When is the best time to dive Derawan Islands?

The best months to dive Derawan Islands are May, September, when conditions are most favorable.

What certification do I need to dive Derawan Islands?

Derawan Islands requires a minimum certification of Open Water. Currents are typically moderate and the maximum depth reaches 30 m.

How much does it cost to dive Derawan Islands?

A 2-tank dive at Derawan Islands averages around $60 USD. The destination is in our mid range tier.

What will I see diving Derawan Islands?

Derawan Islands is known for manta ray, seahorse, with 9–24 m visibility and 26–29°C water temperatures.

Why does Derawan Islands score 64.1/100 on OkToDive?

Derawan Islands earns a 64.1/100 Score based on 12 weighted categories including marine life, coral health, visibility, operator quality, and value. Backed by 260 operator reviews.

Derawan Islands Diving — Borneo's Hidden Gem

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World Class

Intermediate

Derawan Islands

IndonesiaAsia-Pacific

64.1

SCORE

2.2833°N

118.2500°E

The Derawan archipelago offers an improbable combination: a stingless jellyfish lake (Kakaban), manta cleaning stations, turtle nesting beaches, and pristine reefs — all without the crowds of more famous Indonesian destinations. Sangalaki Island's manta point delivers encounters with 20+ mantas on good days.

Borneo's Hidden Stingless Jellyfish Lake

Visibility9–24 m

Temperature26–29°C

Max Depth30 m

Currentmoderate

2-Tank Dive$60

Best MonthsMay, September

CertificationOpen WaterIntermediate

Score Breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

Marine Life

38.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity

Megafauna Encounters

Reef Fish Abundance

Macro Life

Endemic Species

Marine Life Diversity

38.0

Coral & Reef Health

71.0

Visibility & Conditions

67.0

Dive Site Variety

71.0

Water Temperature

73.0

Depth & Access

56.0

Operator Quality

78.0

Topside Experience

64.0

Getting There

68.0

Value & Cost

63.0

Crowding

87.0

Social Proof

57.0

Key Species

manta ray seahorse

Dive Types

reefwreckmucknightpelagic

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Your non-diving travel companions will find plenty to enjoy topside while you're underwater. Here are some activities to consider.

Activities for Non-Divers

snorkeling with mantas at SangalakiKakaban jellyfish lake (stingless)turtle nesting on Derawan beachisland hopping

Non-Diver Partner Score

5/10

Limited topside — plan ahead for non-diving partners.

Family FriendlyYes

Restaurants & Nightlifebasic

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.

Learn More at DAN.org

Hyperbaric Chamber300 km — Balikpapan Chamber

Nearest Hospital60 km

Remote — speedboat to Berau then flight to Balikpapan for chamber; limited medical care

Skill LevelIntermediate

Current Strengthmoderate

Top Operators

Derawan Dive Resort

PADI

4.6

150 reviewsNITROX

Scuba Junkie Sangalaki

PADI

4.7

110 reviewsNITROX

Compare This Dive Site

Current conditions

9/10Excellent

Waves0.14 m

Swell0.12 m

Wind6.6 km/h

Air29.4°C

Slight rain showers

9d ago

Honest reality check

What your dive shop won't tell you

The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.

Recommended logged dives

45+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification

Open Water

“Borneo's best-kept dive secret. Jellyfish lake, daily mantas, turtle nesting — and almost nobody there.”

What will challenge you

→Moderate currents. Expect to drift — this is not a skill-builder site for a first trip after certification.
→Wreck penetration requires Wreck specialty training at minimum, and often decompression planning. Don't improvise inside.
→Nearest hyperbaric chamber is ~300 km away. Evacuation is slow. Dive conservative profiles and get DAN insurance before you fly.
→Remote logistics from Berau or Tarakan. Flights unreliable, boats are main transport.

What will surprise you

→Short dive season — only 2 months worth going (May, September). Book well ahead or miss it.

Time of day

When to dive it

Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down. Tidal dependency: slight. Optimal window: Mar-Jun calmest conditions. Jellyfish lake year-round. Mantas most reliable Mar-Oct..

Morning

Viz
high
Current
mild
Crowd
light

Kakaban jellyfish lake
Sangalaki manta station
wide angle

Kakaban's stingless jellyfish lake is Indonesia's answer to Palau's. Morning before day trippers arrive. Mantas at Sangalaki are daily visitors.

Afternoon

Viz
high
Current
mild
Crowd
moderate

Derawan house reef
macro on sand flats
turtle nesting

Derawan's house reef is one of the best in Kalimantan. Green turtles nest on the beach at night.

Night

Viz
high
Current
slack
Crowd
empty

turtle nesting
octopus
blue-ringed octopus

Night diving off Derawan pier is famous for blue-ringed octopus.

Month-by-month

Dive forecast

Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.

Month	Viz (m)	Temp (°C)	Current	Sea	Rain	Confidence	Highlights
Jan	13–21	28	Mod	Calm	Dry	55%	wet season
Feb	12–20	28	Mod	Calm	Dry	55%	wet season tail
Mar	12–20	28	Mod	Calm	Dry	65%	improving, mantas arriving
Apr	13–21	28	Mod	Calm	Dry	78%	calm conditions, mantas reliable
May	13–22	28	Mod	Calm	Dry	88%	peak calm
Jun	13–22	28	Mod	Chop	Light	78%	peak conditions
Jul	13–21	27	Mod	Chop	Light	65%	good diving
Aug	12–20	27	Mod	Chop	Wet	78%	dry season
Sep	12–20	27	Mod	Chop	Wet	88%	good conditions
Oct	13–21	28	Mod	Chop	Wet	78%	still good
Nov	13–22	28	Mod	Calm	Light	65%	transition
Dec	14–24	28	Mod	Calm	Dry	55%	wet season starting

Shoot here

Photography brief

Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.

Macro subjects61

Wide angle75

Viz stability65

Hover friendliness70

Natural light57

Recommended kit

→Wide-angle or fisheye (8-15mm range), dual strobes for close-focus wide angle
→Dedicated video light for dark wreck interiors; don't rely on strobes alone

Level up here

What this site will teach you

The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.

Remote destination logistics
foundational
Getting there teaches you the journey is half the trip.
Manta identification
foundational
Enough mantas to start recognizing individuals by belly patterns.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget

$1,950–$2,850

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US): $1,100–$1,300
Accommodation / day: $50–$100
Diving / day: $50–$60
Food / day: $10–$25
Transfers + misc: $80–$230

Mid-range

$3,100–$4,600

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US): $1,550–$1,850
Accommodation / day: $120–$220
Diving / day: $60–$80
Food / day: $30–$60
Transfers + misc: $80–$230

Splurge

$5,200–$8,150

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US): $2,250–$2,750
Accommodation / day: $260–$500
Diving / day: $80–$100
Food / day: $70–$140
Transfers + misc: $80–$230

Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.

Pair with

Build a trip around it

Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.

Best dive types here

Derawan Islands Diving — Indonesia