Sangalaki Island is one of the tourist attractions in the Derawan Islands, East Kalimantan. The Derawan Islands, whose original inhabitants are mostly fishermen and make a living from fish and marine products, are one of the enchanting marine tourism destinations in Indonesia. Derawan is rich with various beaches, small islands, diving points and other tourist spots such as the Kehe Daing lagoon which is well known to foreign countries.
The tourism potential in the Derawan Islands also contributes to increasing the population’s economy. There are various inns and hotels, Derawan Tour package services, including activities that support tourism such as the Maratua Jazz & Dive Fiesta activity initiated by WartaJazz – The Jazz Ecosystem of Indonesia and the Berau Lestari Foundation which is supported by the local government. This event can bring tourists from various regions to foreign countries.
Sangalaki Island is one of the tourist spots worth visiting. This location has several diving spots, turtle breeding, beautiful beaches and good lodging. Although the most popular is the point of dive (spot diving), but it never hurts to listen to the other attractions of Sangalaki Island. Here’s the information.
Sangalaki Island
This exotic island is located in the northern part of Berau Regency in the waters area, East Kalimantan Province. This province is indeed famous for its marine islands such as Derawan Island, Kakaban Island and Sangalaki Island. What is the attraction of one of the three exotic islands in the Derawan Islands?
Turtle Sanctuary
This island is famous as a turtle home in the Derawan Islands. The Derawan Islands are different from Derawan Island, where the Derawan Islands consist of several islands while Derawan Island is one of the islands. Of the many islands, the best known as a turtle home is Sangalaki.
This island is one of the turtle conservation sites in Indonesia which is also the habitat of several endangered turtles such as the hawksbill and green turtles. The island is also known as a prime nesting location for green turtles in Southeast Asia. Therefore, Sangalaki is one of the best turtle habitats in the world.
From the available data, every year a total of more than 3,700 turtles come to this island. The turtles had come to Sangalaki Island just to lay their eggs. The number will increase when the sea water conditions around Sangalaki are high. If you have the opportunity to be on this island, seeing turtles can be a rare thing. Usually turtles are seen at night when they lay their eggs.
The way the turtles lay their eggs in the Elsotis Island area is arguably a semi-natural way. Because usually after the turtles that come to the island have finished laying their eggs, their eggs that have hatched or not will always be monitored by several conservation officers. If it is seen that the position and location of turtles laying eggs and burying their eggs is not safe, then there will be several officers from the Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) in charge of moving these eggs to other safer locations. Safer from predators and other intruders.
Natural predators such as monitor lizards are a nuisance factor for egg-laying turtles that also live on Sangalaki Island. This monitor lizard likes to eat turtle eggs on Sangalaki Island. Usually one adult turtle will lay 100 eggs or more. Meanwhile, almost every night there will be dozens of adult turtles laying their eggs on the island which is the home of this turtle. So it could be when laying eggs, along with the hatching of other eggs. So it will be seen hatchlings (turtle chicks) in large numbers in this area.
But unfortunately, with the existing environmental conditions, these hatchlings will become prey for sharks. So that only a few are still alive and can become adult turtles and live on this island. Such is the life cycle of turtles on this conservation island.
Traveling in Sangalaki Island
There are actually many tourist activities offered on this island. Seeing turtles can be one of them. Other activities that are most often targeted by tourists are diving and watching the underwater scenery by snorkeling, staying at resorts and activities that can be done on the beach.
There are more than 10 dive sites on the island, namely: Channel Entrance, Coral Gardens, Turtle Town, Sandy Ridge, Manta Run, Sherwood Forest, Manta Parade, Manta Avenue, Eel Ridge, Lighthouse and The Rockies. Of all these dive sites, divers usually want to see the Coral Manta Rays found here. This Coral Manta Ray can be as large as about 5 meters.
The existence of Manta Rays in this area of the island to find food. The number is not only one, but it can belike a great herd. Therefore, this diving spot is indeed a dream because you can feel the experience of diving with Manta Rays on this exotic island in Derawan.
Apart from that, snorkeling activities that only see the underwater scenery from above, play on the beach and enjoy resorts in the form of huts around the beach. So, this island provides a different experience to feel the natural beauty of the sea for visitors.
That’s a review of some information related to Sangalaki Island, one of the tourist destinations in the Derawan Islands that has extraordinary charm. Hopefully you can use this information and be a reference for your trip. Enjoy your visit to Derawan.
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