SIMILANS, THAILAND

August 10 - 16, 2025

Explore the islands that the world hasn’t discovered yet

Off the east coast of Kalimantan, Borneo, lies the island of Maratua, way off the tourism map and undiscovered by mass tourism.     And the pristine waters around the island are home to the same staggering biodiversity that this part of the world is famous for:   vibrant coral, large variety of marine life, the chance to see mantas, whalesharks and eve hammerheads… and the highlight of the region:  massive schools of barracuda and jacks.

 

Come join us as we explore the waters of this area while they are still undiscovered..

Overview

 

 

Our 7 day/6 night package is based off an upscale resort on the island of Maratua, with the option of upgrading to water villas.   The trip includes 15 dives, full board and all transfers to/from Berau. 

 

Divers have the option of doing an orang-utan tour after the trip is over.     

 

10/6: Arrive in Berau Airport no later than 1345, and transfer over to Maratua

11/6 – 15/6:  15 dives included 3 days in Maratua, 1 day in Sangalaki and 1 day in Kakaban (itinerary subject to change based on prevailing conditions)

16/6 – Transfer back to Berau airport to take 1425 or later flight, or do optional sightseeing tours

 

The diving is classical tropical diving – warm, mostly-clear waters and varying currents.     Advanced certification is required as most of the dives will be deeper, and 20 dives is a good rule of thumb for experience – although more than number of dives, it is more important to have good buoyancy skills, the ability to do a controlled descent and ascent and generally be comfortable in the water.

 

Diver/guide ratio is 4:1 and one of our instructors will also be along, to provide additional support, training and advice if needed.

 

 

 

We will be based in an upscale resort on the island of Maratua (Noah Resort).   The standard room type is a garden view room, and divers can upgrade to a water villa at an extra cost, if they so desire.   All meals, tea/coffee and tea-time snacks are included in the package.

A visa is needed for Indonesia, but can be applied for in advance (eVOA) or obtained on arrival.   It’s a fairly easy process.

 

In terms of travel logistics – divers can either fly to Jakarta or to Bali (Bali has direct flights on Indigo from Bangalore), and then take an onwards flight to Tanjung Redeb / Berau (BEJ).     Batik Air offers an additional free 15kg baggage allowance for scuba diving equipment and is also the most reliable of the airlines flying over.

 

The key point is to arrive no later than 1345 on the day in – and to pick a flight at 1425 or later on the way out.

 

Due to the remoteness of the location, dive insurance is mandatory and we have options for both short-term and long-term insurance from DAN and Dive Assure.

 

Trip price:    $1700 single occupancy / $2000 double occupancy 

Water villas are available for a surcharge

 

 

Payment Schedule:

$500 deposit on booking

Balance due by June 25, 2026

 

 

Extras:

Tip:  $100

Gear rental:  $40/day

Nitrox:  $25/day or $10/tank

Alcohol and soft drinks

Personal expenses

  • Please contact us for the cancellation policy for this trip
  • Do note the flight arrival and departure times needed to sync with the transfers
  • This is a great trip for divers of all experience levels – a great way to gain experience as well as get some excellent diving in.
  • We will create a Whatsapp group that participants can join once they have confirmed the trip.   We will use this group for trip logistics, planning flights, etc.
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