Derawan Diving Package

Updated: August 2026

A Derawan diving package is a private, per-person dive itinerary through the Derawan Archipelago in Berau, East Kalimantan, priced from USD 281 per person and running in a 3D2N or 4D3N format from Kalimarau Airport (BEJ). It is operated by Indonesia Juara, part of Juara Holding Group since 2015, with a minimum of two participants and an operating season from April to November.

This page covers the price scale by group size, the nine destinations a dive itinerary is built from, what is and is not included, the certification level each part of the route asks for, and how the trip is booked. Every figure below is a starting point that depends on how many people travel together and which accommodation tier you take.

A Derawan diving package costs from USD 281 to USD 672 per person, depending on group size and tier

The table below is the per-person price scale for the Private Trip Derawan 3D2N / 4D3N, in USD. Two variables move the number: the size of your group, and whether you choose the standard or the premium accommodation tier. Nothing else. These are indicative starting figures, not fixed rates, and the final number for your dates is confirmed in writing before you book anything.

The logic is straightforward. Boat charter, guiding and transfers are shared costs, so the per-person figure falls as the group grows: a buddy pair pays from USD 580 per person on the standard tier, while a group of nine pays from USD 281 per person. The premium tier adds roughly USD 92 per person at two travellers and roughly USD 23 per person at nine, and what it changes is the accommodation standard, not the destination list. A club or dive-shop group of eight to ten therefore gets the cheapest water time per head, which is why most organised Derawan dive trip enquiries we receive come from groups rather than couples.

What is included in the published figure, and what is not

Honesty matters more than a long bullet list here, so read this section carefully. The published per-person figure is built around the private trip itinerary: your accommodation at the tier you select, the boat and island transfers along the route, the transfers from and back to Kalimarau Airport, and the guiding that runs the day. That is the shape of the product.

The following are not assumed to be inside the published figure and are quoted separately per date:

• Flights into and out of Berau, and any domestic connection to reach Kalimarau Airport (BEJ)
• Scuba equipment rental — regulator, BCD, wetsuit, computer, torch
• Cylinders, air fills and any per-dive charges, which depend on how many dives you actually want per day
• Nitrox, if it is available on your dates
• Any entrance, conservation or local levy applied at the destinations
• Travel insurance, and dive-specific cover including chamber evacuation
• Personal expenses, extra nights, and anything outside the confirmed itinerary

The definitive inclusion and exclusion list for a Derawan diving tour is the written quote issued for your exact dates, group size and dive count. Treat this page as the map, not the contract. If a dive service you need cannot be provided on your dates, we will say so before you pay, not after.

Which destinations a Derawan diving package is built from

Itineraries draw on nine destinations across the archipelago and the Berau coast, and the number of nights decides how many of them realistically fit. The nine are Talisayan, Maratua, Kakaban, Sangalaki, Goa Halo Tabung, Manta Point, Pasir Gusung Sanggalau, Laguna Kehe Daing and Labuan Cermin.

For divers, the anchors of the route are Maratua Island, the largest island in the group and the base most dive-focused itineraries are hung on, and Sangalaki Island, which is the archipelago’s manta ground and the reason manta ray diving Derawan searches exist at all. Kakaban Island holds the jellyfish lake, which is a snorkel, not a dive, but it sits inside almost every route because it is a short hop from the dive days. A full breakdown of the underwater profiles, entry points and what each site is known for is on our Derawan dive sites guide, and the wider category of Derawan tour packages shows how the diving itinerary compares with the other six formats we sell.

Non-diving members of the group are not stranded while you are underwater. The same route carries Talisayan whale shark tour mornings, the freshwater-over-saltwater layers of Labuan Cermin, and the shallow reef flats covered on the Derawan snorkeling tour. Mixed groups of divers and non-divers are normal and the itinerary is written around that split.

The Derawan dive season runs April to November — eight months

Trips operate between April and November. That eight-month window is when the open-water crossings between Derawan, Sangalaki, Kakaban and Maratua are most reliable, and those crossings are the spine of every dive day. Outside the window the transfers become unpredictable, so we do not publish fixed departures for December to March.

If your dates sit at the very start or the very end of the season, say so in your first email. You will get a straight answer about whether the route still works for your dates rather than a booking taken and a schedule rewritten later. Sea state, not marketing, decides what a boat can do on the day.

How many days a Derawan dive trip needs: 3D2N versus 4D3N

Two formats are standard. The 3D2N shape concentrates on the island group itself and suits divers who want the core reef days without the mainland-side detours. The 4D3N shape is what most dive groups choose, because it adds Talisayan and Labuan Cermin without compressing the water time on Maratua and Sangalaki.

If you want a genuine dive-led week rather than a mixed sightseeing route, ask for a custom length when you enquire. Longer formats are quoted on request, and so is the boat-based alternative on our Derawan liveaboard page, which is the better structure for divers who want maximum dives per day and minimum land transfers. Those who prefer a surface-level circuit across more islands should look at the Derawan island hopping tour instead.

