Derawan Island

[gavins87]

Derawn Island.

Has anyone dived Derawan island and the surrounding area in the last couple of years?
Really struggling to find information on the area. Would be great to hear from someone who has been there recently and could give there veiws on the area.

Regards

Gavin

[jake11]

Derawn Island.

Has anyone dived Derawan island and the surrounding area in the last couple of years?
Really struggling to find information on the area. Would be great to hear from someone who has been there recently and could give there veiws on the area.

Regards

Gavin

I know the Tambora dive boat goes to that area. Check out their web site. Also, Susan P. from World of Diving based in California, USA has been on that boat to that area. You could email her for information. Hope this helps.

[The World In My Eyes]

East coast of Borneo a great area above and below the ocean,Staying at Derawan offers a lot and islands and dive sites in the area also offer so many options.

[Eddie W]

my choice would be maratua, believe they now two resorts, one either end of the atol

[The World In My Eyes]

Indeed Maratua is very nice and some great diving,being based at Derawan, Maratua is one of the other islands you can visit from there.

[gavins87]

Thanks for all the help guys. really would love to dive this area for the mantas, jellyfish lake etc, etc. Think its just going to be a bit out my price range/ and a hassle to get there.

[Madacub]

As far as I was able to find out, on Derawan, you can stay only at "homestays". I was at Maratua Paradise resort in Feb. I would not recommend it. Diving was good but it is over priced. The tanks were often not filled to 200 bar. The boats that take you to "the channel", Sangalaki and Kakaban are very slow and in bad shape. They charge an arm and a leg for using their other boat which they offer as an option. Even if their slow boat is out of service, they still charge you the higher price for using the faster boat. The dive staff were good (except for the fact that many tanks were not filled properly) but the management gives the impression that they just want to take a lot of money off you and don't need to deliver a good experience. Food was mediocre. Limited number of dive sites, we ended up with many sites repeated. But snorkelling at Jellyfish Lake was a unique experience. Another good thing was the actual dive shop - big, plenty of space to hang and place gear and the 3 rinse tanks were large and replenished with fresh water daily.

Incidentally, I'd say the same about their sister operation "Celebes Explorer" LOB at Sipadan. The diving is very good, but the boat is in bad shape. I get the same impression from both operations - overpriced for what you get and management does not put any money back into maintaining the operation. I would not go back to either place. I would rather stay at Kapalai or Mabul, up the coast a little bit, near Sipadan. Also expensive, but you don't get the feeling of being ripped off. Fish life is much the same.

[Kaltim Diver]

Not sure if you're still chasing info but Nabucco Resort has twice been good to me albeit a bit pricey. A small island in a lagoon, 10 minutes from the channel, all bungalows are seperated so you really feel like a desert island. The dutch/german couple who looked after us were good. I know the contact in Balikpapan (commercial capital of East Kalimantan) and can get you some more details if you like. FYI I am in Balikpapan now and I live/work about half way between Balikpapan and Derawan, we dive regularly there but it's a very small nonprofit club, not a resort.

[instructorinasia]

I think Tasik Ria have just opened up here as well...