What is the best time of year for a Derawan trip?

April to November is the best season. In that window the open crossings between Derawan, Sangalaki, Kakaban and Maratua are most reliable, and every itinerary depends on those transfers. December to March is the wetter period; trips still run, so ask before booking flights.

Where does a Derawan package start and end?

At Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau, East Kalimantan, for every package. From there it is about 2.5 to 3 hours by road to Tanjung Batu and around 40 minutes by speedboat to Derawan. Arrange flights only after the itinerary is confirmed in writing.

How many days do I need in the Derawan Islands?

A 3D2N trip covers the islands: Maratua, Kakaban and Sangalaki on day 2. The 4D3N adds an early run on day 3 to the Talisayan whale sharks, Manimbora and Labuan Cermin. We do not sell other lengths.

Is there a minimum group size?

A private trip runs for two to ten participants; larger groups pay less each because the boat and guide are shared. The Open Trip Derawan 4D3N needs a minimum of 7 guests and suits solo travellers.

What is the difference between the standard and premium tier?

Both run the same route. Standard comes with a local guide and GoPro documentation; premium adds a tour leader alongside the local guide, and drone, GoPro and mirrorless documentation with video editing. The stay you choose is what sets the private-trip price.

Tour Packages · Berau, East Kalimantan

Derawan tour packages, private or open trip

Every itinerary we run in the Derawan Archipelago, 3D2N or 4D3N from Kalimarau Airport (BEJ), with the page for each package so you can go straight to yours.

See the packages Help me choose

Trip formats: 3D2N · 4D3N
Destinations to build from: 13
Meeting point, Berau: BEJ
Best season: Apr – Nov

How the trips run

Your own boat and guide, or the open trip

Every trip we sell is operated by Indonesia Juara, part of Juara Holding Group since 2015, and runs as 3D2N or 4D3N starting and finishing at Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau.

Most are private trips: your group travels with its own speedboat, guide and schedule, for two to ten participants, with no fixed weekly date to fit into. The Open Trip Derawan 4D3N is the group departure, with a minimum of 7 guests.

We do not sell longer or shorter shapes: the archipelago is spread out, and the 4D3N is the length that fits all 13 destinations.

Private trip: own speedboat, guide and schedule
Open trip: 4D3N group departure, minimum 7 guests
Standard tier: local guide and GoPro documentation
Premium tier: tour leader and local guide, drone, GoPro and mirrorless documentation with video editing

Speedboat in front of red-roofed over-water cottages

Packages and guides

The Derawan itineraries, one line each

Each has its own page with the route, what is included and who it suits. The diving, liveaboard and Bali pages are guides, not trips we sell.

Start here
Derawan Island Tour
The classic circuit of the headline islands, 3D2N or 4D3N: the page to read first if you have never been to Berau.
Private trip
Derawan Trip
The private 3D2N or 4D3N for couples, families and small groups, on the dates you choose.
Guide
Derawan Diving Package
Background on diving the archipelago; our trips are snorkel-based and scuba diving is not included.
Non-divers
Derawan Snorkelling Tour
Surface only, centred on Kakaban's stingless jellyfish lake and the shallow reef flats.
Guide
Derawan Liveaboard
Background on liveaboards in the archipelago; not a trip we sell.
Breadth
Derawan Island Hopping Tour
The multi-island route that chains Kakaban, Sangalaki and Maratua into one moving itinerary.
Guide
Bali to Derawan Trip
For visitors coming from Bali: reaching Kalimarau (BEJ) for a 3D2N or 4D3N trip, on flights you book yourself.

More guides

Themed guides and specialist formats

Eight more guide pages on specific kinds of trip. We do not sell these as separate packages: our trips are the private 3D2N or 4D3N and the 4D3N open trip.

Diving
5-Day Atoll Diving
Guide to a five-day diving trip across the Derawan atoll.
Diving
Dive Packages
Guide to multi-day dive packages for certified divers.
Speedboat
Island Hopping Package
Derawan, Kakaban, Sangalaki and Maratua linked by private speedboat.
Snorkel
Snorkeling Tours
Turtles at Derawan, mantas off Sangalaki and the Kakaban jellyfish lake.
Couples
Honeymoon Escapes
Guide for couples: villa stays and quieter island time.
Families
Family Holidays
Guide for families: shallow reefs and gentle speedboat island hopping.
Charter
Private Boat Charters
Guide to boat charters in the archipelago; we do not hire out boats on their own.
Combo
Packages from Bali
Guide to pairing Bali with the Derawan islands; flights are booked by you.

Choose by traveller

Which Derawan package fits which traveller

Start from who is travelling and what you want from the water.

