Remote Indonesia Expedition – Limited Spots Available
Remote Indonesia Expedition – Limited Spots Available
Remote frontier diving on Maratua Island in the heart of the Coral Triangle! BIG animals, pristine reefs and unlimited dives await at one of Indonesia’s most untouched destinations!
Trip Dates: 25 Aug – 1 Sept 2027 ($3995)
We’re off on another incredible pelagic adventure, exploring one of the most remote and untouched destinations in all of Indonesia – spectacular Maratua Island, located deep within the heart of the Coral Triangle!
Maratua, an internationally renowned marine region famous for its incredible biodiversity, pristine reefs and spectacular pelagic encounters lies in the middle of the Derawan Archipelago Marine Park. It has become a major focus for marine conservation and anti-illegal fishing initiatives in the least 3 years due to the importance of its reefs and marine ecosystems. The region is considered one of the richest marine ecosystems on the planet and is famous for its crystal clear water, massive schools of barracuda and incredible pelagic encounters with some of the largest species in the oceans, such as orcas, manta rays, leopard sharks, thresher sharks, whalesharks, hammerhead sharks and the many hundreds of turtles that call the pristine coral reefs around the island their home.
Unlike many of Indonesia’s more heavily visited dive destinations, Maratua has only recently been put on the map as a prime Indonesian diving destination and still feels raw, remote and largely undiscovered, giving divers the rare opportunity to experience frontier-style diving in an area that remains relatively untouched by mass tourism.
One of the absolute highlights of this region is the possibility of diving with whale sharks around the traditional Indonesian fishing platforms known as “bagans”. We will also have the opportunity to dive one of only a handful of places in the world where you can swim amongst thousands of non-stinging jellyfish in a completely unique marine environment formed over thousands of years at the famous jellyfish lake. The island itself is absolutely stunning, surrounded by turquoise water, white sandy beaches and dense jungle vegetation.
We have specifically planned this trip during the peak dry season and around the new moon period to maximise visibility, marine life activity and whale shark potential around the bagans. August and early September are widely regarded as the very best months of the year to dive this region, with calm seas, excellent visibility and comfortable diving conditions.
Dive Adventures have made us another amazing deal on this once-in-a-lifetime trip and we’re sure it will fill up quickly, so don’t miss out on your chance to dive this stunning area! Domestic flights in Indonesia ex Denpasar are included, as well as unlimited diving (12 boat dives + unlimited house reef dives)!
To book, simply click on the link above or send us an email and we will send you an online booking form right away. At the time of booking a deposit of $900 is required to secure your spot.
Located within the protected Derawan Archipelago Marine Park, Noah Maratua Resort is located directly over the turquoise waters of Maratua Atoll and offers unlimited house reef diving, small dive groups, Starlink internet and direct access to some of the best diving in the area!
The atolls and channel are best dived from the local resort, to maximise our chances of seeing the best this area has to offer!
A range of room options are available, including single occupancy rooms and upgrades to premium overwater villas.
Join us on this adventure of a lifetime!
Return Airfares ex Denpasar to Berau (via Surabaya) with Lion and Batik Air.
We have chosen to fly in from Denpasar instead of from Adelaide, as Jetstar offers much better terms when privately booked compared to booking a group flight.
This also offers the divers the opportunity to add on a few nights in Bali before or after the trip to relax or dive some of the excellent sites surrounding the island.
All transfers are included:
The package price is based on 10 nights twin share accommodation with a total of 7 nights at Noah Maratua Resort in a Manta Villa.
1 Night Twin Share at the Novotel Bali Ngurah Rai (one night before the flights out to Berau).
With a total of 12 boat dives and unlimited (unguided) shore dives on the house reef, you can do as many dives in the Marine Park as you could possible want.
Noah Maratua are well-known for the great tours they run!
In your package we have included the following tour:
Eat, sleep, dive, repeat is a great mantra for our unlimited diving package at Maratua!
Tea/coffee, mineral water and tea-time snacks as well as breakfast are included at the Noah Maratua Resort.
Full Board package available as well (+$257).
Noah Maratua Resort have included one traditional lobster dinner with our stay.
Tanks and weights are included in this trip. Rental gear is not included in this trip.
If you need any gear, we highly recommend having a look at our online store or contact us to rent gear for the duration of the trip at a reduced rate.
A total of 25kg luggage allowance is included with our tickets from Bali to Berau return.
If you would prefer a larger allowance, an optional upgrade to 30kg costs approximately $50 each way (subject to availability).
Your departure and airline taxes are included with your domestic tickets.
Prefer a villa to yourself? Noah Resort Maratua offer single room upgrades at the following rates:
(subject to availability)
Full board packages are available at Noah Maratua Resort.
Breakfast is included in the standard package.
Full board is available at +$257 (AUD) per person.
Whalesharks can be encountered on any dive during the trip.
Noah Maratua Resort offer a dedicated whaleshark tour, where we’ll visit the traditional bagans (Indonesian fishing platforms) which are frequented by whalesharks.
Additional cost = +$67.
