinner will be served while departing towards Derawan island.

Day 2.
Derawan island, Breakfast, offer as many dives as possible. 1st dive at Shark Cve followed by a few nearest dive sites such as Sea Garden, Ship Wreck, Turtle Inn, Rabbit Fish City, Blue Trigger, Snapper Point, Old Pear, as well as Pelatak Run. Lunch and Dinner will be served in between the dives. After night dive, we shall continue to another diving island, Sangalaki Island.

Note : This island is located off shore of East Kalimantan and the most famous island of all. This island group is rich of marine life. Vast coral reef, sea turtles, whitetip, leopard and nurse shark, various species of ornamental fishes, are only some of them. The terrain on Derawan is varied from walls and fringingreefs to caverns. Big sea turtles, Spanish mackerel, jacks, batfish, napoleon wrasse and many more. Underwater visibility is vary from 25-30 m, temperature of 27-30 Celcius Degree.

Day 3.
B Arrive in the morning, After breakfast, 1st dive at Turtle Town follow by 2nd dive at Manta Avenue, lunch and 3rd dive at Manta Ran, option to choose dusk or night dive at ?The Light House? or ?Turtle Town? free and easy.

Note : The Island of Sangalaki is located off the East coast of the Indonesian portion of Borneo. the diving is spectacular and relatively easy, and exotic marine life that you've probably only seen in National Geographic is plentiful. You'll see Cuttlefish, Blue Ribbon Eels, Frogfish, Turtles, Manta Rays, Sharks, DOZENS of Species of Nudibranchs, HUNDREDS of species of hard and soft corals schools of brightly colored Fusaliers and ZILLIONS of colorful reef fishes.

Day 4.
Sangalaki - Breakfast, 1st dive at Manta Run follow by 2nd at Manta Cleaning Station, lunch and 3rd dive at site options Sandy Ridge or Manta Parade, divers have an option of dusk/night dives at any of the site which have been dive accept Manta Run and Manta Avenue, dinner, free and easy.

Day 5.
Kakaban Island - At dawn, boat depart for Kakaban Island, 1st dive at Barracuda Point (drift dives with approximate current of 1-2 knot) during surface interval, a short walk of 15 minutes into the Island of Kakaban, we?ll spend an hour snorkeling on the unusual lake fills with jellyfish (read note for site descriptions), after an hour snorkeling at the lake, we will return back on board for lunch, follow by dive-site option Barracuda Point or Kahedaeng on the northern side of Kakaban Island, after the dive, boat sail back to Semama for anchorage, night dive at Semama, dinner, free and easy.

Note : Kakaban is a very large Island and is reminiscent of the Rock Islands of Palau. The sides of the island are sheer limestone cliffs covered with dense jungle right down to the water's edge. There are very few sections of beach around the Island, but it mostly just drops straight down the wall. While Sangalaki has shallow reefs. One favorite site is Barracuda Point which features schooling Barracudas, and Jacks, Leopard Sharks, Gray Reef Sharks and the occasional Hammerhead, all in a ripping current that lets you fly along the wall There's even a permanent safety line at the end of the drift to help you ascend back to the calm shallows. During surface interval, a hike into the interior of Kakaban on a relatively easy trail. The whole center of the island is a huge marine lake filled with non stinging jellyfish. Most of it is only 10 to 15 feet deep, so snorkeling is the way to go. four species of jellyfish that live in the lake. And 8 species of fishs, mostly gobies, a file snake, white anemones that eat small jellyfish and a really strange little Nudi. The mangroves along the edge of the lake have lots of interesting sponges attached to them.

Day 6.
Marartua Island - At dawn, boat depart for Maratua Atoll, on the north-eastern part of Maratua Island, we will dive at ?The Channel or some call it Big Fish Country? coordination with the tide is needed to dive at this site, best time to dive is when the tide is coming up as current pushes into the channel, (read note for site descriptions), After the dive, boat depart to Kakaban Island, option of Barracuda point or Kahedaeng for the 2nd dive, a upon surface, we?ll head back to Sangalaki Island, depending on the tide, we will go on shore of Sangalaki island which one could observe Green Turtles coming on shore to lay their eggs, the visit will be guided by Park Ranger on the Island, after, night dive at Sangalaki Island, dinner, free and easy.

Note : Maratua, a large island with a massive lagoon The island only rims part of the lagoon, the rest is fringed by reef and wall. A Channel into the Lagoon is an incredible drift dive and the surrounding walls are loaded with hard and soft corals. ?We start out on the wall and drift to the channel mouth, then we hung around and watch the action as long as the current let us before drifting into the channel. huge school of Sailfin Snappers at the mouth. Occasionally eagle rays, Black Spotted Stingray, Giant Grouper about six feet long and probably weighing at least 400 pounds. Huge school of Barracudas and Jacks are common at this dive site, average depth is 20 to 25 meters, divers are advise to bring along reefs hook for the dive, current 2 to 2 and a half knots. * the above photo was taken by Stephen Wong in 2003 with me in the background at The Channel*

Day 7.
Derawan - Breakfast, Divers will have the option to choose the sites at Sangalaki for the last 2 dives of the trip, after the last dive, lunch and Sea Safari will head back to Berau, a upon arrival, dinner and overnight on board, free and easy

Day 8.
Tarakan to Balikpapan - Morning, Breakfast and transfer to Tarakan Airport for Domestic flight to Bai

Facilities and Services Onboard

• Deck state cabin located on the middle and upper deck with a sea-view
• Deluxe cabin located on the lower deck
• Air- conditioned cabins with private bathroom (hot and cold showers)
• A tray of toiletries in each cabin
• Dining room and Bar
• 24 hours tea and coffee making facilities
• Vegetarian food available on request
• Easy access swim/boarding platform
• Fresh water on deck shower
• Complete scuba dive equipment (Only available when there is an advance booking for diving with a minimum of 2 divers)
• Snorkel, canoe and fishing equipment
• TV, Karaoke & DVD entertainment units
• Computer with Adobe Photoshop application
• Laundry service
• On Board telecommunication

Price for 8 Days / 7 Nights: USD 2,345/pax

Includes :

• Number of Dives :
  Sangalaki Island (1 check dive + 7 day dives + 4 night dives)
  Semama Island (1 night dive)
  Kakaban (3 day dive + 1 snorkeling trip on kakaban Jellyfish lake)
  Maratua Island (1 day dive)
  Number of dive include throughout the trip in 7 days (16 dives + 1 Check dive)
  1 x Kakaban Jellyfish Lake Excursion (Snorkeling only)
  1 x Turtle Excursion at Sangalaki Island
• Equipment includes, 80 cubic feet cylinder with air filled of 3000 psi or 200 bar, weights by kg and belt, any other dive equipment/s consider rental, guest which do not have rechargeable battery for their dive light may purchase disposable battery on board during trips at our bar counter.
  Note, please email us if you need full set dive gear 1 week prior departure.
• Dive Guide/ Divemaster Supervision – Ratio 1 DM/DG to 5 Guest Divers on included dives.
• Full Board Meals will be provided, 7 x Breakfast, 7 x Lunch + 7 x Dinner and snacks in between dives will be provided (Continental and Western style) coffee, tea and mineral water are free throughout the trip, we also provide fruit juice for breakfast only, any additional carbonate drinks, beer, wine and etc are subjected to charges according to our bar price.

Excludes:

• International/domestic airfare and airport tax
• Soft drinks and alcohol beverages
• Personal travel Insurance
• Gratuities to guide and crew
• Onboard telecommunication
• Laundry service

Note, please email to us if you need full set dive gear 1 week before departure.