Derawan Trip

Updated: August 2026

A Derawan trip is a private 3D2N or 4D3N island-hopping journey through the Derawan Archipelago in Berau, East Kalimantan, covering nine confirmed destinations from Talisayan and Sangalaki to Kakaban and Labuan Cermin. Indonesia Juara operates it as a private departure starting and ending at Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau, for a minimum of two travellers, priced from USD 281 per person depending on how many people join and which accommodation tier you choose.

This page sets out exactly what that trip contains: the price table by group size, what is and is not covered, the nine destinations, a representative day-by-day sequence, the season, and the accommodation actually used. Everything below comes from the operating package — nothing is estimated to make the trip look better than it is. If you want to compare formats first, the full Derawan tour packages category lists every itinerary we run in the archipelago.

A Derawan trip is a private, two-length format built around nine destinations

The trip runs in two lengths — 3D2N and 4D3N — and both are private departures, meaning your group travels on its own boat and its own schedule rather than joining strangers. The minimum group size is two people. The maximum published per-person tier goes up to ten travellers, which is also the point where the cost per head is at its lowest.

The archipelago sits off the Berau coast of East Kalimantan, and the whole trip is boat-based: every day you move between islands, lakes and marine points by speedboat from your base accommodation. That is why the itinerary is not fixed to the hour — tide, sea state and your inbound flight time all shift the running order. The nine destinations stay the same; only their sequence moves.

If you want the same archipelago but structured around dive tanks rather than snorkelling and beach time, the Derawan diving package is the correct starting point instead. If you want to sleep on the water rather than on land, see the Derawan liveaboard format.

Derawan trip prices run from USD 281 to USD 580 per person

Price per person falls sharply as the group grows: two travellers pay from USD 580 each on the standard tier, while nine travellers pay from USD 281 each on the same tier — a difference of roughly 52 percent per head for the identical itinerary. The premium tier costs more because it uses a higher grade of accommodation, not because it adds destinations.

Three honest notes on this table. First, every figure is a from price per person — the final quotation depends on your travel dates, the exact property assigned within your tier, and availability at the time you confirm. Second, the curve is not perfectly smooth: six travellers pay slightly more per head than five, because boat and room configurations change at that threshold. Third, these USD figures are converted from the operating rates in Indonesian rupiah at a reference rate of IDR 16,300 to the dollar, so the dollar amount you actually pay moves with the exchange rate on the day you settle.

There is no fixed published discount, no promotional countdown and no “was/now” pricing on this trip. If you are comparing costs across formats, the shorter Derawan island hopping tour and the classic Derawan island tour pages use the same pricing logic.

What is included in a Derawan trip and what is not

The package is quoted as a private trip, so the difference between tiers is the accommodation grade, not the destination list. The table below states only what we can confirm; anything outside it is written line by line into your quotation before you pay anything.

We deliberately do not publish an inclusion list longer than what the operation can guarantee. If a specific item matters to you — a particular room type, a dietary requirement, an extra night before the trip, a private vehicle at Kalimarau — ask for it in writing and it will either be quoted or declined, not implied.

The nine destinations covered on a Derawan island trip

Every departure of this trip works through the same nine destinations, which is what separates a full Derawan trip from a single-island day outing. They are:

• Talisayan — the whale shark point on the Berau coast, covered in detail on the Talisayan whale shark tour page.
• Maratua — the largest island of the group and the base for several resorts; see Maratua Island.
• Kakaban — the island whose inland lake holds stingless jellyfish; see Kakaban Island and the jellyfish lake.
• Sangalaki — the manta ray island, detailed on Sangalaki Island.
• Goa Halo Tabung — a cave-and-water feature on Maratua.
• Manta Point — the dedicated manta encounter point, also covered under manta ray snorkelling.
• Pasir Gusung Sanggalau — a sandbar stop that appears and disappears with the tide.
• Laguna Kehe Daing — the hidden lagoon on Maratua.
• Labuan Cermin — the two-layer “mirror lake” on the mainland side, covered on Labuan Cermin mirror lake.

Two of these — Talisayan and Labuan Cermin — sit on the mainland side rather than in the island cluster, which is why the 4D3N version handles the full set more comfortably than the 3D2N. On the shorter trip one mainland-side stop is usually dropped, and which one is confirmed in your written itinerary rather than decided on the day.

A representative 4D3N Derawan trip itinerary

The sequence below is representative, not a timetable. Departure times are set by tide, sea conditions and your flight schedule, and the operations team reorders days when the weather demands it.

Snorkelling gear is used at almost every marine stop, so basic water confidence matters more than certification on this trip. If your priority is time underwater rather than time between islands, look at the Derawan dive sites before you book, and consider the diving format instead. For a pure surface-level programme, the Derawan snorkelling tour covers the same waters with a lighter schedule.

How you reach the meeting point at Kalimarau Airport in Berau

The trip begins at Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau, East Kalimantan, and you are responsible for getting yourself there. Kalimarau is served by domestic connections within Indonesia, so most international travellers route through a major Indonesian hub first and then fly on to Berau. The practical routing options — including the alternative approach through Tarakan — are laid out on how to get to the Derawan Islands, with route-specific detail on Derawan via Berau (Kalimarau) and Derawan via Tarakan.

