Leaving Derawan
Derawan Island: Getting Around
Accommodation
Accommodation is one thing that you shouldn't worry about in Derawan. Choices are plenty, ranged between deluxe water villa to a simple room on local people's house. However, get an advance booking during long weekend since the increase of visitors will be signifficant.
- Mirroliz Pelangi Cottage:
Standard Non-AC = IDR 250k
AC Room = IDR 385K
Reservation = Usman (+62813 4780 7078 or +62812 5863 696)
- Danakan Homestay:
Standard Non-AC = IDR 250k
AC Room = IDR 300k
Reservation = Icuk (+62813 4722 9602)
Note: I have stayed there before that's why I recommended above accommodations.
Getting Around
- Walk about 20 minutes to circle the island for getting the whole view of Derawan Island.
- Sunrise: Head to Derawan Resort (BMI) area for the best view during sunrise.
- Snorekeling: Still in BMI area. Rent the snorekeling gears for IDR 30k.
- Gusung Island: A white sand island which emerges during low tide window. Get a boat for IDR 150k (3 pax - 15 minutes) to transfer you there. It's a must visited destination.
- Day trip to Maratua, Kakaban & Sangalaki:
IDR 1500k / boat (3 pax - 2 hours sail distance). Talk to your homestay owner to arrange it.

Food
I found no issue at all with the food. Restaurant is plenty and the food is vary. Price will be around 10k to 25k for local food and 40-50k for seafood.
Diving
Derawan Island does have a beautiful coral garden, turtles and various type of fishes. But, it is just not that special. Even though that it is entirely depent on the weather, however the current and the visibility in Derawan Island is quite good for beginner.
I'd recommend dive with Danakan for the most reasonable price and service. I met the owner (Kadek) before once we were on the same offshore project and he is a very experienced commercial diver for subsea works. That's the reason then why I choose Danakan for my diving provider in Derawan Island.
Contact:
Icuk (+62813 4722 9602)
Budi (+62813 4793 3749) [ He is a very good macro spotter]
Price:
IDR 350k / dive incld all diving gears
Dive at Derawan: No additonal surcharge
Dive at Sangalaki: Additional
IDR 900k for boat (3 pax)
Dive at Kakaban: Additional
IDR 1300k for boat (3 pax)
Dive at Maratua: Additional
IDR 1500k for boat (3 pax)
Dive at Channel: Additional
IDR 1800k for boat (3 pax)
Derawan Sunrise, captured nearby BMI area. This is my favourite spot for awaiting the sun to shine.
Getting Into Via Derawan Island
From Tarakan
Tarakan Airport - Tarakan Port: IDR 50k (Taxi)
Option A (Direct to Derawan Island)
Tarakan Port - Derawan Island:
- Medium Boat (10-15 pax capacity): Not sure but can be up to IDR 3000k ++ one way [2-3 hours]
- Small Boat (3-4 pax capacity): IDR 1800k ++ but I won't pick this option if I were you [4-5 hours, at open sea, with a small boat, Good Luck!]
Option B (Via Tanjung Selor)
Tarakan Port - Tanjung Selor Port:
- Public Boat: IDR 120k-140k (1.5 hours)
Tanjung Selor Port - Tanjung Redeb
- Land Transport: IDR 110k / pax (2-2.5 hours)
[Pick up station is just around the port. Ask local people nearby for transportation to Tanjung Redeb (not chartered one)]
Tanjung Redeb - Tanjung Batu
- Land Transport: IDR 100k / pax (3 hours)
[Pick up station is also nearby. Or you may call Mili (+62823-5340-9480). Any chartered car will cost you around IDR 450k++]
Tanjung Batu - Derawan Island
- Small Boat (3 pax): 100k - 130k / pax or 300k / boat (15 minutes). [Just head to the port and you can easily find the boat]
Tips!
I wouldn't go from Tarakan if I travel not with a big group. Getting to Derawan Island by renting a medium boat is a great choice if you have at least 8 persons in your group. But if you are just a solo traveler or perhaps only bring 2-3 friends, I better go through Berau.
Or, you can take Tanjung Selor route if you want to fill up some sight-seeing, for additional 5++ hours.
From Berau
Berau Airport - Tanjung Redeb:
To go to Tanjung Batu by shuttle car, from airport, you just need to ask the driver about its exact pick-up location whereabout then tell him to drop you there.
- Airport Taxi: IDR 70k (15 minutes)
- Get Ojek outside the airport for IDR 25k
Berau Airport - Tanjung Batu (direct):
- Airport Taxi: IDR 500k++ (3 hours)
Tanjung Redeb - Tanjung Batu
- Shuttle Car: IDR 100k / pax (3 hours) [You may call Mili (+62823-5340-9480). Any chartered car will cost you around IDR 450k++]
Tanjung Batu - Derawan Island
- Small Boat (3 pax): 100k - 130k / pax or 300k / boat (15 minutes). [Just head to the port and you can easily find the boat]
Tips!
Make sure you reach Berau Airport before evening. All this shuttle cars are only available from morning till around 3-4 PM. Afterwards, you need to make a special call / charter.
Tarakan?
But if you ended up going via Tarakan, don't forget to visit Bekantan (Proboscis Monkey) Nature Park and then have a lunch at Kenari Crab Restaurant in town. Yummy!
Bekantan (Proboscis Monkey) - As captured in Tarakan Nature Park which is specially designated for this species.
Transportation, Budget, etc
Final Verdict
Media gives a publicity to a place which owns special value. It happens as well in Derawan. As soon as its beauty was smelled by the people from the big towns - even from around the world - there is significant raise on the visitors and there are more investors come to join this tourism business opportunity. It is a good news for the locals. There are more jobs for them, even this great condition transforms them to be great businessmen. But everything surely comes with consequences.
Derawan, despite of the facility & transportation advancement it had, there a major concern especially on regards to the over-development in the shore area. There are many accommodation which were built on the beach line for the last few years, resulting a noticeable loss for its white sand beaches. In my point of view, Derawan has lost a big portion of its value & makes me move my attention to Maratua. In other words, if I come back & certainly I will come back to this archipelago, I directly set my aim to Maratua, not Derawan anymore.

