Welcome in the Beautifull tropical island in the Kalimantan region, Pulau Derawan. An island with the surface of coloured sea water blue and green gradations, the soft sand carpet, the line of the coconut tree in the coastal coast, with the small forest in the middle of the island that was the habitat from various plants kinds and the animal as well as beauty of underwater nature that enchanted. Not surprised if this island could occupy the third place highest as the destination dove quality in the world and made this island becoming the island of the dream for the divers.
The Derawan Islands covering Derawan, Sangalaki, Kakaban, Maratua, Panjang, and Samama Island as well as several submerged reefs and small islets, are located in the Sulawesi Sea, on the coastal shelf of East Kalimantan .
The seas around Derawan are noted for Manta Rays, particularly at Sangalaki and Kakaban Islands. You are also likely to see schooling tuna, jacks, white tip nurse and leopard sharks. Derawan Island is famous for the abundance of giant green turtles. Some visitors report that frequent.
Dive Sites
Mostly there are 28 interesting poing for diving activity in Derawan Island. Below are the big five interesting site for diving in Derawan.
1. Derawan Island. In this area , you can see the green turtles, white tip, leopard & nurse sharks, barracuda, napoleon wrasse, cuttle fish, Spanish mackerel, jacks, bat fish and the usual reef fish.
2. Sangalaki Island . In this Area you can see an excellent distribution of hard and soft corals, in pristine condition, swarming with thousands of anthias and other reef fishes. There were many black coral trees, some quite large, beginning in very shallow water, and invariably covered in crinoids. There is a large distribution of sponges and many very beautiful gorgonians. (One appeared to be gold in color, but when lit with a dive light or strobe proved to be a bright red or fuchsia. Great for photography.) Fortunately, Sangalaki Island is a National Marine Reserve, and has been spared such a sad and shortsighted fate. Sangalaki is also host to a huge population of mating and nesting sea turtles. In a timeless cycle of reproduction, both hawksbill and green turtles come here to mate and lay their eggs. On an annual average, 20-30 nests are deposited on Sangalaki Island every night A clutch ranges from 80-120 eggs, so annually that represents more than 750,000 turtle eggs per year on Sangalaki alone.
3. Kakaban island. In this area you can see the prehistoric lake , Jellyfish that don’t sting, sea cucumbers, sea snakes & gobbies. It must be noted, however, that in some other areas, particularly around Kakaban Island, the reef clearly shows signs of having been damaged by dynamite fishing.
4. Barracuda Point . In this area you can see the blue tuna and white sharks
5. Maratua Island. In this area you can see the variety of larger fish sightings including eagle rays.
Derawan Report September 2008
Any questions (photos) on Derawan please email me: john@johnahern.net.
Pulau Derawan is a tiny, tear-shaped island off Borneo’s north east and I‘d say it was one of the best experiences of this trip. It was the most difficult place to reach and one of the bus journeys north from Balikpapan took 21 hours over the worst roads (tracks) in thunderstorms. Because of
the distance and expense (the island boats are run by a sort of ‘speedboat mafia’) there were just 6 other tourists there. Speedboat from Tajung Batu 300,000 Rp (about 20 minutes) and daytrips on to other Islands about 900,000Rp if they don't manage to rip you off for more! The island has the best accommodation I’ve seen in Indo; well constructed cabins up to 200 meters out over the sea on long jetties where you can see the giant turtles, you can feed and swim with them. With the water lapping the stilts it’s like sleeping on a boat.
I spent some nights helping the WWF (world wildlife) man collect the eggs as the big turtles came ashor to lay them in the exact spot they themselves hatched 20 years before—on a beach of pure white sand and palm trees in the light of the full moon. Then we would take the eggs to the hatchery compound and dig a hole of about a meter and deposit the eggs—usually about 100 from each turtle. Then we would walk around the grid feeling for tiny movements under our bare feet and find some turtles emerging from the deposits of 60 days ago. As the moon climbs higher the rush starts and soon there are hundreds scrambling out in a mad dash, pushing each other up through the sand. Sometimes we’d
remove a little sand from a hole if the turtles were slow in coming out, the we’d have to feel the shells and if too soft the hole would have to be covered over for another night’s ‘cooking’. By this time there would be
scores of turtles running around inside the fence, trying to find their way to the sea. We’d collect them in buckets and release them to run down the beach towards the moon and into the water and off on their way around the world to return to this exact spot in 20 years.
Another interesting place is the island of Kakaban, like a volcano with a big lake in it’s centre. This lake of green water contains millions of jellyfish (non-stinging) and it’s like swimming in jellyfish soup.
Snorkeling under the rocks on the western side of the island was the best; colourful corals and fish and an incredible drop-off that made you feel like floating in outer-space.
Apart from the fantastic losmen (simple accommodation) Derewan has the best diving resort but that too is empty. The ‘speedboat mafia’ have completely killed the tourism and the locals can do nothing about it while
their hotels stand empty. They don’t even have a ferry service and can’t even offer tourists a ride on local boats for fear of sabotage. Halfway through a charter boat journey they’ll change the price and the weaker tourists (not me) will just pay it! All this in a paradise where there are no cars and a good meal of grilled fish, outdoors under the moon, costs a couple of dollars. Just a generator to run the electricity for a few hours each night and the main pastime is making babies!
Hope this helps anyone interested.
John Email: john@johnahern.net
So beautiful..