Intermediate Indonesia
Borneo / Derawan
Turtles by the dozen, a stingless jellyfish lake, and mantas in green water
An archipelago off Borneo with one of Indonesia's largest concentrations of green sea turtles, an inland lake full of jellyfish that lost their ability to sting, and mantas feeding in plankton-green water. Three things that don't usually go together.
In this profile, you'll find out what each of the archipelago's main islands offers, why the lake's jellyfish don't sting, when the mantas show up, what the conditions are like, and what level each area requires.
It's a destination with an unusual variety of experiences packed into a small area, and one of Southeast Asia's most important green sea turtle nesting zones.
Geography and access
The Derawan archipelago lies off the east coast of Indonesian Borneo, on a shallow shelf with several islands of very different character.
One of the islands holds an extraordinary green sea turtle population, with animals visible on nearly every dive and important nesting beaches.
Another has an inland brackish lake connected to the sea only by seepage, home to a jellyfish population that, having been isolated from their predators, has reduced its stinging capacity to the point of being imperceptible to humans. It's visited by freediving, never with a tank.
A third is known for its reef mantas, which feed in shallow, green, plankton-rich water, trading low visibility for very close encounters.
Access is a domestic flight to the east coast of Borneo followed by road and boat transfer, with crossings that can be long.
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