East Kalimantan dive sites

No. The jellyfish at this site are stingless species that have evolved in the semi-enclosed waters around Derawan and nearby Kakaban Island. They have lost their stinging ability over thousands of years of isolation from predators. Divers and snorkellers can swim among them without any risk of being stung. The experience of floating through clouds of pulsing golden jellyfish is entirely safe and mesmerising.

Fly to Kalimarau Airport in Berau from Balikpapan or Jakarta. From Berau, take a speedboat approximately 90 minutes to Derawan Island. Several guesthouses and small resorts operate on the island. The Derawan archipelago includes Derawan, Kakaban, Sangalaki, and Maratua islands, each offering different diving experiences. Most dive operators on Derawan run daily trips to surrounding sites.

Afternoon dives between 14:00 and 16:00 produce the most spectacular jellyfish encounters, as the organisms migrate upward to follow sunlight. The golden afternoon light filtering through their translucent bodies creates extraordinary photographic opportunities. Early morning dives before 07:00 are best for manta ray encounters in the nearby channel. Turtle sightings are consistent throughout the day as residents graze on seagrass beds surrounding the site.

Scuba diving is not permitted in the jellyfish lake to protect the fragile ecosystem. Visitors snorkel on the surface and free-dive to experience the millions of stingless jellyfish. However, the outer walls and reefs of Kakaban Island itself offer excellent scuba diving with depths exceeding 30 meters.

Yes. Over millions of years of isolation from the open sea, the four jellyfish species in Kakaban Lake have evolved to lose their stinging capability. They pose no danger to swimmers. The lake contains moon jellyfish, golden jellyfish, box jellyfish, and spotted jellyfish, all of which are harmless.