30% weighting
Safety & Compliance
Audits against Indonesian law and international practice: vessel certification, safety equipment, drilled emergency plans, land transport.
About · Methodology
Best Derawan Island tour package: our vetting method
A flawless trip to a remote archipelago rests on the operation behind it. This is the rubric we use to score every partner, vessel and experience.
- Pillars in the score
- 5
- Minimum score to qualify
- 90/100
- Weight on safety
- 30%
- Audit of every partner
- Yearly
The Atlas Standard
We certify a standard, not just sell travel
Our reputation rests on a strict method for evaluating every part of your journey. Stays, boats, local guides and transport providers are all scored against five pillars.
A partner must score at least 90 out of 100 to be included in a Derawan Island itinerary.
Five pillars
What every partner is scored on
Safety carries the most weight and is non-negotiable. The other four pillars separate good from exceptional.
Inside the audit
The questions we ask on safety and the reef
Two of the five pillars in detail: the checks a partner must pass before a guest steps aboard.
Safety & compliance
- Vessel registered and certified by Ditjen Hubla
- SOLAS-grade safety equipment present and serviced
- Documented, drilled emergency and evacuation plan
- Maintained vehicles with GPS tracking
- Professionally licensed, vetted drivers
Sustainability
- Verifiable no single-use plastic policy
- Produce and supplies sourced in Berau Regency
- Mooring buoys used where available
- Strict no-touch rule for marine life
- Tangible support for local conservation groups
Our audit process
Inclusion is not a one-time event
Our methodology is not an armchair exercise. Every partner is checked on the ground, again and again.
| Check | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Annual audit | A scheduled audit of every partner, every year |
| Spot-check | At least one unannounced visit during the April to November best season |
| Hands-on testing | Our team stays, dives, sails and dines with the partners it recommends |
| Secret shopper | Team members travel as anonymous guests, from airport pick-up to farewell |
| Local intelligence | Talks with community leaders, local guides and long-term residents |
| Guest feedback | Post-trip reviews analysed and partners reassessed |
If it is part of a Derawan Island itinerary, it has been vetted and tested first.
On the ground
Every transfer and transition is tested
Our evaluators follow the same route as guests: meeting at Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau, the road to Tanjung Batu of about 2.5 to 3 hours, then the speedboat to Derawan of about 40 minutes.
We check the condition of equipment, the professionalism of guides and the transfers between Derawan, Maratua, Sangalaki and Kakaban. Every detail counts toward the score.
Beyond amenities
Discerning genuine luxury in Derawan
Luxury in a place this remote is comfort joined to authentic experience. We look for real seclusion, responsive service that adapts to diet and swimming ability, and discreet care that never intrudes.
The human element matters most: captains reading the currents, guides and resort staff. We also look at how partners plan for weather and the unexpected, so a day at Kakaban's jellyfish lake stays on track.
Keep exploring
More in About
Vetted before you go
Ask us about any boat or stay
Want to know how a resort or boat on your trip was checked? Ask us before you book.