destinations

Updated: August 2026

The Derawan Archipelago is a cluster of islands, atolls and coastal reefs in Berau Regency, East Kalimantan, and its signature attractions are Maratua, Kakaban, Sangalaki, Labuan Cermin and the Talisayan whale shark coast. This category maps every island, lake and dive site we run trips to, so you can see the whole destination in one place before choosing an itinerary.

Indonesia Juara, part of Juara Holding Group since 2015, operates private Derawan trips that combine nine named stops across a 3D2N or 4D3N route, departing from Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau. Every page below is a standalone destination guide: what is there, when to go, and how it connects to the rest of the archipelago.

The Derawan Archipelago holds nine signature stops across four core islands and one mainland coast

A complete Derawan route is not a single island. It is a chain of stops separated by 30 to 90 minutes of boat travel each, which is why itineraries are built around clusters rather than one base. The nine stops below are the destinations included on our private Derawan trips.

Start with the four core islands of the Derawan Islands

Four islands carry most of the search traffic and most of the reason to fly to East Kalimantan. Each has its own guide in this category.

• Maratua Island — the largest island in the archipelago and the only one with its own airstrip; its outer walls drop past the 40 m recreational diving limit, and its channel produces the strongest drift dives in the region.
• Kakaban Island and the jellyfish lake — home to one of the very few brackish lakes on Earth where stingless jellyfish can be snorkelled, an experience that exists in only a handful of places worldwide.
• Sangalaki Island — the archipelago’s manta ray and green turtle island, where mantas commonly measuring around three metres across feed in shallow water close to shore.
• Labuan Cermin Mirror Lake — the two-layer lake on the Berau mainland where a fresh-water surface sits above a salt-water layer, giving the swimmer the impression of floating in air.

Derawan Island itself is the archipelago’s main base and the point most travellers sleep at, with turtles grazing under the jetties and reef starting a few metres from the shore. If you want the reef list rather than the island list, go to Derawan dive sites and Derawan snorkelling spots.

The smaller islands inside the Maratua atoll

Two smaller islands sit on the Maratua atoll ring and appear regularly in dive-travel searches. Their guides explain where each island sits, how it relates to Maratua, and how it fits into an island-hopping route.

• Nabucco Island — a small island on the Maratua atoll; this guide covers its position on the reef ring, the diving it gives access to, and how it is reached from Maratua.
• Nunukan Island — another small atoll island near Maratua; the guide sets out where it lies, what the surrounding water offers, and how it fits a multi-island itinerary.

The mainland coast: whale sharks at Talisayan

Talisayan whale sharks is the one destination in this category that is not an island — it is a stretch of Berau’s mainland coast where whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean, gather around traditional fishing platforms and are met at first light before the boat continues to the islands. It is normally the first or last stop of a Derawan route because of its position between Berau and the archipelago.

Which destination matches which activity

The fastest way to choose is to work backwards from what you want in the water. This table maps each destination to the encounter it is known for.

When to visit: the season runs April to November

Our private Derawan trips operate from April to November, an eight-month window when the Sulawesi Sea is calmest and boat transfers between islands are most reliable. Outside that window, crossings between Derawan, Kakaban, Sangalaki and Maratua become weather-dependent, which matters because those legs take 30 to 60 minutes each in open water. Whale shark visits at Talisayan run in the early morning, so a Talisayan stop shapes the first night of the itinerary.

What a Derawan destination trip costs

Private Derawan trips start from USD 281 per person, and the exact figure depends on your group size and which tier you choose. Prices below are per person for the private 3D2N / 4D3N trip, with a minimum of two travellers.

Per-person cost falls as the group grows because boat and guide costs are shared. Full inclusions and day-by-day routing are on the Derawan island tour and Derawan trip pages. To request dates, write to sales@indonesiajuara.asia.

How the destinations connect to each other

Every route in this category begins at Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau, East Kalimantan. From the airport the transfer runs overland to the coast at Tanjung Batu, then by speedboat to Derawan Island, which is the base most itineraries use before fanning out to Sangalaki, Kakaban and Maratua. Talisayan and Labuan Cermin sit on the mainland side and are attached to the road legs rather than the island legs.

• How to get to the Derawan Islands — the full arrival chain from Jakarta, Bali or Balikpapan through to the island jetty.
• Derawan via Berau — the Kalimarau Airport route, which is the meeting point for our private trips.
• Derawan via Tarakan — the northern alternative for travellers already in North Kalimantan.
• Where to stay in the Derawan Islands — how the accommodation on Derawan, Maratua and the Berau gateway compares.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many destinations are there in the Derawan Archipelago?

Our Derawan itineraries cover nine named destinations: Talisayan, Maratua, Kakaban, Sangalaki, Goa Halo Tabung, Manta Point, Pasir Gusung Sanggalau, Laguna Kehe Daing and Labuan Cermin. Four of those are the core islands that most travellers recognise, three are water features reached by boat, and two sit on the Berau mainland. Each has its own guide in this Destinations category so you can compare them before committing to a route.

Which Derawan island has the jellyfish lake?

Kakaban Island holds the jellyfish lake, a landlocked brackish lake where stingless jellyfish can be snorkelled. It is one of only a very small number of such lakes anywhere in the world, which is the single strongest reason international divers and snorkellers fly to East Kalimantan. Kakaban sits roughly an hour by boat from Derawan Island and about 30 minutes from Maratua, so it is almost always paired with both on the same itinerary.

Where do you see manta rays in the Derawan Islands?

Sangalaki Island and the nearby Manta Point are where reef manta rays are seen in the Derawan Archipelago. The mantas feed in shallow water close to the island, which means snorkellers see them as often as divers do — an unusual advantage compared with most manta sites in Indonesia. Sangalaki is around 45 minutes by speedboat from Derawan Island and is normally combined with Kakaban on the same day.

Is Labuan Cermin part of the Derawan Islands?

Labuan Cermin is on the Berau mainland, not on one of the Derawan islands, but it is included on our Derawan itineraries because it sits on the same road corridor. The lake is known for two separate layers of water, fresh above salt, which makes boats and swimmers appear suspended. Because it is a road stop rather than a boat stop, it is usually attached to the arrival or departure day.

What is the best time to visit the Derawan destinations?

The Derawan season runs April to November, and that is the window in which Indonesia Juara operates private trips. Those eight months bring the calmest conditions in the Sulawesi Sea, which matters because the legs between Derawan, Sangalaki, Kakaban and Maratua are all open-water crossings of 30 to 60 minutes. Outside the season, island-hopping days become weather-dependent and the full nine-stop route is harder to complete.

How much does a trip to the Derawan destinations cost?

Private Derawan trips start from USD 281 per person, with the exact rate set by group size and by whether you choose the standard or premium tier. Two travellers start from USD 580 per person on the standard tier, while a group of nine starts from USD 281 per person, because boat and guide costs are shared across more people. The minimum booking is two travellers, and all trips meet at Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau.