Wanderyn
city · Indonesia

Berau

Recommended stay: 4 days
Getting around: Berau's Kalimarau Airport has flights connecting to Balikpapan and Jakarta, and is the standard entry point for the Derawan Islands. From the airport, it's roughly a 2-2.5 hour drive to Tanjung Batu, the small port where boats depart for Derawan, Maratua, Kakaban, and Sangalaki islands; most resorts and dive operators arrange this transfer directly, since public transport options are minimal. Island-hopping between Derawan, Maratua, and the smaller uninhabited islands is entirely boat-based, arranged through your accommodation or a local operator.
Hours: Kakaban Island's stingless jellyfish lake is accessible during daylight hours via a short jungle boardwalk from the jetty; boat trips between islands are generally scheduled around calm morning seas rather than a fixed timetable.

Berau is the regional gateway to the Derawan Islands, an archipelago off East Kalimantan's coast known for exceptional diving and snorkeling — manta rays at Sangalaki, sea turtles that nest directly on Derawan's beaches in large numbers, and, most famously, Kakaban Island's stingless jellyfish lake, an isolated saltwater lake where millions of jellyfish evolved without natural predators and lost the ability to sting, letting swimmers float among them.

The town of Berau itself is a modest transit point with little to hold visitors' attention; almost everyone heading here is en route to the islands via Tanjung Batu port, from where boats fan out to Derawan (the main inhabited island, with basic resorts and dive shops), Maratua (increasingly developed with higher-end resorts and its own airstrip), and the various day-trip islands nearby. It's a less crowded, less developed alternative to Indonesia's better-known dive destinations, which is a real part of the appeal but also means more limited infrastructure, patchier electricity, and higher costs given the remoteness and logistics of supplying the islands.

Berau FAQs

What is special about Kakaban Island?

It holds a rare stingless jellyfish lake — an isolated saltwater lake where jellyfish evolved without predators and lost most of their sting, allowing snorkelers to float among millions of them; it's one of only a couple of places like it in the world, alongside Palau's better-known jellyfish lake.

How do I get to the Derawan Islands?

Fly into Berau's Kalimarau Airport, then take a roughly 2-2.5 hour drive to Tanjung Batu port, followed by a boat crossing to Derawan or Maratua island; most resorts arrange this transfer as part of a booking.

Should I stay on Derawan or Maratua Island?

Derawan is the more established, budget-friendly base with turtle-nesting beaches right in front of most guesthouses, while Maratua has grown a higher-end resort scene and its own airstrip, appealing to travelers wanting more comfort and willing to pay more.

Is diving in the Derawan Islands as good as Raja Ampat or Komodo?

It's excellent in its own right, especially for manta rays at Sangalaki and turtles at Derawan, though it's less internationally famous and developed than Raja Ampat, which means smaller crowds but also more limited dive infrastructure and higher relative costs given the remote logistics.

How many days should I budget for the Derawan Islands?

Four days is a reasonable minimum given the travel time to get there; it allows time to properly experience Kakaban's jellyfish lake, Sangalaki's mantas, and Derawan's turtles without feeling rushed.

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