Excotix Kakaban lake - Indonesia

Map of the northern part of Borneo (Sabah, Sarawak, East-Kalimantan)

Justly celebrated as a biological paradise, Kakaban Island (Pulau Kakaban) is a truly awe-inspiring place. Part of the Kepulauan Sangalaki Marine Wildlife Reserve off the coast of East Kalimantan, Kakaban is a coral atoll that was uplifted by geological forces thousands of years ago, turning the lagoon into a land-locked lake. The five-square-kilometer body of water, surrounded of the interior of the island. In the local dialect Kakaban means "hug" as the island hugs the lake from the surrounding sea-water.

Map of the dive islands of Sangalaki, Derawan, Nabucco, Manatua and Kakaban in the Berau Archipelago (East-Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia)

From the surface, Kakaban Lake (Danau Kakaban) looks like a typical freshwater lake, but below there is an abundance of colorful marine life. In fact, the lake is considered the world’s largest and most diverse jellyfish lake and includes at least four species of sting-less jellyfish. The mystery of how the lake’s plant and animal life were able to survive in this isolated system is a subject that marine scientists and geologist still argue about. The sea surrounding Kakaban Island is also home to large shoals of Barracuda as well as blue fined tunas and big sharks. You can do a drift dive but a grab line has been permanently secured at 24 m across a relatively flat area on the upcurrent side of the point. Currents can be fierce with down currents.

Blue light cave is for experienced divers since the exit is quite deep. The cave starts at a hole accessible at low tide on the top of the wall at 2 meters and descends through a narrow chimney. At about 21 meters the chimney opens into a large cavern with the bottom at 30 meters. Swimming along the ceiling of the cave for about 120m is also possible and as you approach the exit of the cave, the blue light of the sea can be seen. The exit is a long vertical crack in the wall and about 2 meters wide which lies at 44 meters, there is also another exit at 64 meters. The dive is finished on the wall.

The island is uninhabited except for fishermen who use the island as transit stop. However, Indonesia’s Ministry of marine & Fisheries is keen to encourage tourism development in the area; diving tourism being the most obvious segment to promote.

How to get there
To reach Kakaban island, you first take a plane from Balikpapan to Tg.Redep, the capital of Berau district, East Kalimantan. You can then take a speedboat to reach Kakaban island through Derawan and Sangkali islands in 20 to 30 minutes. Best months are April to December.

Island for let
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity exists to invest in your own slice of paradise in the most culturally and ecologically diverse country in the world. Indonesia launched a pilot project to encourage investment involving 100 islands, including Kakaban, in the archipelago for lease periods of up to 85 years. Already 68 of the 100 islands have been catalogues, with the Ministry in the process of developing a price index, which includes accessibility to other countries, accessibility of the island itself, such as ports or landing strips, and then infrastructure, including availability of water. Investment in these small islands can take the following forms; mariculture, tourism, fishing, fresh water procurement, agriculture, animal husbandry, plantations and energy and mineral resources.