Maratua Island in Berau District, East Kalimantan Province
Regarded as a small archipelago, Derawan starts attracting lots of tourists. One of its islands is called Maratua and it is considered as an outer island of the nation. It is located near to Malaysia and Sulawesi Sea, in fact. Still, it belongs to Berau District. To be exact, it is situated in the south of Tarakan City. The question is what makes it popular among tourists. It can be due to its resort and pristine nature. Mostly, people come to the island to find peace and enjoy its serene nuance.
The Nuance
Maratua is a small and curvy island. Due to its unspoiled nature, the ambiance is quite calming. Many types of trees grow abundantly on the island, especially coconut trees. All of them make a shady atmosphere, so visitors can rest under them comfortably. What’s next? The top feature of the island is its resort that comes with a beautiful architecture. In fact, it provides floating rooms with an access to the sea. Not to mention it is located near to a beautiful beach with its white sand. The water is calm and warm, as well.
Exploring Maratua Island
In a nutshell, the island is suitable for a vacation retreat. That means tourists come to Maratua in order to get rid of their stresses they got from a busy city life. Spending several days in the resort and enjoying beautiful sea scenery are indeed rejuvenating. Plus, they have the chance to explore all parts of the island by walking. The lush nature and gusty wind never fail to amaze visitors, after all. For those who love photography, many stunning objects are available to get captured, including trees, beaches, boats, sky, etc.
People also come to Maratua Island for diving. Apart from local divers, some foreigners are also interested in exploring the sea near to the island. The thing is the sea creatures and corals are not as abundant as those of Derawan Island. Despite the fact, people won’t regret getting in the water either to do snorkeling or diving. Another consideration is related to the equipment. It is better not to prepare diving equipment prior to visiting the island. Also, no instructors are available in Maratua, so beginners should come with experienced companions!
Once they enjoy diving, the next activity is an exploration. According to the locals, Maratua Island is the home of caves and lakes. All of them are worth a visit, for sure. Among those attractions, the most popular one is a lake with freshwater jellyfishes. If this isn’t enough, tourists can head conduct snorkeling in the morning. At the time, they are likely to meet beautiful white manta rays and lionfishes underwater. Another attraction is the sea turtles that appear either in the morning or afternoon. They can be found at the beach, actually.
Nearby Attractions
- Haji Buang Lake
- Tanah Bamban Lake
- Kakaban Island
How to Get There
In order to reach Maratua Island, travelers need to go to Derawan Island first. From there, the next destination is Tanjung Batu Port and takes a boat to Maratua. This only takes about 1 hour as the distance is not quite far. Once they reach Maratua, they can directly rent a resort room and get prepared to explore the island!
Where to Stay
- Maratua Paradise Resort
- Atia Hotel
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