Cast away in the middle of the Celebes Sea lies multiple isles, where the water in shades of cool calmly drifts the powdery shores and untold tales beneath the marine ocean await to be explored. Palm trees sway in the breeze as they stand, similar to guards, protecting the median of the land, day in and day out. Coastal life never seems to be more at ease at the Derawan Islands. This magnificent natural wonder, comprising 31 islands in East Kalimantan, is a sensory delight to those yearning for an aquatic adventure, and perhaps a mini escape from the storm of thoughts and any tedious ongoing.
Every rough patch will eventually sire virtue. At least that’s what I believe. Because to get to the famous Derawan, Maratua, and Kakaban islands, three voyagers traversed the sky, land, and sea. None of us knew what was waiting for us by the finish line; all we gathered prior to the trip were triple our favoured S: the sun, sand, and saltwater.
After jetting on two planes from Jakarta, we were greeted by the glaring ray of sunshine that’s somewhat more piercing in this part of the archipelago. Our driver took us to Tanjung Batu Harbour in Berau. The bumpy two-hour drive lulled me to sleep, yet my eyes occasionally peeped through the car window separating us from the verdure outside throbbing with life. Numerous foreign travellers were spotted chatting under the dry air. We strode to the dock and boarded our speedboat.
“How long will we get there?” my travel companion asked the speedboat driver - I could tell she was itching to arrive at our destination and frankly, so was I. Another hour or two was spent bobbling up and down as the speedboat fought against the tough waves. We finally stepped our feet on the docks of our accommodation in Derawan. Our quaint overwater bungalow above the twinkling water built from wood - presumably sourced from the island - is simple and rustic, comforting for our highly anticipated three-day adventure. It truly encapsulates island life tinted with modern needs.
Grey clouds concealed the late afternoon sun - but that didn’t stop us from hastening to the shore. Most of the sugar-white sand wasn’t covered in blue. We could stroll along the powdery stillness covered in seaweed emerging from the water. Shortly, twilight kissed the sky and sand residue followed our way back to the bungalow. Strong gusts of wind filled the pitch dark night, while the waves beneath us hummed as our soothing lullaby before marine exploration saluted us the following day.
We booked an open trip amongst dozens of fellow travellers just as eager as we were for the islands’ beauty. Breakfast overlooking the ocean at 7 AM became an ode to the mood of our first day at sea.
The first stop was Kakaban Lake. The lake water, which comes from seepage of seawater and rainfall, is a habitat for thousands of vibrant tiny jellyfish, primarily the golden jellyfish and the moon jellyfish. Yes, we swam with these intriguing critters because they surprisingly won’t sting.
Three “don’ts” must be kept in mind here. “Don’t lather any sunscreen or other chemicals before jumping into the lake or else, you’ll contaminate the jellyfish habitat. Second, don’t use swimming aids like flippers. Don’t lift or remove the jellyfish from the water. Lastly, don’t jump into the lake water,” briefed the tour guide.
One by one, men, women, and children descended to the water where luminescent orange, red, white, and light purple critters were minding their own business. Visibility is quite low here but chatters about how magnificent this morning had started off streamed until we jumped into the open water, away from these non-stinging jellyfish.
One word to describe snorkelling around the Derawan Islands? Mesmerising!
I’m not the best swimmer out there. So when I say snorkelling was bewitching, it’s a true testament to my joy. A silent, weightless waltz through a living coral garden of the calm water was nothing that I had ever experienced before in Indonesian waters.
We took the guide’s cue to snorkel back to the boat. The floating canvas took us to an island nearby for a scenic picnic as lunchtime approached. Within 10 metres was a bed of crystal, still water reminiscent of a movie backdrop. This lunch view was undeniably priceless.
The boat took us to Maratua Island once all aboard were refuelled and re-energised. South Asia has Maldives; French Polynesia has Bora Bora; Southeast Asia has Maratua Island. You get the picture. The sand at Maratua Island was a celestial blanket, softly sinking as foot by foot ambled away into the green part of the island. Anyone yearning for a serene escape to unwind in an idyllic tropical setting should make their way here since it's relatively less crowded.
My agenda, however, was far away from tranquillity. It bantered with my fear of heights instead. Home to a notable limestone cave called Gua Maratua (Maratua Cave), thrillseekers can rejoice from cliff jumping. Access to the cave might be a bit tricky since it's located in a more remote part of the island, and the terrain can be rugged. Then again, that solely depends on one’s trekking skills.
The cave may have only been brought to light recently amongst travellers, nonetheless, locals (including children) can’t get enough of its stunning stalactites and stalagmites formations, as well as its dark, mysterious interior to the point where they continuously leap into a pool of several metres deep. That was the terrifying activity I partook in my “small island life”.
Daredevils of the open trip joyously took turns leaping from six metres above the ground. My legs were trembling on the side of the cliff. I couldn’t take a leap of faith. My fear overpowered me. “You can do this!!” shouted my best friend paddling her legs after taking a plunge before me. “C’mon, kak! It’s not that scary! You can jump!” encouraged the local younglings surrounding me.
My twitchiness went on for quite some time - an eternity if I may exaggerate. “Would you be less scared if you were to jump with someone beside you?” asked the guide. “Yes!” I exclaimed. He reached out his hand to which I strongly gripped it as he counted from three, two, one… My whole being was submerged in the cold, dark cave pool while cheers of encouragement sang above. The adrenaline rush was mortifying; I was in a trance of disbelief from doing that. I then soothed my tensions with tea at the Bora Bora of Indonesia.
The three voyagers drifted off peacefully that night despite two of us struggling to find a comfortable sleeping position due to an excruciating sunburn. My best friend and I foolishly applied an SPF 5 tanning oil before snorkelling underneath the burning sunlight in the open water. Mind you, the Derawan Islands are very close to the equator line. Two girls in their early 20s were nevertheless stubborn. So don’t be like us…
Our final full day entailed more marine exploration. Time was long forgotten as we island-hopped. Yes, we still lathered that tanning oil although the application process was filled with countless loud “ouchs”.
The tranquil and crystal clear waters felt like they belonged to only three voyagers plus the guide that day. Hours and hours were spent closely encountering huge sea turtles as well as tons of vivid corals and fish. Life in the water was surreal.
Back on land, we decided to explore the tiny island of our accommodation. We spotted a small warung (stall) which served fried banana fritters (pisang goreng) and Indomie. Post-snorkelling Indomie had since then remained a top-tier touch for our travels.
Stalls of bicycle rentals were available throughout the area. Naturally, each of us peddled one around the tiny island. Definitely do that as you welcome the sunset and find fresh coconuts before having dinner with the locals. It made us forget about our excruciating sunburn.
Departure day woefully arrived. Our sunburns were beyond excruciating at this point; skin was so red as a tomato and moving sideways and in any sort was unbearable, especially when carrying backpacks. It’s baffling how we managed to survive the speedboat, car, and plane ride back home yet we made it!
“Which part is peeling today?” was an everyday question my best friend and I exchanged in the next two weeks, attached with pictures and a growing sense of regret. A harsh skincare lesson indeed…