Maratua Beach - To preserve the condition of Maratua Beaches, local government established a policy to forbid any residential structures / resort to be constructed within the beach area.
But, that is simply a taste, my taste, and I won’t curse this kind of matters since everybody shall realise that things always move to degrade. There is cost which lies on every advancement, just like an airport which is currently constructed on Maratua that invites a lot of new cottages on its shore line.
But again, I won’t complain about this and even I think that we are not supposed to blame this condition. They said that tourism tend to damage the environment. It may be right but we simply can’t deny this situation because human always try to take advantage for any opportunity that may arise. It is not their fault, it is only because everything advances for degradation. Then it is our government that we rely to control the degradation level. It is their policies & enforcement that we hope can minimise the potential risk.

Derawan Shore - With a massive development of resorts within the shore line, currently there is not much beach area left in Derawan Island.
One thing that we, as a traveler, can do to participate on this kind of campaign is just to adapt our mindset. We are there to appreciate the destination, to feel gratitude towards the wonder of nature, so it is not merely for having fun. We shall be responsible for not making the environment dirty or get damaged. We have to nurture its beauty. Traveling should enrich our humility and sense of emphatic, instead of becoming a more arrogant creature.
I know that sometimes, some of us feel that they can do whatever things they please because they have paid a good amount of money only to be there. Such kind of persons will always exist in this earth and nothing we can do except only to change our own mindset. We are only responsible for our own actions. So it is expected that we can be a kind of traveler who enjoy their time but still capable to retain the values of the place that they visit, therefore this destination will be still available - and good - for our next visit, perhaps with our kids, in near future.
~ End
Getting Into via Maratua Island
From Berau via Tj. Batu
Berau Airport - Tanjung Redeb:
To go to Tanjung Batu by shuttle car, from airport, you just need to ask the driver about its exact pick-up location whereabout then tell him to drop you there.
- Airport Taxi: IDR 70k (15 minutes)
- Get Ojek outside the airport for IDR 25k
Berau Airport - Tanjung Batu (direct):
- Airport Taxi: IDR 500k++ (3 hours)
Tanjung Redeb - Tanjung Batu
- Shuttle Car: IDR 100k / pax (3 hours) [You may call Mili (+62823-5340-9480). Any chartered car will cost you around IDR 450k++]
Tanjung Batu - Maratua Island
- Small Boat (3 pax): 1500k / boat (chartering - 2.5 hours). [Just head to the port and you can easily find the boat]
OR, Go to Maratua Island via Derawan Island
Tanjung Batu - Derawan Island
- Small Boat (3 pax): 100k - 130k / pax or 300k / boat (15 minutes).
Take daytrip island hopping to Sangalaki, Kakaban then drop you at Maratua for IDR 1500k / boat (3 pax). Contact your homestay owner to arrange it.
WAIT! Is that my Teddy? Yeah, THAT'S MY TEDDY!! Oh boy, I'll go there now, I'll go now!!
