Where to dive in Balikpapan

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sinbadscuba

Registered
Messages
5
Reaction score
1
Location
Balikpapan, Indonesia
# of dives
500 - 999
I am a PADI IDC Staff instructor. I am moving to Balikpapan this summer. I have noticed that there are no PADI dive shops listed on the Indonesian side of Borneo. Where do people dive? What dive shops are there? I want to affiliate with one to teach students and arrange trips. thanks
 
Hi sinbad, there is derawan island in east kalimantan, is very good for diving. a lot of turtle, manta, barracuda schooling, beautiful reef and the famous non sting jellyfish in a lake inside kakaban island. also you can find tresher shark. in derawan island and some island surounding area, there are some nice resort that we can stay.
To go there from balikpapan, you can fly to tanjung redeb, and follow with speedboat to derawan island.
 
In addition to Derawan and Kakaban, I would add Sangalaki, which is known for schooling manta rays. The jellyfish lake on Kakaban is not as impressive as Palau's, but those are the only two in the world, so it is definitely worth checking out. There is a lot of dynamite damage in the area, so the diving is not what it should be, but that's true just about everywhere.
 
Narwastu Dive Centre (near Bahtera Hotel) was pushing dive trips and training on local reefs, dependent on tides and not great vis but they were OK. I live about an hour north by plane and we dive here every Sunday. I also instruct here. There are some wrecks in the bay but they're deep and hard to organise logistically although there are a few guys with rebreathers and tech gear in Balikpapan. And of course there's Derawan/Nabucco/Sangalaki etc. Lastly the Amagiri is to the south off Tanah Grogot - I've yet to dive it but I'm told it's OK.
 
hi Sinbad, Gun & Vladimir, I'm new to diving but recently built an interest on it. I wonder where in Balikpapan I can get a diving certification (like PADI Open Water). Thanks.
 
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