Certification and experience: who a Derawan diving package suits

You need a current certification from a recognised agency and your logbook. Bring both. The general recreational framework applies here as it does anywhere: an entry-level Open Water card is limited to 18 metres, an Advanced-level card extends that to 30 metres, and 40 metres is the recreational maximum for suitably trained divers. Where your specific dives sit inside those limits depends on the site, the day and the conditions, and is set at the briefing by the guide running the boat, not by a web page.

Be honest about your recent dive count when you enquire. Divers who have been dry for a year or more should plan a refresher, and any current or planned course should be raised before booking, since course availability on specific dates is confirmed rather than assumed. If nobody in your group is certified, the Derawan diving package is the wrong product for you and a snorkelling itinerary will give you a better trip for less money.

Where divers sleep between dive days

Land-based itineraries draw on a working pool of seven properties across the archipelago and the Berau coast: Reza Derawan Resort, Alfit VIP Borneo Cottage, Sienna Resort, Maratua Paradise Resort, Arasatu Villa, Pratasaba Resort and Seheku Paradise. Which one you get depends on your tier, your route and availability on your dates, and it is always named in writing before you pay.

We do not publish room counts, star ratings or facility claims for these properties, because those change and we will not invent them. Compare what we do know on the Derawan islands resort guide, or read the dedicated page on Maratua Paradise Resort if you want to be based on Maratua for the dive days rather than transferring in each morning.

Every Derawan diving package starts at Kalimarau Airport in Berau

The meeting point is Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau, East Kalimantan, and the trip ends there. Berau is reached by domestic connection through the larger Indonesian hubs, and the route comparison is set out on our how to get to Derawan Islands page, with the two gateway options detailed on Derawan via Berau and Derawan via Tarakan.

One rule for divers specifically: book flights only after the itinerary is confirmed in writing, and build a buffer between your last dive and your flight home. Standard practice is a minimum surface interval of 18 to 24 hours before flying after repetitive diving, and a same-day dive-and-fly plan is not something we will schedule for you.

How to get a quote for a Derawan diving package

Email your dates, group size, certification levels and how many dives per day you want to sales@indonesiajuara.asia. You will receive a written itinerary with the per-person figure for your exact group size and tier, the property shortlist for those dates, the dive services that can be confirmed, and the full inclusion and exclusion list. Indonesia Juara has operated Indonesian archipelago trips under Juara Holding Group since 2015.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Derawan diving package cost per person?

A private Derawan diving package starts from USD 281 per person for a group of nine on the standard tier, and from USD 580 per person for two divers. The number depends on two things only: group size and whether you take the standard or premium accommodation tier. Per-person cost falls as the group grows because boat, guiding and transfers are shared. Dive-specific services such as equipment rental and cylinders are quoted separately, and every figure is confirmed in writing for your exact dates before booking.

When is the best time for a Derawan dive trip?

The Derawan diving season runs from April to November, an eight-month operating window. Within that period the open-water crossings between Derawan, Sangalaki, Kakaban and Maratua are most reliable, and those crossings determine whether a dive day happens at all. We do not publish fixed departures between December and March. If your dates fall at the edge of the season, ask before you book flights and you will get a direct answer about whether the route holds.

What certification do I need for a Derawan diving package?

You need a current certification from a recognised agency plus your logbook, and you must declare your recent dive count honestly when you enquire. Recreational limits apply as standard: 18 metres on an entry-level card, 30 metres at Advanced level, 40 metres as the recreational maximum for suitably trained divers. The actual depth profile of each dive is decided at the briefing by the guide, based on the site and the conditions on the day, not fixed in advance by a booking page.

How many days do I need for a Derawan diving package?

The two standard formats are 3D2N and 4D3N, and the choice decides how many of the nine destinations fit into your route. A 3D2N trip concentrates on the island group and the core reef days. The 4D3N format adds the mainland-side destinations, Talisayan and Labuan Cermin, without cutting water time at Maratua and Sangalaki. Divers who want a dive-led week with more dives per day should ask for a custom length or look at the liveaboard format instead.

Can non-divers join a Derawan diving package?

Yes, and mixed groups are normal on this route. The same nine destinations serve both sides: while certified divers are underwater, non-divers snorkel Kakaban’s jellyfish lake, join the Talisayan whale shark morning, or visit Labuan Cermin. The minimum group size is two participants in total, and every traveller in the group counts towards the per-person price band, diver or not. Tell us the split when you enquire so the daily schedule is written around it rather than improvised.

Where does a Derawan diving package start and finish?

Every Derawan diving package starts and finishes at Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau, East Kalimantan. That is the meeting point for all itineraries in this category, and transfers run from there into the archipelago by road and boat. Berau is reached by domestic connection through the larger Indonesian hubs. Arrange your flights only after the itinerary is confirmed in writing, and leave 18 to 24 hours between your final dive and your departing flight.