Kalimantan - Sangalaki (South Borneo)
Denise Nielsen Tackett & Larry Tackett
Liveaboards Operating in East Kalimantan
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Like nearby Sipadan Island in Sabah, Sangalaki attracts lots of turtles ...
Sangalaki, Kakaban, Derawan, and Maratua are small islands off the northwest coast of Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo. The islands are not far from the border of the Malaysian state of Sabah. These islands are off the beaten path but there is excellent diving around them. Like nearby Sipadan Island in Sabah, Sangalaki attracts lots of turtles– especially green turtles that lay their eggs on the sandy beaches. It's also famous for its manta rays.
Most of the diving here is less than 20m (66ft) because a large plateau extends from the island over 600m to the drop-off. Maratua, a small island with a large lagoon and outer reef wall is known for stronger currents and large schools of fishes, especially barracuda. Kakaban is the location of Jellyfish Lake, a brackish lake filled with jellyfish and other unusual marine life. Its outer walls attract various species of sharks and schooling barracuda. Derawan, with less visibility than the other islands, is better known for smaller critters. All areas have excellent hard and soft coral growth. The best time to visit the area is April to October. The rainy season is November to March. Visibility runs 20-30m (66-100ft) and water temperatures are generally 27º-30ºC (84-90ºF).
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About the Authors
Larry and Denise Tackett are the authors of all of our Indonesian dive site and regional descriptions. They are professional photographers specializing in underwater and terrestrial natural history and travel subjects. They are represented by stock photo agencies in the US and United Kingdom and their photographs have been widely published in books and magazines worldwide. Their work has appeared in magazines such as National Wildlife, Islands, BBC Wildlife, Ocean Realm, Asian Diver, Unterwasser, Tauchen, Canadian Wildlife, Popular Science, Sport Diver, National Geographic Kids, Geo, and many others.
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