%0554 / Pop 63,000
Once the inspiration for Joseph Conrad's first novel, Almayer's Folly, Berau now only inspires you to move on to your ultimate destination. Fortunately, you have two great choices: the Derawan Archipelago to the east, or the karst wonderland of Merabu to the south. Choose wisely, as neither option is cheap nor easy to get to – but both are immensely rewarding.
Berau
1Sights
1Museum BatiwakkalA1
4Sleeping
2Hotel MitraB1
3Hotel PalmyB2
5Eating
4De Bunda CafeB2
6Drinking & Nightlife
5Club BPB2
1Sights
Museum BatiwakkalMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Gunung Tabur Keraton; admission by donation; h8am-2pm Mon-Sat)
Located at the site of Berau's original Keraton, this 1981 building houses an eclectic collection of sultan-obilia starting from the 17th century.
Keraton SambaliungMUSEUM
( GOOGLE MAP ; Sambaliung; h9am-1pm Mon-Sat)F
This 215 year-old Keraton was built after descendants of brothers from other mothers (same father: the 9th sultan) got tired of alternating rule at Gunung Tabor and split the sultanate. The colossal crocodile of questionable taxidermy is an impressive, if somewhat random, addition.
4Sleeping & Eating
Rooms in Tanjung Redeb (the main district of Berau) often fill with mine workers. Book in advance.
Hotel MitraHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 5315 0715; Jl Gajah Mada 531A; r incl breakfast 220,000-240,000Rp; aW)
Immaculate with friendly staff, Mitra feels less like a hotel and more like a giant homestay. As a long-standing favourite with local NGOs, Mitra has a staff well-used to dealing with foreigners. All rooms have air-con and cold water only.
Room 505 in the corner has the best natural light. Bikes are available for a quick jaunt around town, and motorbikes rent for 75,000Rp a day.
oRumah KedaungGUESTHOUSE$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0821 5326 6291; [email protected]; Jl Kedaung, Borneo IV, Sei Bedungun; r incl breakfast 320,000Rp; aW)
Located between the airport and Tanjung Redeb, this guesthouse sits on top of a small treed hill. The common areas are decked out with Dayak art, and the rough wood duplex bungalows have a creaky charm. The cafe serves up solid local fare – a plus since there is not much nearby. Wi-fi is spotty.
Hotel PalmyHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0554-202 0333; [email protected]; Jl Pangeran Antasari 26; r incl breakfast 500,000Rp; aW)
The newest and sharpest offering catering to jet-setting business managers. The top two floors have the best, indeed only, views. Expect to be upcharged by any taxi picking you up here.
oDe Bunda CafeBAKERY$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0554-21305; Jl Pangeran Antasari 5; mains 15,000-30,000Rp; h7am-8pm; W)
Owner, Ibu Ayu, is well travelled and understands your needs. She speaks English and vegetarian, and is happy to make omelettes and other off-menu dishes by request. Worth the walk.
Sari Ponti RestaurantCHINESE$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0554-26688; Jl Durian II 36; mains 40,000Rp; h8am-9pm)
A reliable Chinese mainstay with an extensive menu. A genuine bird's-nest drink will set you back 150,000Rp – it's good for curing pretty much everything, including cancer…apparently.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Club BPCLUB
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Antasari, Hotel Berau Plaza; 7pm-2am)
The most popular nightclub in the city.
8Information
BNI BankBANK
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Maulana)
Foreign exchange, US$.
Mailbox WarnetINTERNET
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Aminuddin; per hour 5000Rp; h9am-late)
Internet access.
THM TravelTRAVEL AGENCY
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0554-21238; Jl Niaga I)
Some English-speaking staff.
