Berau → Derawan
Day 1 · Arrival
Meet at Kalimarau Airport (BEJ), drive ~2.5–3 h to Tanjung Batu, speedboat ~40 min to Derawan. Lunch, then sunset at Gusung Sanggalau.
Plan Your Trip · 3-day itinerary
Derawan in 3 days: Maratua, Kakaban, Sangalaki
Three days, two nights: arrive via Berau, spend one full day on the outer islands, and fly home on day three.
- Days and nights
- 3D2N
- Islands: Derawan, Maratua, Kakaban, Sangalaki
- 4
- Speedboat Tanjung Batu to Derawan
- ~40 min
- Best season
- Apr – Nov
Day by day
The 3-day route, day by day
Derawan Island is the base for both nights. The outer islands are covered on day two by boat, returning to Derawan in the evening.
The atoll
What three days cover
The Derawan Archipelago off East Kalimantan has 31 islands. Derawan, Maratua, Kakaban and Sangalaki are the four this route visits.
The area is a habitat for green sea turtles and is known for Kakaban's stingless jellyfish lake. It holds more than 500 species of coral and more than 1,200 species of fish.
- Derawan: base island, turtles on the house reef
- Maratua: the largest island, deep walls and channels
- Kakaban: marine lake with stingless jellyfish
- Sangalaki: manta rays and turtle conservation
Day two in detail
Turtles, mantas and a jellyfish lake
The long day on the water visits three very different islands.
Along the route
Turtles
Green and hawksbill turtles feed and nest in the atoll; visibility often exceeds 20 m.
Sangalaki mantas
Manta rays with wingspans often over 3 m gather at cleaning stations. Keep at least 3 m away and never touch them.
Maratua
Larger than Derawan, with walls that drop steeply and the Big Fish Country drift site.
No fins in the lake
Kakaban jellyfish lake
A brackish lake cut off from the sea, where four species of jellyfish lost their sting. It is believed to have formed around 12,000 years ago.
What is covered
Included on the private 3D2N trip
Everything on the route is arranged from the airport pickup to the drop-off.
Included
- Car Kalimarau Airport ↔ Tanjung Batu
- Private speedboat for island hopping
- The stay you choose (water cottage or resort), 2 nights
- 6 meals and mineral water
- Local guide (plus a tour leader on Premium)
- Snorkel kit: mask, snorkel, life jacket
- Documentation: GoPro on Standard; drone, GoPro, Sony mirrorless camera and video editing on Premium
- Travel insurance and entrance fees
Not included
- Flights
- Fins
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Trip costs
What a 3-day Derawan trip costs
Published Indonesia Juara rates, nett. The private 3D2N trip starts from USD 1,290 in total for two guests (Standard; Premium from USD 1,390), and the price depends on the stay you choose; larger groups pay less each.
Whale sharks are not included in the 3D2N package; they are included in the 4D3N trip (day 3, Talisayan). Flights to Berau (BEJ) are not included.
Keep exploring
More in Plan Your Trip
Plan 3 days
Send us your dates for a 3-day trip
Tell us when you land at Berau, how many are travelling (2 to 10 guests; solo travellers join the Open Trip) and which stay you would like, and we will confirm the route and the price.