Watching Kima in Gosong Pinaka, Berau District, East Kalimantan Province

Consisting of small and big islands, Derawan Archipelago keeps luring tourists from other regions. It even has several shoals or Gosongs! One of them is none other than Pinaka. Such small sandy reef has been part of the best tourist spots in Derawan, but it has low popularity. There is only a single reason, which is its desolated location. Not to mention it is only accessible during the low tide. Due to this reason, it is a bit troublesome in enjoying its beauty and spending a holiday there. Knowing the fact, people must manage their schedule well prior to visiting the shoal and work with a reliable tour agent prior to going to Gosong Pinaka.

The Nuance
Like other shoals in Derawan Archipelago, Pinaka is quite small. Thanks to the size. Tourists can easily explore the sandbank without difficulties. The atmosphere is a bit hot, though. It is because the shoal appears at noon, so there is no chance to visiting it during the high tide – at night. One thing that they can be sure of is the shoal offers flawless sea scenery and pristine water! This explains why most of the tourists are likely to go snorkeling once they arrive at Gosong Pinaka.

Exploring Gosong
As mentioned earlier, the atmosphere is not suitable for wandering or beach walking. Still, those are possible activities to do, as long as visitors have applied sunblock or sunscreen before alighting. Those who come to Pinaka for snorkeling also need to prepare the equipment beforehand. They must have known the reason, which is the inexistence of facilities or people in the shoal. What they can see is a pure nature with its stunning sea. Also, it is better to go snorkeling by a group because it is considered safer.

Apart from fishes and corals, there is another amusing lure called Kima! It is a giant clam and they can be found easily in the sea near to Gosong Pinaka. The fact is such exotic creature only lives in Southeast Asia and they can grow up to 1.5 meters! The rumor has it people had found one with the size of 2.5 meters! Being an amusing attraction in the sea, they also have an important role to the nautical environment. For snorkelers, it is a bit difficult to see Kima clearly. The reason is that they live in deep water, so only professional divers and skilled snorkelers can approach it.

Well, snorkeling is not the only option. Tourists can also take some pictures (selca) in Gosong Pinaka. Later, they can do island hopping in nearby spots like Maratua and Kakaban. At the end of the adventure, tourists must go back to Derawan Island and enjoy delicious dinner like seafood, Elai, Sarang Semut, etc. Even some eateries sell Kima-Kima, which are made of the sea creature mentioned earlier.

Nearby Attractions

• Kakaban Island
• Maratua Island

How to Get There
In order to reach Gosong Pinaka, travelers need to reach Derawan Island first. Still, their prime destination is Berau City (Kalimarau Airport). Next, they need to ride a boat to Derawan and take another boat service to Gosong Pinaka that resides near to Kakaban. Once again, the shoal is only visible during the low tide.

Where to Stay

• Virgin Cocoa
• Maratua Paradise Resort