Ulingan Beach in Tanjung Batu Village, Derawan Archipelago

Derawan Island Sub-district has many tourist potentials, especially beaches. One of them is called Ulingan Beach, which resides in Tanjung Batu Village. It is a well-managed beach, in fact. The locals take advantage of the beach to attract tourists or any people who are going to Maratua or Derawan Island. Apart from being a good checkpoint to relax, the beach is suitable for a family vacation. It is true most of the visitors are the locals. However, some outsiders are also seen in the location. It is because the number of visitors keeps increasing over time. Moreover, Ulingan is considered as famous as Balikpapan’s Mangar Beach and Tarakan’s Amal Beach.

The Nuance
For those who look for serenity, Ulingan Beach is considered not suitable. It is because a number of visitors is high. Not only it is crowded by tourists, but the beach is also crowded by some local vendors. They sell snacks, drinks, and even fresh coconut! These vendors also build a tent, so customers can relax while enjoying their foods. What about the beauty of the beach? The sand is brownish, coming with a soft texture. When it comes to water, it is calm and suitable for swimming. Ulingan also has several features like gusty wind, trees, and small coral reefs.

Exploring Ulingan Beach
The best time to visit Ulingan Beach is either during weekend or day off. Why is that? The nuance is more festive, so tourists can meet other visitors and enjoy a vacation together. Thanks to the high number of visitors, the locals can earn more money from tourists, either by selling foods or tour guiding. They even provide ample parking space to visitors! Their purpose is only one, which is to give a positive impression to tourists. They hope visitors keep coming to the beach and spread good information to others regarding the beauty of Ulingan.

According to locals, the government had a plan to build a golf course near to the beach. However, the project was canceled. Despite the fact, Ulingan Beach doesn’t lose its popularity. It even gets more visitors as the time goes by and most of them are families with kids. Due to calm waves and comfortable nuance, tourists are likely to get in the water and swim in it. It is quite safe, after all. For those who don’t like swimming, they can simply enjoy beach walking and sightseeing. Later, they must buy local foods, which are sold nearby. 

As mentioned earlier, Ulingan Beach is crowded during weekends. It is a good thing for tourists, though. They can make some new friends when spending a vacation at the beach. For foreigners, they can learn a bit Indonesian Language, as well. In other words, the beach is almost perfect. It only needs better facilities like parking area and public toilet. No wonder, tourists have a little problem when it comes to undressing.

Nearby Attractions

• Derawan Island
• Panjang Island
• Maratua Island

How to Get There
For those coming from Tanjung Redeb, the trip only takes 2 hours. However, it might be a long trip for those coming from Balikpapan City. In this case, they need to spend about 18 hours and 30 minutes, as the distance is 816 km. As for the faster trip, Ahmad Yani Street becomes a good choice.

Where to Stay

• Mega Buana Inn
• Derawan Dive Lodge
• Fisheries Eco Villa