8Getting There & Away
Air
GarudaAIRLINE
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0554-202 0285; Jl Panglima Batur 396, Hotel Derawan Indah; h8am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sat & Sun; a)
KalstarAIRLINE
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0554-21007; Jl Maulana 45)
Sriwijaya AirAIRLINE
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0554-202 8777; Jl Pemuda 50; h8am-5pm)
Wings AirAIRLINE
(Airport)
FLIGHTS FROM BERAU
Destinations serviced from Berau include the following:
Balikpapan Garuda, Sriwijaya, Wings; 450,000Rp; one hour; seven daily
Samarinda Kalstar, 674,000Rp, 45minutes, two daily
Tarakan Kalstar, 540,000Rp, 25 minutes, one daily
Bus & Kijang
Until recently, buses in this corner of Kalimantan were all but nonexistent. Transport is handled by taksi gelap (dark taxis), a cartel of Kijang operators, many of whom are unlicenced, inexperienced, or downright dangerous drivers. However, new bus services by DAMRI to Tanjung Selor, and a single private bus to Samarinda (%0812 5417 3997; 200,000Rp) are signs of slow improvement (the trip takes 17 hours).
Kijang gather in the morning across from the former bus terminal and demand a minimum of three passengers; you can buy multiple seats to leave faster. Destinations include Tanjung Batu (100,000Rp, 2½ hours), Tanjung Selor (120,000Rp, three hours), Samarinda (300,000Rp, 14 hours), and Balikpapan (400,000Rp, over 20 hours).
8Getting Around
Taxis to the airport (9km) cost 80,000Rp.
Angkot cost 5000Rp to 10,000Rp, depending on distance.
River crossings by canoe cost 5000Rp, or canoes can be chartered for 30,000Rp per hour.
Merabu
Isolated between a small river and a fortress of karst pinnacles, the Dayak Lebo villagers of Merabu never worried much about politics or the outside world. So they were understandably shocked the day they found bulldozers clearing nearby forests for an oil palm plantation, and confused to learn their gardens were soon to become a coal mine.
Rather than be bought off, however, they waged a long (and occasionally ugly) battle for their homeland. Finally, in 2014, they became the first village in Berau District to gain official recognition of their village forest, an important step towards securing the rights of indigenous communities. As part of their new forest management plan, Merabu has also opened its doors to ecotourism – an activity they are particularly well-positioned to provide.
The jagged limestone forest in their backyard is one of the least-explored and least-accessible regions in Kalimantan, meaning its wildlife has largely been spared from over hunting. Orangutan dwell in the lowlands while clouded leopard prowl the mountainsides. From the village you can arrange multiday expeditions to Lake Tebo, deep in the interior, or spend an afternoon climbing to Puncak Ketepu to whet your appetite before plunging into the vivid turquoise waters of Nyadeng spring . The drawcard site, however, is Goa Beloyot , a cliff-side cavern full of stencilled handprints thousands of years old, accessed by a half-day trek worthy of Indiana Jones (bring a torch).
Homestays run 200,000Rp per night per room, with meals provided at 25,000Rp a pop. Guides cost 100,000Rp a trip while a boat to Nyadeng and Ketepu is 175,000Rp. Additionally, there is a required 200,000Rp donation to the village, and you have the option to adopt a tree in the community forest for 1,500,000Rp for three years. The expenses add up, but remember this is one way the visionaries in the community demonstrate to their neighbours that the forest has value as it is.
It takes a bit of work to get here, but once you do, you may never want leave.
8Getting There & Away
Before visiting, contact the village head, Franly Oley (0878 1030 3330, [email protected]), who speaks passable English. Your best transport option is to come from Berau to the north. Charter a Kijang (1,800,000Rp) for the four-hour dirt-road journey through Lesan village. Driver Pak Asri (0853 4135 9088) is familiar with the route.
From Muara Wahau, to the
south, the route is a little more tricky. You'll want a 4WD or a motorbike for the sketchy road. Head 55km north to the Merapun gate (Garpu Dayak Merapun), then turn east into the oil palm plantation. At the first major fork (15km), head left to Merapun to hire a boat to Merabu (price negotiable, 1½ hours) or turn right to continue 40km over land (impassable when wet) to the Lesan road where you'll make a hard right. Just under 4km beyond, you'll arrive at the river. Merabu is opposite.
Once you arrive at the end of the road, shout across the river for a ketinting (canoe ferry; 25,000Rp).
