Home DESTINATION EAST KALIMANTAN TIMUR 东加里曼丹 FAM Trip Kaltara: Part 4- Swimming With Jellyfish @ Kakaban Lake

FAM Trip Kaltara: Part 4- Swimming With Jellyfish @ Kakaban Lake

November 13, 2020

Location : Pulau Kakaban, Kabupaten Berau, Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia.

Kakaban island is part of the Derawan Islands, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The island has an area of 774.2 hectares (1,913 acres). The most distinctive feature is the huge brackish water lake in the middle of the island, in the local dialect Kakaban means “hug” as the island hugs the lake from the surrounding seawater, where thousands of jellyfish live, making it interesting for diving. The jellyfish consist of four different species which do not have the ability to harm humans with their stinging cells. They are Aurelia aurita with a transparent body, Tripedalia cystophora which is fingertip size, Mastigias papua is like a green-brown bulb, and Cassiopea ornata which is an upside-down jellyfish with upright tentacles. (Wiki)

Kakaban Island, Danau Ubur-Ubur, Stingless Jellyfish Lake, adventure, nature, destination, diving, Snorkelling, Berau, Pariwisata, tourist attraction, Trans Borneo, 婆罗洲卡卡班岛, 印尼旅游景点, 东加里曼丹水母天堂, — On the right is the sea. On the left is the fresh water lake

Derawan Archipelago, Pulau Kakaban, Danau Ubur-Ubur, Stingless Jellyfish Lake, backpackers, diving, Snorkelling, exploration, hidden paradise, Berau, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, Pariwisata, Tourist attraction, Borneo, — The jetty at Kakaban Lake

Weather in the islands could change abruptly but luckily the shower was short lived just as we were about to depart for Kakaban island famous for its stingless jellyfish. Nothing much had changed since our last visit. The sand was white as always and spotless thanks to no human inhabitation in this island. Thousands of years of being locked out from the sea water had rendered the jellyfish here stingless.

Derawan Archipelago, Danau Ubur-Ubur, Stingless Jellyfish Lake, adventure, nature, backpackers, outdoor, exploration, mangrove forest, Berau, Kalimantan Timur, travel guide, Borneo, 印尼东加里曼丹, 卡卡班岛旅游景点, — Taking the 5min walk to the lake

Derawan Archipelago, Stingless Jellyfish Lake, nature, outdoor, backpackers, destination, Snorkelling, exploration, Vacation, Kalimantan Timur, Objek wisata, Tourism, 探索婆罗洲游踪, 东加里曼丹卡卡班岛, 印尼水母潜水天堂, — The stingless jellyfish of kakaban can held in one’s hands without itching

Laguna Kehe Daing, Derawan Archipelago, Danau Ubur-Ubur, Stingless Jellyfish Lake, nature, backpackers, destination, diving, hidden paradise, Vacation, Wonderful Indonesia, wisata alam, travel guide, 婆罗洲东加里曼丹, 印尼卡卡班岛 — The cats of Kakaban

Our next stop was to Kehe Daing Lagoon on the western most of Kakaban Island where a spectacular emerald pool laid hidden.

Emerald Pool, Lagoon, Lobang Ikan, nature, adventure, exploration, Berau, Kalimantan Timur, Pariwisata, Tourist attraction, travel guide, Borneo, 跨境婆罗洲游踪, 印尼东加里曼丹, 卡卡班岛旅游景点 — Berthing at Kehe Daing at the western end of Kakaban

Emerald Pool, Kehe Daing Lagoon, Pulau Kakaban, adventure, nature, backpackers, destination, Vacation, Kalimantan Timur, Wisata alam, Tourist attraction, Trans Borneo, 探索婆罗洲游踪, 印尼东加里曼丹, 卡卡班岛旅游景点 — According to our guide Ricky, there is an opening behind these 3 riocks to a tunnel going into Kehe Daing. So it should be a meromictic Lake.

The pool was chest deep with white sand below. The limestone rocks here were sharp. Advisable not to come here barefooted.

Emerald Pool, Lobang Ikan, Kakaban Island, nature, destination, Snorkelling, holiday, Berau, Pesona Indonesia, wisata alam, Tourism, travel guide, Borneo, 印尼东加里曼丹, 卡卡班岛旅游景点 — The Tourism guys of Kaltara.

Laguna, Kepulauan Derawan, nature, backpackers, hidden paradise, Vacation, East Kalimantan, Wonderful Indonesia, wisata alam, Tourism, travel guide, Borneo, 穿越婆罗洲游踪, 印尼东加里曼丹, 卡卡班岛旅游景点, — Emerald pool of Kehe Daing Lagoon

I would prefer this over the first lake if not for the very unsafe ladder that was used to allow passengers from the boat to alight especially with the boat bobbing up and down with the waves. Something the tourism office should work on before and disaster happens.

Lobang Ikan, Derawan Archipelago, Pulau Kakaban, adventure, outdoor, exploration, Berau, Indonesia, Pariwisata, tourist attraction, travel guide, Trans Border, Borneo, 婆罗洲卡卡班岛, 印尼东加里曼丹, — Alighting from boat to Kehe Daing

The other shortcoming is also the wooden staircase to the toilet at the jellyfish lake near the entrance. It should be replaced with a concrete one. It was too steep, slippery and almost falling apart. Otherwise, Kakaban Island is perfect.