Book your inbound flight to arrive on Day 1 with enough margin for a delay, and your outbound flight late enough on the final day to absorb a slow sea crossing. Because this is a private trip, your pick-up is arranged around your actual flight number once you confirm.

April to November is the operating window for a Derawan trip

The trip operates from April to November — an eight-month season shaped by sea conditions rather than by demand. Outside that window the crossings between the mainland and the outer islands become unreliable, and a trip built entirely on boat movement stops being worth booking.

Within the season, the two variables that most affect what you see are tide and visibility, both of which change week to week. Nobody can honestly guarantee a whale shark at Talisayan or a manta at Sangalaki on a specific date; these are wild animals in open water. What a private trip does buy you is flexibility — your boat can wait, return, or reorder the day, which an open group departure cannot.

Where you sleep on a private trip Derawan

Accommodation is drawn from seven properties across the archipelago and the Berau coast, and which one you get depends on your tier, your group size and availability on your dates:

• Reza Derawan Resort
• Alfit VIP Borneo Cottage
• Sienna Resort
• Maratua Paradise Resort
• Arasatu Villa
• Pratasaba Resort
• Seheku Paradise

We do not publish star ratings, room counts or facility lists for these properties on this page, because those details change and we will not state what we cannot verify on your dates. The property assigned to your booking is named in your quotation before you pay. For a wider view of the options — including independent stays outside the package — read where to stay in the Derawan Islands.

Who a private trip Derawan actually suits

This format works best for groups of four or more, because the per-person price drops from USD 391 at four people to USD 322 at eight while the itinerary stays identical. Couples can absolutely book it — the minimum is two — but at two people you are carrying the full cost of a private boat between you, which is why the two-person rate is the highest on the table.

It suits travellers who want breadth: nine destinations, wildlife points, a jellyfish lake, a lagoon, a sandbar and a two-layer lake, all inside three or four days. It suits families and small friend groups who want their own schedule. It is less suited to certified divers chasing bottom time, who should read the Derawan dive sites guide, and less suited to travellers who want a single fixed base with no daily boat movement.

Travellers combining Derawan with another Indonesian region should look at the Bali to Derawan combined trip, which handles the domestic connection as part of one plan rather than two separate bookings.

How to book a Derawan trip with Indonesia Juara

Derawan trips are operated by Indonesia Juara, part of Juara Holding Group, which has been running Indonesian destination travel since 2015. To start a booking, email sales@indonesiajuara.asia with four things: your travel dates, your group size, your preferred tier (standard or premium), and your inbound flight into Kalimarau if you already have it.

You will receive a written quotation naming the assigned accommodation, the confirmed destination list for your dates, and the payment terms. Nothing is charged before you have that in writing. If you are still choosing between formats, the Derawan tour packages overview compares every itinerary side by side, and Derawan snorkelling spots and green turtle nesting explain what the water actually delivers before you commit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Derawan trip cost per person?

A Derawan trip costs from USD 281 to USD 580 per person, depending entirely on group size and tier. Two travellers pay from USD 580 each on the standard tier and from USD 672 on premium; nine travellers pay from USD 281 and USD 304 respectively. Every figure is a starting price converted from Indonesian rupiah at a reference rate of IDR 16,300 per dollar, so your final quotation depends on dates, availability and the exchange rate when you settle.

How many days do you need for a Derawan island trip?

Four days and three nights covers all nine destinations comfortably, while 3D2N usually drops one mainland-side stop. The 4D3N structure gives you a dedicated early morning for the Talisayan whale shark point, a full island-hopping day across Sangalaki, Kakaban and Maratua, and a final morning at Labuan Cermin before your flight. If you only have three days, expect to choose between Talisayan and Labuan Cermin rather than fitting both.

When is the best time to book a Derawan trip?

The Derawan trip season runs from April to November, an eight-month window set by sea conditions. Outside those months the boat crossings between the Berau mainland and the outer islands become unreliable, and the whole itinerary depends on those crossings. Within the season, tide and visibility shift week by week, so no honest operator will guarantee a whale shark or manta ray sighting on a specific date — a private boat simply gives you more chances to try.

Where does a private trip Derawan start and finish?

Every Derawan trip starts and finishes at Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) in Berau, East Kalimantan. Flights to Kalimarau are not included in the package, so you book your own domestic connection and the pick-up is arranged around your actual flight number once you confirm. An alternative approach through Tarakan exists and is covered on the dedicated route pages, but the standard package uses Berau as its meeting point.

What is not included in the Derawan trip price?

Flights, scuba diving, travel insurance and personal expenses sit outside the package price. The quoted price covers accommodation at your selected tier, private boat transfers between the islands, the guided programme at each destination, and the meet-and-finish at Kalimarau Airport. Scuba diving and certification courses are quoted separately as a diving package. Anything not listed on this page is written line by line into your quotation before any payment is taken.

Is a Derawan trip worth it for only two people?

Two travellers is the minimum group size, and it is also the most expensive way to book at from USD 580 per person on the standard tier. The itinerary is identical at every group size, so the extra cost buys exclusivity rather than extra destinations. Couples who want the lower per-person rate sometimes combine with friends to reach four or more people, where the standard tier drops to from USD 391 each.