Derawan Archipelago
Completely different from the rest of Kalimantan, the classic tropical islands of the Derawan Archipelago are where you go to trade jungle trekking and orangutans for beach combing and manta rays. Of the 31 named islands found here, the four most accessible to visitors are the crowded weekend getaway of Derawan, the peaceful paradise of Maratua atoll, and the wildernesses of Sangalaki and Kakaban. The scuba diving and snorkelling rank among the best in Indonesia, offering an assortment of reef and pelagic species including barracuda, sharks, mantas and turtles, all the way down. Travel between the islands is expensive, so plan your trip carefully and find friends with which to share costs. There are no ATMs on the islands. Seas are rough in January and February, limiting diving and increasing travel risks.
8Getting There & Around
Most trips to the islands leave from the coastal town of Tanjung Batu, accessible from Berau by road (500,000Rp charter, 100,000Rp regular seat, 2½ hours). From there, a regular morning boat takes passengers to Pulau Derawan (100,000Rp per person, 30 minutes); otherwise your must charter a speedboat (300,000Rp, seats four).
A charter to Maratua is 1,300,000Rp for the 1½-hour journey from Tanjung Batu, or 1,100,000Rp for the one-hour trip from Derawan. Prices are sometimes negotiable.
A full-day snorkelling trip in the area runs between 1,500,000Rp to 2,000,000Rp depending on how far you go. It is four hours of spine-compressing travel from Derawan to the popular snorkelling areas around Kakaban and Sangalaki, return.
The cheapest, and slowest, way to get between islands is by klotok, a local open fishing boat with a noisy little engine. You can arrange this in any village, but be aware of the time involved, as you may be bobbing around in the sun for hours. Having said that, it is a fun way to get between nearby islands, such as Maratua and Nabucco.
On Friday, take a direct speed boat from Tarakan to Pulau Derawan (250,000Rp, 2pm, three hours), and return Sunday.
The new airport on Maratua is sure to change the travel dynamic considerably, but routes were still unconfirmed at time of research.
Do not attempt any passages if seas are rough. Insist on life jackets, and carry a compass or GPS – basic equipment your boat will undoubtedly lack.
DERAWAN DIVING HIGHLIGHTS
Pulau Sangalaki Famous for its manta rays, which are present throughout the year. Turtles also abound.
Pulau Kakaban Big pelagic fish and a cave dive offshore; a rare lake full of nonstinging jellyfish inland.
Pulau Maratua Known for 'the channel' frequented by big pelagic fish, eagle rays and huge schools of barracuda. Occasional thresher sharks.
Pulau Derawan Small creatures draw photographers: ghostpipe fish, frogfish, harlequin shrimp, jawfish, and blue-ringed octopus.
Pulau Derawan
The tiny, funky backpacker's magnet of Derawan is the best known of the islands, and the closest to the mainland. It is also increasingly crowded and dirty. Along the waterfront newer guesthouses clamber over the old, reaching out into the ocean like a sprawling octopus. However, despite the near constant presence of tourists, the locals still maintain a friendly attitude and kids are eager to steal high-fives. You'll compete for solitude with local tourists on banana boats during weekends and holidays. For more idyllic surroundings, consider Maratua instead.
4Sleeping & Eating
New guesthouses constantly appear and just as quickly succumb to the ravages of the ocean. Evaluate your options before committing.
oMiranda HomestayHOMESTAY$
(%0813 4662 3550; r 200,000Rp)
Tucked back toward shore with not much of a view, these two spotless rooms are still great value. Pak Marudi's spacious and relaxing klotok is at your disposal for slow coffee-filled snorkelling excursions (700,000Rp per day), or transport to Tanjung Batu (100,000Rp per person).
Sari CottagesGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0813 4653 8448; r 350,000Rp; a)
Centrally located Sari has 22 freshly painted rooms, strung along two parallel piers connected by a footbridge. The large, private back porches all have (as yet) unobstructed views, and the restaurant has the best location in town. Turn off the street at the sign for 'Pinades,' and keep walking the plank.
Mirroliz Pelangi GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0813 4780 7078; r with fan/air-con 275,000/380,000Rp; a)
With its brightly painted rooms and creative lighting, the festive Pelangi may be showing signs of age, but it still retains a chill hang-out vibe. Watch the sunset from the open-air, over-water restaurant as turtles ply the shallows beneath. The further you go out to sea, the more expensive the stay. On the west edge of town.