We have already included 12 guided boat dives + unlimited house reef (shore) dives, but for those who would like to do even more pelagic drift dives from the boat, additional boat dives can be done.
Cost = US$40 per dive.
The standard luggage allowance on the flights from Bali to Berau is 25kg.
The cost for an additional 5kg (total: 30kg) is: $50 each way (subject to availability).
One night (before the trip) at the Novotel on Denpasar Airport is included in your trip. The Novotel is a very short walk from the terminal and extremely convenient for this purpose.
The trip will end on Denpasar Airport after our return flight from Berau.
If you would like to book an additional night at the Novotel, either before the trip or at the end, this is possible at approximately $100 per person based on twin share.
We highly recommend adding on a Bali extension at the end of the trip.
Bali is famous for its amazing resorts, beautiful nature, stunning diving on its north and east coasts and great spas.
Dive Adventures can put together extra diving packages (we highly recommend the macro diving at Tulamben and Amed) or if you would like specific tips, talk to us :).
Each traveller will need a passport to travel to Indonesia. Australians can purchase their Indonesian visa beforehand or simply purchase one on arrival in Bali.
Visa fees are not included.
Extra fees will apply for:
We highly recommend taking out travel insurance as well as DAN diving insurance for this trip.
Any excess luggage fees can be prebooked with our travel agent beforehand or can be paid at the airport.
The trip price is based ex Denpasar (Bali). Tickets ex Adelaide or any other airport in the world, can be included if preferred, at an additional cost, or points can be used if you have points available.
If you’re flying in from Adelaide, we highly recommend booking your flights to Denpasar privately, as Jetstar and Air Asia offer much better terms for private travellers compared to travel agent bookings.
All pricing is subject to change. Please use package and upgrade pricing as an indicative price only, as exchange rate and flight prices can change.
The Maratua Marine Park is a unique national marine protected area in a remote region blessed with epic encounters!
Check out this beautiful video of the Maratua Marine Park, capturing stunning aerial and underwater scenes, within the Derawan archipelago, one of the best diving regions Indonesia has to offer!
Join us in 2027 to explore the underwater world of Maratua from the beautiful Noah Marartua Resort and see why this region has recently risen to fame as one of the best pelagic diving areas in the world!
The protected Maratua & Derawan Archipelago Marine Park lies off the east coast of Borneo (Indonesia), within the heart of the world-famous Coral Triangle.
The remote tropical island archipelago is surrounded by crystal clear turquoise waters, dramatic drop-offs and vibrant coral reefs that are amongst the richest marine ecosystems on the planet.
The tidal currents flowing between the inner lagoons of the atolls attract huge amounts of marine life and create spectacular pelagic diving conditions, making the region famous for its enormous schools of barracuda, turtles, manta rays, thresher, hammer & reef sharks, eagle rays and whale sharks, as well as the unique Jellyfish Lake. The rich coral reefs fringing the islands are protected as part of one of Indonesia’s most important conservation areas.
Check out Noah Maratua Resort’s Instagram page for the latest sightings and spectacular encounters from the area!
From whale sharks to manta rays and from turtles to the resident huge school of barracudas, it’s all there and more!
Get a feel for the marine life you’re about to encounter on this trip and the pristine reefs, crystal clear turquoise waters and typical conditions you’ll experience!
The weather at Maratua is at its best between April and October with June to September being the peak time for best visibility and calm sea conditions.
We have planned our trip in August, right on the new moon, which gives us spring tides and very dark nights, a combination that creates stronger baitfish aggregations, which increases fish and pelagic activity to give us the highest chances of spotting whalesharks and other large pelagics!
August is characterised by clear skies and warm, sun-drenched days, while water temperatures are a comfortable 28-30 degrees.
Whether you’re a seasoned diver seeking new adventures or a novice eager to discover the wonders of the ocean, diving in Maratua promises an unforgettable journey. It’s a destination that will captivate your senses, ignite your spirit of exploration, and leave you with lifelong memories of the beauty and grandeur of the underwater world.
An official marine life calendar for Maratua does not exist yet, but the last week of August on Noah Resort’s Instagram page shows encounters with:
That’s an amazing hit list for 1 week of diving!
While Maratua is famous for big animal encounters, the marine park is smack bang in the middle of the Coral Triangle! For macro critter photo- and videographers, the unlimited house reef dives will be an ideal opportunity to take a break from the pelagic drift dives and spend time with the small and wonderful critters that have moved in on the house reef!
Just 20m from the shore, the house reef has an exceptional biodiversity where you can spend hours hunting for critters straight from the resort. Macro critters are often found by slowing down and repeatedly diving the same shallow reefs at different times of the day – especially during twilight dives, and the Maratua trip will have plenty of opportunities for those!
Never travelling with us before? Let our professional instructor and divemaster team take you on an adventure like you’ve never experienced before!
We pick the best destinations in the world for our trips and always try to book the best time of the year to go! Currents bring in big animals, so we always keep an eye on the lunar cycle and plan our trips at a time that we can expect the best possible diving at that location!
Travel with likeminded people and make dive or travel buddies for life! We have an amazing group of people that travel with us regularly that make every trip a party and keep coming back year after year!
