Scuba Diving in Maratua
The Ultimate Guide
Maratua Atoll, part of the remote Derawan Archipelago off East Kalimantan, offers thrilling big‑fish dives and rich reefs fed by nutrient‑charged currents. From swirling barracuda tornadoes and reef sharks at the world‑famous Big Fish Country to turtle cleaning stations and macro‑rich jetties, the island’s more than 20 sites deliver everything from ripping drift dives to gentle coral gardens. Expect encounters with green and hawksbill turtles, schooling snapper and jackfish, manta and eagle rays, nurse and reef sharks and even occasional hammerheads. The underwater topography is just as varied—vertical walls, coral pinnacles, sand channels and lush lagoon reefs mean you can pack your logbook with completely different experiences each day. Because Maratua sits far from major tourist hubs, you’ll often have the reef to yourself.
Difficulty
Advanced
Temperature
23-30°C
Visibility
15-50m
Diving Highlights
Best Months to Dive
Getting to Maratua for Diving
✈️Transportation
You’ll first fly from Jakarta or other major cities to Berau (BEJ).
From there, it’s about a 15-minute drive to the pier, followed by a 2.5–3 hour speedboat ride through mangroves and across open sea to reach the resort.
Most dive resorts in Maratua can arrange the transfer for you, but if you’re looking to save some money, you can join a shared boat — just be prepared for longer waiting times.
Country
Indonesia
Currency
Indonesian Rupiah
Electricity
220V, 50Hz, Euro Plug
Cost of a Dive Trip in Maratua
Dive Resort
Best Dive Sites in Maratua
🐠Big Fish Country (The Channel)
Perhaps the signature site of Maratua, Big Fish Country is a narrow channel where tides pump nutrients through the reef. Divers hook in at around 30 m and watch the show: grey reef and whitetip sharks, giant barracuda and jackfish schools, rainbow runners, fusiliers and groupers all gather to feed in the roaring current. The dive ends with a thrilling drift through the channel on the outgoing tide. Recommended only for experienced divers because of the extreme currents.
🐢Mid Reef
Mid Reef combines pristine coral gardens with pelagic action. Morning dives often attract shy thresher sharks to cleaning stations, while nurse and reef sharks, manta and eagle rays and swirling schools of jacks are common all day. Keep one eye on the blue for surprises and the other on the kaleidoscopic hard and soft corals covering every inch of reef.
🦈Turtle Traffic
A shallow site of sand channels and coral bommies where green and hawksbill turtles line up for cleaning; you might lose count of how many you see on a single dive. Nudibranchs, mantis shrimp, lobsters and morays hide among the bommies, and the gentle depth makes it ideal for beginners and photographers.
🐙Fantasy Wall
This dramatic wall plunges into the blue, festooned with giant barrel sponges and sea fans. Peer into caves and overhangs for leopard sharks resting out of the current, and finish the dive on top of the wall amid massive hard coral formations.
🐚Jetty Dive
Just a few metres from shore, this shallow house reef is Maratua’s best night‑diving spot. Enter at dusk to watch mandarinfish mating among coral fingers; after dark search for harlequin shrimp, blue‑ringed octopus, crocodilefish and countless nudibranchs. Elephant ear sponges and giant clams add to the scenery.
🦑Cabbage Coral Reef
Only two minutes from Maratua Paradise Resort, this house reef features football‑field‑sized beds of healthy cabbage corals that drop from 5 m down past 40 m and eventually into depths beyond 200 m. Turtles, eagle rays and sometimes manta rays cruise over the undamaged coral garden. Currents are usually mild and visibility ranges from 20 – 30 m.
🐡East Wall
A vertical wall beginning at around 30–40 m then plunging steeply past 70 m. The site is covered with gorgonian sea fans and black coral bushes, earning it the nickname “Eagle‑Ray Point” because eagle rays frequently glide by. Visibility can reach 30–50 m and currents are moderate.
What Divers Say About Diving in Maratua
Yuki Tanaka
Underwater Photographer / Master Scuba DiverMaratua blew me away. 🌊 The currents at Big Fish Country are no joke—you hook in and watch an underwater traffic jam of barracudas, reef sharks and jacks whizzing past your mask. It’s like sitting in a cinema, except your seat sways with the sea. On calmer days, sites like Turtle Traffic and the Jetty let you slow down and soak up the details: mandarinfish mating in the twilight, tiny nudibranchs crawling over sponges and green turtles dozing under coral ledges. The walls are draped in soft corals and gigantic sponges, and there’s always the chance of something big—manta rays gliding past, eagle rays in formation or even thresher sharks if you’re up early. Being so remote, boat rides take time, but the reward is having pristine reefs all to yourself and sunsets over the lagoon each evening.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diving in Maratua
When is the best time to go scuba diving in Maratua?
Maratua offers good diving all year, but the dry season from March to October has the calmest seas and best visibility, with peak manta and turtle activity.
What marine life can I see while diving in Maratua?
You can encounter tornadoes of barracuda, jacks and fusiliers, green and hawksbill turtles, manta and eagle rays, nurse and reef sharks, occasional thresher and hammerhead sharks, plus countless macro critters like mandarinfish and nudibranchs.
Is Maratua suitable for beginners?
Many Maratua sites feature strong currents and are recommended for experienced divers. However, sheltered reefs and lagoon sites such as Turtle Traffic and the house reef offer calm, shallow conditions ideal for beginners.
How do I get to Maratua?
Most visitors fly to Balikpapan and then to Berau or take a charter flight to Maratua; from Berau it’s a short car ride to the jetty followed by a 2.5–3 hour speedboat. Public boats also run from Tarakan and Berau as per the resort schedule.
How many dive sites are there around Maratua?
There are over 20 dive sites around Maratua, including the famous Big Fish Country, Mid Reef, Turtle Traffic, Fantasy Wall, Lighthouse and the house reef.
Can I dive with manta rays in Maratua?
Yes. Manta rays are regularly seen at Big Fish Country, Mid Reef and especially at the manta cleaning stations around the atoll during the dry season.
What are the water temperatures and visibility in Maratua?
Water temperatures range from about 23°C to 30°C. Visibility varies from 15–20 metres in strong‑current channels to 30–50 metres on walls and reefs.
Can I see whale sharks around Maratua?
Whale sharks sometimes visit the region outside of the full‑moon period, but sightings are unpredictable.