La PautaHOTEL$$
(%0813 1944 7742; r 650,000-800,000Rp; a)
With a relatively clean private beach, this place near the public pier is hoping to become Derawan's go-to higher-end option. However, the new facilities are already struggling against the tropical island environment.
Derawan Dive LodgeLODGE$$$
(%0431-824445; www.derawandivelodge.com; s/d incl breakfast US$80/95)
A small enclave of 10 comfortable, individually designed rooms, with a cosy outdoor cafe and private beach, at the west end of the island. If you want to combine a dive holiday with some island life, this is your top choice on Derawan.
Rumah Makan NurINDONESIAN$
(%0853 4689 7827; mains 30,000Rp)
Nur's serves up tasty Indonesian favourites with creative twists such as shrimp and coconut aubergine with rice. The large juice menu is welcome on a hot day – as are the set prices.
Pulau Maratua
For those with time on their hands, Maratua is a slice of heaven. This enormous U-shaped atoll is almost completely untouched by tourism. Four tiny fishing villages are evenly spaced along the narrow strip of land, three of which are connected by a paved 15km path. Central to the island, near the northern end of the road, the large village of Tanjung Harapan offers several homestays, bicycle rental, and access to the island's only upscale lodging options. Bohe Silian, at the southern end of both road and island, also has a few homestays, pleasant sea views and Sembat cave – the coolest swimming hole on the island.
Hire a scooter for a day (150,000Rp) and explore to your heart's content, passing over bridges between islets, chasing green parakeets and swimming in the lagoon. Local guides (150,000Rp per day) can direct you to the island's hidden caves and private beaches. Add a special someone and a visit here could easily stretch into days…
However, the new airport and tourism port are likely to rapidly change the character of the place forever – so go now.
Diving (single dive €43) can be arranged through Nabucco Island Resort, 30 minutes across the lagoon.
4Sleeping
oMaratua GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE
(www.maratuaguesthouse.com; d & tw cabins US$59)
Nestled in a limestone forest between the island's cleanest beach and an inland tidal pond, this complex boasts a commanding view of the Celebes Sea from its open-air restaurant out front, and shady private cabins out back. The rooms all come with a mosquito net, fan, and generous front porch from which to watch the resident kingfishers and parakeets.
Nabucco & Nunukan Island Resorts
These two small islets in the mouth of the Maratua atoll are owned by Extra Divers, a German dive resort operator providing a refinement and attention to detail rarely experienced in Kalimantan. The owner works closely with scientists and the lo
cal leadership to continually improve the resorts' environmental and social sustainability. When we visited, the finishing touches were being put on a third even more luxurious resort, connected to Nunukan by a 1km boardwalk.
4Sleeping
oNabucco Island ResortRESORT$$$
(%0812 540 6636; www.extradivers-worldwide.com; r per person incl full board s/d €131/99; aW)S
The sign above the dock at Nabucco says 'Welcome to Paradise': a fair sentiment. At the edge of the Maratua lagoon, this compact island dive resort packs plenty into a tiny manicured space. Surrounding a central common area, each varnished duplex bungalow shares an ocean-view porch with access to mangroves, a white-sand beach, or a slice of house reef.
Nunukan Island ResortRESORT$$$
(%0812 340 3451; www.extradivers-worldwide.com; r per person incl full board s/d €131/99)
From the long jetty welcoming you across the 4km house reef, to the common areas hovering over razor-sharp limestone, there is nothing typical – and everything exotic – about this island resort. The luxurious beachfront bungalows have spacious porches with sofa beds begging you to soak in the serenity. Inside, you'll find four-poster beds and inventive showers with one-way windows to the sea.
Pulau Kakaban & Pulau Sangalaki
These two undeveloped islands 40 minutes southwest of Maratua and an hour southeast of Derawan are popular day-trip destinations. Pulau Sangalaki has decent diving but is known primarily for its consistent manta ray spotting. For a close encounter of the eerie kind, visit the inland lake of Pulau Kakaban and swim through an ethereal swarm of millions of stingless jellyfish, some as tiny as your fingertip. If tides permit, snorkel through Kakaban's tidal cave tunnel to a hidden outcrop of protected pristine coral.
Lonely Planet Indonesia Page 123
