08 A candy (soft coral)
crab sits in its similarly
coloured home
INDONESIA
Derawan Island
Text by MARIA KIM HANSEN
Images by NICK RAWSON
If you ask any diver what brings them to Derawan
Island they will probably exclaim that it’s all about
the big stuff. The manta rays, sharks, barracuda
and turtles. However, along with 100-percent
guaranteed turtle spotting, you can also find some
of the smaller, rarer creatures which live in this
biodiversity hotspot such as frogfish, blue-ring
octopus and the exquisite Lembeh seadragon.
Derawan, the largest island in the Derawan
archipelago, is situated just 30 minutes’ speed boat
ride off Tanjung Batu harbour on the northeastern
coast of Indonesian Kalimantan. It is a tranquil
place – 40 minutes walk will take you right round
the island. Derawan is one of only two islands in the
group which are inhabited, but 30 or so others have
names and are home to scientists or “sea gypsys”,
the first fishing settlers in these islands.
WEST MALAYSIA
INDONESIA
DERAWAN
ISLAND