Night trip to Pulau Derawan

Evening - 11th November, 2011

A crazy night trip to Pulau Derawan, a small, remote island in the Derawan Archipelago...


I think it was almost 7pm when I landed in Berau....it was dark and I had to walk across the tarmac to the tiny airport...a small room that was the baggage claim area.

My first encounter was at the baggage claim with a "rockstar" from Jakarta! Pretty funny! And my second encounter was just upon walking out of the departures (basically from the small room that was the baggage claim!) with a short local guy, who I would find out later was - Ruslan. He approached me and started saying that he has a car and he's ready to go! I thought...hang on a minute...where are we going?! I tried to ask him about any hotel recommendations, as my plan so far was to stay in Berau one night and tomorrow try to find out the best way to get to Pulau Derawan. A strange conversation of confusion went on for a while, then I ended up moving away from him as I was just so confused about what he was going on about, as it wasn't making any sense to me! Then suddenly, this local guy is handing me his mobile phone...and I'm talking to some other local guy about his speed boat! He told me that he could take me to Pulau Derawan tonight! We discussed prices and I thought - Let's do it! I will try to get to Pulau Derawan tonight! Asyikkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk! Cooooooooool!

Then, all the confusion became clear, Ruslan was actually picking up a girl from Jakarta, who had actually booked the car and speedboat beforehand...and Ruslan thought that I was that girl! Hahaha! It came to the realisation that I was not the girl from Jakarta, as he knew that she was arriving on a Sriwijaya flight and I had been on the Trigana Air flight! But both flights were late in so it was all very confusing. Anyway, Ruslan eventually asked me what flight I was on...and when I said 'Trigana' - it was written all over his face...the mix-up that was...he obviously thought that I was on the Sriwijaya flight! 

He told me that if I wanted to get to Pulau Derawan tonight - it was possible! I could join them for the two hour drive from Berau to Tanjung Batu, where there is a port and the speedboat would be waiting (the guy that I spoke to earlier on the phone!). So, we waited for the Sriwijaya flight to land...we waited over an hour or so...just hanging around outside the airport, chatting to locals that were also hanging around waiting for the late flight to arrive...I even took photos with local families! Hehehehe...

Finally the Sriwijaya flight arrived and we met Deta, a sweet Indonesian girl from Jakarta and her friend  who was working in Balikpapan. We headed to the car and took off - first stopping at a shop for last minute essentials, which for me was - Nescafe sachets, Pop Mi and Aqua! Hahaha! and then started our two hour journey to Tanjung Batu. The road was really bad for the first part, with huge pot holes full of water, but the road did eventually get a better. Ruslan, Deta and I chatted the whole way, basically for two hours...until we finally reacjed the port at Tanjung Batu...but the speedboat wasn't there!

After hanging around for a little while, the speedboat turned up...and we jumped into the speedboat and headed off into the darkness of the open ocean. It was after 11pm by this stage. We finally made it to Pulau Derawan, it was after midnight when we arrived...and we had to one-by-one get out of the speedboat and start pushing and pulling the boat into shore, it was low tide and we couldn't get the boat in! Hahaha! We all laughed at the sight of ourselves...but it was after midnight and no one was around!....Anyway, I was so glad that I was finally here and when I woke up in the morning, I didn't need to think about travelling anymore! I was absolutely exhausted...but so happy! =)

Even though Pulau Derawan was always part of my travelling plan for this trip, I was never quite sure if I would make it or not!? But I had made it - such a good feeling!

We landed at the pier of Reza Homestay....and I met Pak John, the owner. I dumped my backpack on the balcony of the closest bungalow...I was checking in! Funny - it was the place that I had read about on the net before departing, and I had thought to myself that I would look out for it, as it had been recommended by other tourists! And here I was, at Reza Homestay! They were cute little bungalows, on stilts above the water...I could only just imagine the view tomorrow morning!

I sat on the pier chatting to Deta and the speedboat driver for a few hours...the stars in the sky were amazing! I was so excited that I was actually there on Pulau Derawan, that I felt like I couldn't sleep! Possibly over-tired!? So glad that I made it!

NB: Please see updated post on Pulau Derawan for current info - July 2013