Indonesian Borneo

[pierax]

Hi. Has anyone been diving Derawan and Maratua recently? I'm interested in going there but read someone had a really bad experience some of years ago (2015 I think it was). The mantas had been fished and eaten and dynamite fishing caused dead coral everywhere. I woul really appreciate an update.

Thanks

 

[vemura]

Sorry can't help you in those specific areas but you might want to post here

 

[Centrals]

I have not dived those places recently but certainly it was much later than 2015.
Manta? Yes, they were there.
Dead coral? Yes. Could be due to any reason.
Large scale of coral destruction? Definitely NOT.

 

[Dan]

I was there last August 2022. Here are some videos from the trip:

 

[pierax]

Thank you

Hi. Has anyone been diving Derawan and Maratua recently? I'm interested in going there but read someone had a really bad experience some of years ago (2015 I think it was). The mantas had been fished and eaten and dynamite fishing caused dead coral everywhere. I woul really appreciate an update.

Thanks

Thank you very much for the helpful and comforting info!!

 

[Bora_Horza]

I stayed on Derawan and dived with Scuba Junkie Sangalaki in July 2022 for just over a week, and had a really good time. Some beautiful corals fringing Maratua, Kakaban, and in the shallows around Sangalaki. See below for a video I put together. Have fun.

 

[Dan]

I stayed on Derawan and dived with Scuba Junkie Sangalaki in July 2022 for just over a week, and had a really good time. Some beautiful corals fringing Maratua, Kakaban, and in the shallows around Sangalaki. See below for a video I put together. Have fun.

Nice video. Thanks for sharing.

Seeing Guitar Sharks would be a treat for me. I only saw them in Sea of Cortez & Maldives.

No luck with manta?

 

[Bora_Horza]

Thank you. We did see a manta from the boat at Sangalaki, but otherwise they were elsewhere. I heard they were back a week later of course, ha!

 

[AlMitch]

@Bora_Horza stunning video.