Resorts on Maratua, Derawan and Sangalaki currently move arrival-day guests by car from Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) to Tanjung Batu, then speedboat to the jetty — about three hours door to dock. Juara Holding Group, an independent coordination desk established 2015, arranges charter air alternatives with licensed operators under a written transfer agreement — no guaranteed frequency, no fixed price, subject to approval.
This page is written for two readers: a dive resort operations team weighing a standing transfer agreement, and a guest asking whether a faster arrival is possible before a liveaboard or resort stay. Every figure below is dated and sourced; anything not documented — a seaplane tariff, a named water-landing site, a regulatory priority status — is left as quote-on-request rather than invented.
How Do Guests Reach a Derawan Dive Resort Today?
Kalimarau Airport (IATA: BEJ) sits in Teluk Bayur district, Berau Regency, East Kalimantan. It is the documented gateway to Derawan, Maratua, Kakaban and Sangalaki, reached on domestic connections via Balikpapan (BPN) or Tarakan (TRK). From BEJ, the standard route is road transfer to Tanjung Batu jetty (about 2 to 2.5 hours, one itinerary reports up to 3), then speedboat into the archipelago.
Maratua is the only island in the group with an airstrip, served by Wings Air roughly twice weekly, as of September 2026. Derawan, Kakaban and Sangalaki have no airport and are always reached by boat. Green Nirvana Resort describes the archipelago as reachable “by boat or small airplane” after landing at BEJ — evidence that small-aircraft arrivals are already practiced in the region, though no source names a seaplane operator, a water aerodrome, or a government water-landing regulation for East Kalimantan.
| Leg | Mode | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEJ baggage hall to Tanjung Batu jetty | Road | 2 to 2.5 hrs (up to 3 hrs on some itineraries) | Standard resort pickup vehicle |
| Tanjung Batu to Derawan | Speedboat | ~30 min | Shortest inter-island leg |
| Tanjung Batu to Kakaban | Speedboat | ~1 hr | Jellyfish lake access |
| Tanjung Batu to Maratua or Sangalaki | Speedboat | ~2 hrs | Longest standard leg |
| Tanjung Redeb pier to Maratua (public boat) | Speedboat | ~2.5 hrs, departs ~10:00 | Alternative to Tanjung Batu route |
| Door to Derawan jetty, BEJ to resort | Road + speedboat combined | ~3 hrs total | Current baseline for all resort guests |
What Does a Charter Air Transfer Actually Add?
A charter air option shortens the BEJ-to-archipelago leg for guests willing to pay for it, but it is not a standing service. The desk arranges each transfer with a licensed Indonesian operator on a case-by-case basis; any water landing is subject to that operator’s approval, applicable authority permits, and aircraft and weather conditions on the day. As of September 2026, no designated water aerodrome for Derawan, Maratua or Kakaban is documented publicly, so this page does not claim priority status, a fixed schedule, or a guaranteed water-landing site. Where a resort’s jetty or a nearby stretch of water cannot support a landing, the arrangement reverts to the road-and-boat route above, or to Maratua’s airstrip where a fixed-wing connection applies instead.
What Terms Govern a Resort Partnership Agreement?
Resorts that want arrival-day transfers built into their guest itinerary work with the desk under a written, SLA-style agreement rather than an ad hoc booking. The agreement sets expectations on both sides — it does not promise a minimum number of flights or a locked calendar, since availability depends on the licensed operator’s fleet and conditions.
| Term | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Block dates | Resort nominates peak arrival days (commonly Saturday changeovers) for priority quoting, not guaranteed capacity |
| Minimum notice | Standard request window is 14 days before a block date; ad hoc guest requests handled case by case |
| Cancellation policy | Set per quote at time of booking; weather-related cancellations follow the weather policy below, not a standard refund table |
| Weather policy | Operator has final call on go/no-go; resort’s road-and-boat fallback stays in place as default |
| Gear weight rules | Dive gear (BCD, regulator, weights, tanks where carried) declared per guest in advance; charter aircraft payload sets the per-flight passenger-plus-gear limit |
| No-fly-after-diving buffer | Set against the resort’s own dive plan and current DAN/dive-operator guidance at time of booking — the desk does not set diving medical rules |
What Are the Realistic Price and Duration Options?
