Derawan Islands

Derawan Islands feature manta encounters that draw 200+ manta rays to cleaning stations monthly, outperforming Banda Sea's occasional hammerhead sightings. The Kakaban jellyfish lake contains 4 million non-stinging jellyfish, a density 60% higher than similar lakes in Palau. Turtle nesting sites host 500 green turtles annually, more than the average Indonesian nesting beach. This archipelago combines macro with megafauna at half the cost of live-aboards.