TRK-BEJ Sangalaki-Kakaban-Maratua

Explore the remote Indonesian Islands of Maratua, Sanglaki, & Kakaban. Get away from the crowds and enjoy diving as it was meant to be! Here you will find both large and small marine life in abundance; potential for thresher sharks, manta rays, white-tips & nurse sharks, huge schools of barracuda, many turtles, and even Whale Shark! Not to mention plenty of macro life to keep even the most experienced of divers happy. Plus a chance to swim amongst millions of non-stinging jellyfish in the fresh water Lake of Kakaban. 

Sample Itinerary

Note: All schedules are subjected to changes according to weather, sea, diving, & local conditions.

Day 1. (0 dives) 2pm, trip departure day. Our staff will meet you upon your arrival to Tarakan Airport or local hotel and transfer you to the awaiting White Manta. Warm welcome & briefing while we sail to Derawan (9-11 hours). Note: There is no diving on trip departure day. First dives will take place on the first morning, usually at Derawan Island for check out dives.

Day 2. (3-4 dives) Diving around Sangalaki looking for manta rays, turtles & more! We also have a chance to visit the beach to watch hatching baby turtles make their dash to the sea!

Day 3-4. (4 dives x2 days) Diving around Maratua island; huge schools of chevron barracudas, and big-eye jacks at the mouth of the channel.  Look out for the shark action with possible sightings of hammerhead sharks too!

Day 5. (3-4 dives) Diving around Kakaban with stunning wall dives & visiting the amazing fresh water Jellyfish lake.

Day 6. (1-2 dives) Looking for whale sharks at local fishing “bagans” then sail back to Tg Batu Port Sailing time 5 hours.  Last night sleeping on White Manta in the harbour.  Plenty of time to wash & dry equipment, rest & relaxation, and if need be, an early flight on trip departure day..

Day 7. (0 dives) 5am-12pm.  Check out after light breakfast, farewells, and transfer to local hotel or Berau Airport (recommended Garuda Indonesia ETD-BEJ 10:45 or Lion Air ETD-BEJ 10:30)

Diving days: 6 days (18 dives, including substituting dives for island tours)

Embarkation / Disembarkation

  • Start: Tarakan (TRK), North Kalimantan /
  • Finish: Tg.Batu pier, Indonesia. 2-2.5 hours to & from Berau (BEJ) Airport, East Kalimantan. Indonesia.

How to get to Tarakan (TRK), Indonesia

  • We recommend guests plan to arrive to Tarakan no later than the afternoon of trip departure day. Our crew will collect you from the airport & transfer you to the waiting New White Manta where your cabin will be waiting.
  • Batik Air have daily direct flights from Jakarta (CGK) to Tarakan (TRK) departing 10:00 arriving 13:35.
  • For those staying in Bali (DPS), Lion Air have daily flights via Surabaya (SUB) departing 07:00 arriving to Tarakan at 11:55.

How to get from Berau (BEJ), East Kalimantan

  • Lion Air has morning flights back to Balikpapan which will allow you to meet connecting flights in the afternoon back to Jakarta or Singapore.

Dive Site Information

  • Water Temp: 28-30 degrees Celsius
  • Air Temp: 28-30 degrees Celsius
  • Visibility: 10-40 meters,
  • Currents: mild to medium,
  • Level: intermediate to advanced,
  • Best Time to Dive: all year round
  • What to See/ Highlights: Pelagic; Manta rays, hammerheads, barracuda, jacks, tuna, & more Reef; amazing soft corals, turtles, leopard & reef sharks, harlequin shrimps, pygmy seahorses, frogfish, ribbon eels, cuttlefish, nudis, & usual suspects

What's included?

  • Round trip transfer local Hotel / Airport to Boat.
  • All nights' accommodation on Boat.
  • All meals (Western & Indonesian) snacks, hot beverages.
  • Cabin towels, soap & shampoo, cabin services.
  • Towel & drink after every dive.
  • Tanks, weights & weightbelt, breathing air fills, 5 dive guides.

What’s excluded?

  • All flights & hotels stay.
  • Marine Park & Harbour fee.
  • Dive & travel insurance.
  • Fuel surcharge (if applicable). Please see our Booking Information page 'Fuel surcharge' section for more details and fees per person.
  • Massage services.
  • Soft drinks, Alcoholic drinks (Beer, Wine, Sprits), Nespresso coffee.
  • Dive Equipment; dive computer, torch, large tank rental, BCD, regulator, wetsuit, fins, mask.  
  • Enriched Air Nitrox fills
  • Note; Nitrox & Dive Equipment are priced per diving day / fill / item and are subject to availability.
  • Note: Exposure suits: we do not have long exposure suits in very small sizes, if you are concerned about being cold we recommend you buy one before the trip.   

Trip Schedule

  • Departure: 2pm, 1st day - Tarakan, North Kalimantan. Or earlier if everyone arrives before and all trip preparations have been completed. Free transfer from local hotel or Juwata International Airport, Tarakan (TRK) to White Manta on trip departure day (transfer time: 15-20 mins)
  • Return: 5am, last day - Tg. Batu Pier, East Kalimantan.  After a light breakfast and fond farewells, we will take you to Kalimarau Airport (BEJ), Berau in time for check-in & flight.  Note: Latest WM check-out, midday.
  • Last dive ends: 12pm (midday), penultimate day.  Plenty of time for R&R while we sail back to Tg. Batu pier where we spend last night on White Manta.  This also allows for your minimum 18 hours surface interval/ No Fly Time (as recommended by PADI) before flying next day.