No seaplane charter price, per-hour rate, fuel surcharge or landing fee for a Berau-to-Derawan route is verified publicly as of September 2026. Every seaplane figure on this page is quote-on-request. For comparison, here is what is documented for the existing surface route:
| Option | Mode | Typical Duration | Indicative Price | Source Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open Trip Derawan 3D2N via Berau | Road + boat | 3-day package | IDR 500,000 deposit per person | Updated 2026-04-29 |
| Sangalaki taxi + boat | Road + boat | Same-day | quoted on request | Scuba Junkie listing |
| Indonesia Juara Derawan trip | Road + boat, meets at BEJ | April–November season, min. 2 travellers | From USD 281 per person | Dated 2026-08-05, updated 2026-08-17 |
| Derawan phinisi charter (overnight) | Liveaboard | Per night | quoted on request | LuxuryPhinisi listing |
| Charter air transfer, BEJ to resort | Seaplane or small aircraft, arranged | Case by case | Quote on request — no public tariff documented | As of September 2026 |
How Does Booking a Guest or Partnership Transfer Work?
- Contact the desk with guest count, arrival date, and resort destination (Maratua, Derawan or Sangalaki), or with partnership interest as a resort operator.
- Feasibility check — the desk confirms licensed-operator availability and whether a water landing or an airstrip connection (Maratua only) is realistic for the requested date.
- Written quote and draft agreement — for resorts, an SLA-style transfer agreement covering the terms above; for guests, a per-trip quote with no hidden fees added later.
- Confirmation — deposit for a guest booking, or signed partnership terms for a resort account.
- Transfer day — gear is weighed and declared in advance; the road-and-boat route stays available as the default fallback if conditions rule out the air option.
Talk to the Desk
Juara Holding Group does not own aircraft and is not affiliated with any named seaplane operator; it coordinates each transfer with licensed Indonesian partners and puts the terms in writing before anyone flies. Two ways to start:
- Guests: request a quote for an arrival-day transfer to your Derawan, Maratua or Sangalaki resort.
- Resort operators: ask about a written partnership agreement for repeat guest transfers.
WhatsApp 6281139414563 or email bd@juaraholding.com — mention your resort name, guest dates, and whether you are enquiring as a guest or on behalf of a property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a seaplane land directly at a Maratua or Derawan dive resort’s jetty?
Only where the operator approves the site and conditions allow it, on the day. No designated water aerodrome for the Derawan archipelago is documented publicly as of September 2026, so landing locations are assessed case by case rather than fixed in advance — the desk cannot promise a specific jetty as a landing point.
How much does a charter air transfer to Derawan cost compared to the road-and-boat route?
The road-and-boat route has documented reference prices, such as the Indonesia Juara Derawan trip from USD 281 per person (season April–November, dated 2026-08-05). No seaplane or charter-air tariff for Berau to Derawan is published anywhere, so air transfers are quoted per request based on aircraft, route and date.
What happens to dive gear during a charter transfer?
Guests declare gear weight in advance so it fits the aircraft’s payload alongside passengers. Tanks are typically left with the resort or dive operator rather than flown, since payload is limited; BCDs, regulators and weights are the items usually carried. Exact allowances are confirmed per aircraft at quoting stage.
How far in advance must a resort book block dates with the desk?
The standard request window is 14 days before a nominated block date, which lets the desk check licensed-operator availability. This is a planning guideline, not a guarantee of capacity — confirmation depends on the operator’s fleet and conditions closer to the date.
Is Juara Holding Group a seaplane operator?
No. Juara Holding Group is an independent coordination desk, established 2015, that arranges charter transfers with licensed Indonesian operators. It owns no aircraft and is not affiliated with any named operator; every arrangement is confirmed in writing before travel.