Tourn to Sangalaki Island.

Not many know that in the northern part of East Kalimantan, Berau regency there are precisely in a very beautiful island that is Derawan Islands. Islands consisting of 28 small island offers beautiful beaches and stunning underwater world. Some islands are prioritized to be developed as a maritime tourism in these islands is the Island Derawan, Maratua Island, Island Sangalaki and Kakaban. Each island has a natural beauty and uniqueness of each and Sangalaki Island offers tourist attractions that you might not find on other islands.

WHAT YOU CAN ENJOY IN Sangalaki?

Sangalaki is a small island covering an area about 13 ha. With a relaxed way, you can menglilingi island with the status of Nature Park (TWA) is only within 30 minutes. During the trip, you will enjoy the white sandy beaches and charming sea. In the morning and evening, you can also enjoy the natural phenomena of sunrise and sunset are amazing.

Not only that, as long as you circle the island, you can also see a variety of wildlife that you've probably never seen before. Such as coconut crabs, monitor lizards, eagles bondol, singed bird of the Philippines, reef egrets, birds pergam sea and shore birds / other sea. Along the coast, you can also find various types of mollusks (clams) in various shapes and colors.

In addition, the island also has a natural Sangalaki under a beautiful sea, coral reefs in this island is one of the best in the world. Average coral cover was 26.75% Sangalaki Island to hard coral reefs and 42.50% for life. Based on a survey conducted in 2003 Laeden Museum Naturalis, the Water Island and Island Sangalaki Derawan found 40 species of coral fungi (mushroom coral). This is the location of water areas with the highest diversity of coral mushrooms in Berau MPA (Wiryawan et al, 2005). Sangalaki Island waters also contained 1051 species of reef fish and five species of seagrass.

WHAT IS UNIQUE IN Sangalaki?

All tourist areas in the Islands Derawan has a beautiful underwater world, white sandy beaches and stunning natural scenery. But there is a special tourist attraction on the island of Sangalaki because this island is a turtle landing sites and areas of waters is the location of manta ray aggregation.

TWAL (Nature Park Sea) Sangalaki Island is the island's most important nesting green turtles in Southeast Asia, maybe even the world. Every night, all year 10-30 turtles nesting on the island of Sangalaki. To meyaksikan this attraction, you have to spend the night on the island of turtle nesting activity Sangalaki because you can only meet at night. In addition, the island's turtle conservation activities are also conducted by the NGO, Fondation Turtle. Every morning the officer will move the eggs which were located too close to the sea to a more secure is to place semi-natural turtle hatching eggs. This activity is also quite interesting to follow.

Another uniqueness of the Island Sangalaki is the aggregation of manta rays in the waters of this island. Manta rays are the types of stingrays are the main food of plankton. Sangalaki waters have the highest abundance of zooplankton compared to other water areas in the Berau MPA. The high abundance of zooplankton, it makes this area as a manta ray aggregation of the most high. Manta rays are usually rises to the surface and eat plankton at low tide. And to witness this unique fish, you have to dive.

WHAT CAN BE DONE IN Sangalaki?

a. Diving and snorkeling
To view the underwater world and the various biota that is in it, you can dive or snorkel. These activities do you miss, because they say not to Sangalaki if you do not dive into its waters.
b. Wildlife Observation
The most interesting wildlife to be observed is the turtle. In addition to observing the turtle on the beach, visitors can also watch sea turtles eggs hatch in semi-natural turtle hatching on the island. Also, if you are interested, you can also do bird watching (Birdwatching) on the island.
c. Tracking
These activities are usually done almost by everyone who visited this island. Objects that can be observed is the scenery, forests, beaches, sunrise and sunset. Sangalaki Island can be surrounded in just 30 minutes, so that tracking can be carried visitors from all age classes.

d. Swim
Swimming is one activity that can be visitors in the shallow waters along the coast. This activity can be done in groups on the beach is relatively safe.

FACILITY THAT CAN YOU GET?

Existing facilities on the island of Sangalaki TWAL including 12 units of accommodation facilities in the form of cottages, restaurants / cafetraia, tourist facilities and souvenir kiosks. Each cottage is equipped with two beds and a bathroom. This cottage rental price per night is $ 50. Management of nature tourism on the island also leased Sangalaki tourist facilities of motor boats, diving equipment and snorkeling equipment.

HOW TO ACHIEVE Sangalaki?

Sangalaki travel to the island can be reached by landline and udara.Jarak perjanan travel overland from the provincial capital of Samarinda to Tanjung Redeb city is about ± 700 km with road access conditions 'are'. Samarinda road that connects with Cape Redeb ± 90% were in the asphalt, but the roads are potholes, narrow roads and many road sections damaged by the landslides make a rider must be careful. Types of vehicles that can be used is a car rental at a cost of approximately Rp. 3,000,000 for travel back and forth. While public transport available are buses with a capacity of 25 people denganharga ticket Rp. 125. 000 per person. Overland travel time if using a rental car is about ± 15 hours, whereas if using public transport can be up to ± 20 hours.

From the capital city of Cape Redeb Berau, proceed overland trip to Tanjung Batu. Ditampuh distance is about 100 km, transport vehicles used are regularly called "taxi". This transport deer-shaped car which departs at 8 am from Cape Redeb, the cost is Rp. 50,000 per person and takes about ± 2.5 hours. Road section was paved and mostly good kondisinyarelatif.

From Tanjung Batu, a trip to the Island Sangalaki proceed with hiring a speed boat or motorized. The rental price speedboat maximum capacity 5 people are USD. 400,000 - Rp. 600 000 for the trip home and away. If the overnight fee for the boat could reach Rp. 650000-750000, sedangkanharga motorized rental ranges from Rp. 150. 000 - Rp. 200 000 round trip. Although the cost of travel by motorized cheaper, but the latency to reach four times the travel time speedboat. The trip by speedboat from Tanjung Batu to the Island Sangalaki applied for 2-3 hours, while when using a motorized can reach ± 8 - 12 hours

Travel to the island of Cape Redeb Sangalaki can also be done by using the speedboat directly from the Port of Tanjung Redeb. Fee for the boat to the island of Cape Redeb Sangalaki reached Rp. 5 million round-trip with a travel time of about 3-4 hours drive. Until now there is no regular water transport to the island of Sangalaki, regular transport is available only to the island Derawan. From this island is common for visitors who want to hire Sangalaki Island fishermen's wooden boat.

In addition to land routes, travel to the Island Sangalaki can also be reached by air route. Travel by plane can be done from the Airport or from Airport Temindung Sepinggan Samarinda Balikpapan Airport in Tanjung Redeb Kalimarau. The next trip may be in the same way by road.

TOUR PACKAGES OFFERED

In general the hotels in Cape Redeb offer specific tour packages for visitors who are interested to travel to the Islands Derawan. Derawan Island can be said as a center of maritime tourism in these islands. In addition to its already the regular transportation to this island, the island's tourist facilities there are also more complete and supported by other infrastructure such as electricity, telecommunications and other sources of clean water. Therefore, there are tour packages that are usually centered on the island. From this island visitors can travel to other islands such as Pulau Maratua, Sangalaki Island, Island Kakaban Semama and located adjacent to each other.

For day trips to the island of Sangalaki, you really have to spend a little in, but do not worry because you will get to experience an unforgettable tour. So what are you waiting? (Source Kaltim Conservation Center)