Kalimantan-Sangalaki Overview and Diving
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Manta Ray in Blue Water |
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Turtles Abound |
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Warm, Calm Indonesia
Sea |
©Denise Nielsen
Tackett & Larry Tackett |
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).
By Denise Nielsen Tackett & Larry Tackett |
