Derawan Island Derawan house reef
Green turtles in the seagrass shallows by the jetties. The one spot you reach without a boat, and the place for first-timers.
Activities · Snorkelling
Derawan snorkelling spots: nine reefs, lakes and lagoons
Turtle shallows, a stingless jellyfish lake, manta feeding grounds, a cave pool, a sandbar, whale sharks and a two-layer lake. No certificate needed, just the ability to float.
- Signature spots
- 9
- Certificate needed
- None
- Days for the circuit
- 3 – 4
- Best season
- Apr – Nov
The circuit
Nine spots, four islands and two lakes
The highlights are not variations on one reef: a jellyfish lake, a manta ground, a mainland lake and a dawn swim with whale sharks. That variety is why the circuit rarely feels repetitive.
Derawan Island 
Kakaban Island Laguna Kehe Daing
A sheltered lagoon reached through a narrow gap in the rock. Calm water, shallow at the edges.
Sangalaki Island Sangalaki
The wildlife stop: manta rays feeding near the surface and a green turtle nesting beach on the same island.
Maratua Island Goa Halo Tabung
An enclosed cave pool, still and sheltered, with none of the swell of the outer reefs.
Between the islands Pasir Gusung Sanggalau
A sandbar that surfaces at low tide: photos and shallow reef edges.
Mainland coast Talisayan
Whale sharks around the bagan fishing platforms at first light. Open, deep water and no reef.
Biduk-Biduk Labuan Cermin
Fresh water sitting on salt water, with the boundary visible from the surface. Visibility is the attraction.
The other two of the nine: the Kakaban jellyfish lake (pictured at the top) and Manta Point, the open-water manta site just off Sangalaki for confident snorkellers.
Start here
Derawan Island is the easiest turtle snorkel
The shallows and seagrass around the village jetties are grazing ground for green turtles, so most visitors see their first turtle within an hour of arriving. Water is waist-to-chest deep in places: good for nervous swimmers, children and testing your mask.
Flexible time goes here: a swim before breakfast, another at golden hour. Staying on Derawan puts the turtle shallows outside your door; Maratua puts you closer to the drop-off reefs and the cave pool.
Choose by animal
Which spot for what you want to see
Two stops ask for confidence: Manta Point is open water with current, and Talisayan is deep water beside a very large animal. You can skip either without losing the trip.
| You want | Snorkel at | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Green turtles | Derawan house reef, Sangalaki | Green turtle nesting |
| Stingless jellyfish | Kakaban lake | Kakaban Island |
| Manta rays | Sangalaki, Manta Point | Manta ray snorkelling |
| A cave pool | Goa Halo Tabung, Maratua | Maratua Island |
| Whale sharks | Talisayan, at dawn | Talisayan whale sharks |
| Clear water, no reef | Labuan Cermin | Labuan Cermin |
| The walls below the reef | Maratua drop-off (diving) | Derawan dive sites |
Snorkel responsibly
Kakaban's lake, and the rules that keep it
Kakaban's jellyfish lake is one of very few stingless jellyfish lakes in the world: sealed off from the ocean long enough that its jellyfish lost a working sting. It is the most photographed snorkelling site in the archipelago.
Our trips include a snorkel kit (mask, snorkel and life jacket). If you own a mask that fits your face, bring it; a rash guard beats relying on sunscreen.
- No fins in the Kakaban lake: they injure jellyfish and stir the lake bed
- Rinse off sunscreen before entering the lake
- Never lift or handle a jellyfish
- Do not stand on coral
- Do not chase or corner turtles and mantas
- Pack dry bags, reef shoes for jetties and any medication you need
When to go
The best snorkelling season is April to November
April to November is the best season, chosen around weather and sea conditions, not wildlife. December to March is the wetter period: crossings can be rougher and open-water stops like Manta Point and Talisayan depend on the day, but open-trip departures still run every month. Turtles are resident around Derawan and Sangalaki, and the manta feeding grounds are a year-round feature.
Talisayan is a dawn activity, so it shapes a whole day: on the 4D3N trip it is the early run on day 3, with Manimbora and Labuan Cermin.
Island hopping tour- Jan Rough Reduced
- Feb Rough Reduced
- Mar Variable Mixed
- Apr Calm 20 m+
- May Calm 20 m+
- Jun Calm 20 m+
- Jul Calm 20 m+
- Aug Calm 20 m+
- Sep Calm 20 m+
- Oct Calm 20 m+
- Nov Variable 20 m+
- Dec Rough Reduced
In season Crossings weather-dependent Sea state · visibility
How many days
Three days is the minimum, four the comfortable one
The transfers between islands are the limit, not the snorkelling. Every trip starts at Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau: about 2.5 to 3 hours by road to Tanjung Batu, then around 40 minutes by speedboat to Derawan.
| Trip | What it covers | Whale sharks |
|---|---|---|
| 3D2N | Derawan house reef; day 2 Maratua (Dolphins Point, Goa Halo Tabung), Kakaban (Laguna Kehe Daing, jellyfish lake), Sangalaki (Manta Point) | Not included (part of the 4D3N) |
| 4D3N | All of the above, plus day 3: an early run to Talisayan, then Manimbora and Labuan Cermin | Included |
Both lengths include the snorkel kit, travel insurance and entrance fees. Fins are not included, and are not allowed in the Kakaban lake.
Trip costs
What a guided Derawan snorkelling trip costs
The price depends on the trip, the stay and your group size; on a private trip larger groups pay less each. Published Indonesia Juara rates, nett.
Flights to and from Berau (BEJ) and personal expenses are not included. Rates as published on indonesiajuara.asia.
Answers
Derawan snorkelling questions
The Derawan house reef, Kakaban jellyfish lake, Laguna Kehe Daing, Sangalaki, Manta Point, Goa Halo Tabung on Maratua, the Pasir Gusung Sanggalau sandbar, Talisayan and Labuan Cermin. They differ from one another, which is why a full circuit takes three to four days.
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Plan your snorkelling
Tell us which spots you want to swim
Send your dates and group size, and whether whale sharks and Labuan Cermin are on your list.