Rabu-Rabu Island in Berau District, East Kalimantan Province

One of the most visited islands in Derawan Archipelago is called Rabu-Rabu. The location is near to the island of Kalimantan, so it is quite reachable for tourists. Despite its beauty, not many foreigners have heard about it. Rabu-Rabu is recognized as a stunning island with its majestic nautical attractions, including corals and fishes. Not to mention it has a strategic location, which is near to Tanjung Batu Village. No wonder, all homestay and hotel owners can take advantage of its tourism. The only consideration is that the island has no inhabitants, so tourists won’t find many accommodations and facilities there.

The Nuance
When it is about the size, it is about 25 hectares. Despite the small size, Rabu-Rabu Island is famous for its formation of corals. Their size is considered enormous, which lures tourists to go snorkeling there. Here is another important fact. Those corals become natural protections against sediments that reach other islands like Sangalaki, Maratua, Derawan, and Kakaban. This explains why the underwater scenery near to those islands is crystal clear and clean. For those visiting Rabu-Rabu Island, they can explore the sea by either snorkeling or diving. They even have the chance to be an adopter of stupa reefs!

Exploring Rabu-Rabu Island
It is likely the island has signature attractions, which are its stupa reefs. What are they? Those are artificial corals, which are made by the locals. The purpose is to provide more houses for fishes and other sea creatures underwater. Not to mention it becomes an effort to rehabilitate the richness of the sea. As the name suggests, the shape of such artificial corals is similar to a stupa. They also come with several holes, on which fishes can go in and out. Today, tourists are allowed to participate in such program and learn how to install it.

Due to the presence of stupa reefs, Rabu-Rabu Island becomes an interesting vacation spot for everyone. In fact, it provides an education facility and research area for those who want to learn about marine life. That means people would be inspired by such corals conservation and they may give more attention to nature. Moreover, they get the chance to do both snorkeling and diving while participating in such program. No other islands in Derawan provide such opportunity, in fact. Not only professional divers, beginners can also enjoy it.

Once tourists enjoy such nautical adventure, they need to visit a nearby village, which is Tanjung Batu. In that location, they can try local foods like Tele-Tele, Sarang Semut, Kima-Kima, and Elai. Those are considered snacks, though. The best thing is they are not pricey, so everyone can try them all without spending too much money. As an alternative, tourists can carry foods and drinks when visiting Rabu-Rabu Island, so they don’t need to buy anything during the vacation.

Nearby Attractions

• Tanjung Batu Village
• Derawan Island
• Panjang Island

How to Get There
First, travelers need to head to Balikpapan City by airplane. From there, they can take any local transportation service to Tanjung Batu Port. Next, they must rent either a local boat or speedboat and head to Rabu-Rabu Island. That’s all.

Where to Stay
Derawan Dive Lodge