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Voykit pocket guide · Indonesia
Derawan
Spend 2–3 days on Derawan for diving, snorkeling and jelly‑fish lake; longer if you want all 28 dive sites.
Derawan Island in East Kalimantan offers world‑class dive sites, a jelly‑fish lake on Kakaban and easy walking or bike travel. A short stay (2‑3 days) covers the main attractions; avid divers need a week to hit every dive point.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Best months
- Mar–May, Aug–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (wet, high seas)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- IDR
- Money
- Rupiah (Rp) in small notes for warungs, parking, offerings and drivers; large cards are common in tourist restaurants but not everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rp300,000–Rp500,000 excl. bed · Mid Rp500,000–Rp800,000 excl. bed · High Rp800,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telkomsel, XL and Indosat sell tourist SIMs at airports; foreign phones must be IMEI-registered if staying over 90 days — check.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · General 112 · Ambulance 118
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European round pins.
- Tipping
- Warung: Nothing.; Restaurants: Often 10% service + tax on the bill; nothing more needed.; Drivers and guides: Rp50,000–100,000 a day.; Spa: Rp20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations common in Bali.
- Toilets
- Western in hotels and cafés; squat toilets with a water scoop elsewhere; paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Beer (can) | Rp40,000 |
| Homestay room | Rp250,000–Rp300,000 per night |
| Dive (single dive, 2 divers) | Rp350,000 each |
| Speed‑boat charter (full day) | Rp300,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BEJ · Berau Airport (Tanjung Redeb)
- Direct from Jakarta; cheapest but limited seats (check schedule)
- BPN · Balikpapan Sepinggan Airport
- International gateway; connect to Berau or Tarakan by domestic flight
Typical fares
- Jakarta → Berau (flight)
- ≈Rp1,200,000, 2 h
- Berau → Tanjung Batu (land)
- ≈2 h by car, Rp200,000
- Tanjung Batu → Derawan (speed‑boat)
- ≈30 min, Rp300,000 round trip
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Island is walkable; bicycles and scooters rent along the west‑shore road.
See and do
Known for
- Scuba diving and snorkeling
- Kakaban jelly‑fish lake
- Manta Spot at Sangalaki
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kakaban Island | Speed‑boat from Derawan, ~30 min | ≈1 h total |
| Sangalaki Island | Speed‑boat, ~45 min | ≈1.5 h |
| Maratua Island | Speed‑boat, ~1 h | ≈2 h |
Sleep
- Derawan Dive Resort
- Largest hotel; rooms ~Rp250,000–Rp300,000 per night
- Local homestays
- Spring‑bed rooms, air‑conditioned, Rp250,000–Rp300,000 per night
Language
Indonesian is easy to start: Latin script, no tones, simple grammar. Nearly everyone speaks it alongside a regional language (Javanese, Sundanese, Balinese and hundreds more). English is common in Bali tourism.
- 'Terima kasih' (thank you), 'berapa?' (how much?), 'tidak pedas' (not spicy).
- WhatsApp for every business.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Light handshake then hand to chest; smile; avoid: Firm grips
- Left hand: Give and receive with the right; avoid: Passing anything with the left
- Temples: Sarong and sash; step around offerings; avoid: Standing higher than priests
- Keeping calm: Patience; indirect requests; avoid: Anger in public
- Pointing: Thumb; avoid: Index finger
Scams and watch-outs
- Speed‑boat from Tanjung Batu takes 30 min; schedule limited (Thursday‑Sunday service).
- "Cash needed: ATMs accept only Indonesian cards."
- Dive trips may require extra boat charter fees (≈Rp1.5 million for remote sites).
Generally safe; watch for strong currents when diving and keep cash secure; ATMs accept only Indonesian cards.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Derawan yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Scuba diving and snorkeling
- Kakaban jelly‑fish lake
- Manta Spot at Sangalaki
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Derawan: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456
- Wikivoyage: Derawan, revision 4998646 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4998646
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/derawan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.