If you are	Why	Start with
First-time visitor, 2–4 people	Covers the headline islands in the shortest workable format	Derawan island tour
Certified diver	Background on the dive sites; our trips are snorkel-based	Derawan diving guide
Non-diver or family with children	Surface activity only, including the jellyfish lake	Derawan snorkelling tour
Larger group sharing the cost	Larger groups pay less each on a private trip	Derawan island hopping tour
Diver wanting maximum water time	Background on liveaboards; not a trip we sell	Derawan liveaboard guide
Traveller already in Bali	How to reach Kalimarau (BEJ) from Bali	Bali to Derawan trip
Fixed dates	A private trip runs on the dates you choose	Derawan trip

Trip costs

What a Derawan tour package costs

Published Indonesia Juara rates, nett. The open trip is priced per person; a private trip is priced by the stay you choose, and larger groups pay less each.

Open Trip Derawan 4D3N

USD 280 per person

VIP USD 300 per person
Minimum 7 guests
Meet at Kalimarau (BEJ)
Standard water cottage
Single room +USD 60

Ask for a quote

Private Trip Derawan

from USD 1,290 total for 2 guests

≈ USD 645 per person, 3D2N, standard tier
4D3N from USD 2,190 for 2 guests
Price depends on the stay you choose

Ask for a quote

Flights to Berau (BEJ) are not included. Every quote is confirmed in writing for your dates before booking.

13 destinations

The places every itinerary is built from

Whichever package you choose, the route is assembled from the same 13 destinations. Talisayan, Manimbora and Labuan Cermin sit on the mainland side, which is why groups move up from 3D2N to 4D3N.

Drone view of the red-roofed jetty pavilion at Maratua over turquoise water

Island

Maratua Island

The largest island of the group: Dolphins Point, a resort tour and the Goa Halo Tabung cave on day 2.

Snorkeller among golden stingless jellyfish in the Kakaban lake

Jellyfish lake

Kakaban Island

The jellyfish lake and Laguna Kehe Daing. No fins in the lake.

Two green turtle hatchlings swimming at Sangalaki

Manta & turtles

Sangalaki Island

Manta Point and the turtle conservation site.

Whale shark close to the surface off Talisayan

Mainland coast

Talisayan whale sharks

The early run on day 3 of the 4D3N trip, followed by Manimbora and Labuan Cermin.

Mirror lake

Labuan Cermin

The two-layer mirror lake on the mainland side.

The other eight are Derawan Island, Dolphins Point, Goa Halo Tabung, Manta Point, the turtle conservation site, Pasir Gusung Sanggalau, Laguna Kehe Daing and Manimbora. The two encounters that most often decide a route:

Where you sleep

3D2N 2 guests, total: USD 2,090 ≈ USD 1,045 / person
4D3N 2 guests, total: USD 6,590 ≈ USD 3,295 / person

Ask about this stay

Private Trip Derawan rates from indonesiajuara.asia: total for two guests, standard tier. Flights to Berau are not included.

Season & meeting point

April to November, from Kalimarau Airport

The best season is April to November, when the sea crossings are most reliable; open-trip departures run in every month. Every package meets and ends at Kalimarau Airport (BEJ): road to Tanjung Batu, then speedboat to Derawan.

Kalimarau (BEJ)
Tanjung Batu port · 2.5 – 3 h
Derawan · ~40 min

Season
Best time to visit
December to March is the wetter period: the open-water transfers between the islands are less predictable, but open-trip departures still run.
Arrival
How to get to Derawan
Fly (booked by you) to Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau. Book only after your trip is confirmed.
Kalimarau (BEJ)
Derawan via Berau
The Kalimarau Airport route, meeting point for every package on this page.
Timing
Flight times that work
Open trip: land by 08.20 WITA and fly out no earlier than 15.40 WITA. Private trips finish by 14.00 WITA, so fly home after 15.00 WITA.

Answers

Tour package questions

All 100 questions

The Open Trip Derawan 4D3N is USD 280 per person (VIP USD 300). A private trip starts from USD 1,290 in total for two guests on a 3D2N, standard tier, or USD 2,190 for a 4D3N; the price depends on the stay and larger groups pay less each. Flights to Berau are not included.

All 100 questions

Keep exploring

Explore the other guides

Longboat on the clear water of Labuan Cermin

Get a quote

Send your dates, group size and package

You get back a written itinerary with the price for your group, the stay for your dates and what is and is not included.

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Derawan tour packages, private or open trip

Your own boat and guide, or the open trip

The Derawan itineraries, one line each

Themed guides and specialist formats

Which Derawan package fits which traveller

What a Derawan tour package costs

The places every itinerary is built from

Stays come from a fixed property pool

Reza Derawan Resort

Alfit VIP Derawan

Borneo Cottage Maratua

Maratua Paradise Beach Villa

Pratasaba Seheku Lodge

Maratua Paradise Water Villa

Sienna Resort

Arasatu Floating Villa