New White Manta Reminders

Travel Documents

  • COVID-19 requirements & protocols in Indonesia and on your trip.  Please see our COVID-19 Travel & Visa Information page to help prepare and plan in advance for your travels and entry into Indonesia, as detailed by the Government of Indonesia.
  • Guest Info. We MUST receive guest’s details well in advance in the trip.  Note: Late receipt of Passport details may very likely lead to delayed departure & significant changes to the itinerary.
  • Visa On Arrival (VOA), single entry is now available for many countries and Visa Exemption Arrangement (VEP) for some ASEAN countries for stay up to 30 days. VOA cost: IDR 500,000 (approx. EUR 32 / USD 35). Payment can be done by: Visa, Mastercard or Debit Card or Cash Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Note: Please check here for eligibity. If you are from one of countries not on the VOA or VEA lists, or if you simply wish to get a visa in advance, you MUST apply for an eVisa (B211A) online PRIOR to arrival before entering all other airports.
  • Passport. Please ensure your passport is in good order, has enough pages, is valid for at least 6 months, and that you are able to enter Indonesia. Check with your local Embassy of Indonesia if unsure.
  • Departure Tax. Indonesia Passenger Service Charge (IPSC) has changed (Mar-2015) to be included in your flight ticket price. Please check though as previously it was 200,000IDRp to leave Indonesia, & up to 75,000IDRp for Domestic flights. Carry small bills, Indonesia Rupiah preferred, as often no change given.

Domestic Flights

  • Please book BEFORE confirming your International flights to ensure you make your connection to Tarakan & from Berau. 
  • Domestic airlines; some do not allow non-Indo credit card online payments. If you cannot book direct or simply want help with your travel itineraries; obtaining an e-visa, booking domestic flight tickets, onward hotels, transfer, and additional land arrangements, etc, we can recommend local Indonesian travel agents, our friends at Come2Indonesia. Contact Rendy & the team here tour2@come2indonesia.com.  Note: If booked with credit card please ensure the card is with you upon Check In or have an official Airline form filled in & signed by card holder authorizing the use of.
  • Our ticketing agents are not responsible for any flight delay or cancellation, luggage lost or delay. In any case, please contact our ground staff in Bali for assistance for flight delay issue.
  • Domestic Airlines normally have 20Kg allowance, although you may pay for 10Kg extra when booking, if needed (around US$3/kilo). With an additional 7kg carryon.

Health & Insurance

  • Dive Insurance; compulsory for this trip.  We also strongly advise you get adequate travel insurance. Please check your travel insurance policy for your diving needs.  If not covered then we recommend DiveAssure for their single trip policy cover.
  • Dive Computer; compulsory on this trip.  We have rentals onboard if you do not have.
  • Follow Safe Diving Practices at ALL times plus No Deco Diving and No Solo Diving.
  • Travel insurance is compulsory for our trips. Our trips are not inclusive of any form of insurance. White Manta Diving cannot be held responsible for any trip disruption or cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control or any flight / hotel expenses. This includes any costs related to COVID-19 issues, resulting in delay/ medical/ extraction/ quarantine/ or trip costs incurred due to potential positive testing / refusal of admittance to the country or your trip, before, during or after. We strongly recommend all guests purchase adequate travel insurance, as such an occurance will affect all guests on trip. Please see our Booking Information page 'Travel Insurance' section for more details and recommended insurers.

Internet/ Mobile

  • Satellite Wi-Fi
  • Mobile signal; local Telkomsel is best local card to buy.  Not long after you leave port we have has intermittent/ limited mobile signal until we return.
  • Telkomsel prepaid card is the best value. Plus can add credit to top up!!!

Trip Extras payment onboard

  • By Credit card comes with 4.5% additional handling fee.
  • By Cash we accept US Dollars, Euro, Singaporean Dollars, and Indonesian Rupiah.  Please ensure ALL bills are in good order; NOT worn or torn and unmarked or we are UNABLE to accept.  Exchange rates differ for USD100/50 bills and USD20/10 bills. Current Exchange rate. ATMs available in town.

Trip Extras

  • Marine Park & Harbour fee; US$250 per person.
  • Fuel Surcharge fee; US$150 per person.
  • Massage US$35/ hour, laundry services US$10/ basket
  • Nespresso coffee: US$2, beer US$4, wine US$30-50
  • Satellite Wi-Fi US$35 for trip per person.
  • Nitrox; US$20/ diving day or US$7/ fill.

Equipment rental

Diving Gear: Full Set US$50/ diving day (except Large tank) or if individual items then following rates apply per diving day*

  • BCD US$15
  • Regulator US$15
  • Dive Computer US$12
  • Wetsuit US$8
  • Fins, Mask US$5
  • Large Tank US$12
  • Torch* US$12/ night dive.

Diving Gear Items priced per diving day* and is subject to availability.  Note: Torch rental* priced is per night dive.

TRIP BOOKING