Kelapa Dua

Kelapa Dua is a wall dive site near Kakaban Island in the Derawan Archipelago, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, noted for thresher shark cleaning behaviour in the early morning.

Overview

Kelapa Dua sits on the southeast tip of Kakaban Island — PADI describes it as “a relatively new site, making it less crowded than established dive locations.” The site features a steep vertical wall “bursting with colourful coral and sea fans” (PADI) down to a maximum recreational depth of 28 metres (91 feet, per PADI). Its primary draw is thresher shark (Alopias spp.) cleaning behaviour: pelagic threshers visit the wall in the early morning hours, where cleaner fish remove parasites — ISRA research data indicates approximately 70% encounter probability on morning dives. The Derawan Islands ISRA report documents cleaning stations in the Kelapa Dua area at 30–38 metres depth, with threshers circling slowly while cleaner fish (Pennant Coral Fish, Yellow-axis Chromis, and Bicolour Cleanerfish) service them. Open Water divers can explore the colourful upper wall to 18 metres; Advanced certification with deep dive specialty is required for the thresher observation depths.

Marine Life

• Thresher sharks (Alopias spp.) — cleaning behaviour in early morning (conditions-dependent)
• White-tip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, and leopard sharks on the wall
• Eagle rays and devil rays passing in the blue
• Dense gorgonian sea fans and soft corals on the wall face
• Turtles passing along the reef edge
• Schooling fusiliers and reef fish throughout

Dive Profile

The wall top begins in shallow water (approximately 5–8 metres) and drops steeply. PADI confirms the recreational maximum depth at this site as 28 metres (91 feet). Upper sections (5–18 metres) are accessible to Open Water divers and feature the richest coral growth. Thresher sharks have been documented cleaning at 30–38 metres (ISRA data) — just beyond the standard recreational limit, hence the Advanced Open Water with deep dive specialty requirement. Currents are variable; the wall structure provides shelter from stronger flows. Visibility can be excellent in clean oceanic water approaching Kakaban from the channel side.

Entry and Exit

Boat dive only. Early morning departures (typically 06:00–07:00) are recommended for maximum thresher shark encounter probability. The boat anchors or drifts along the wall; divers navigate along the face.

Tips

• Book the first dive of the day and arrive early — thresher activity at cleaning stations typically occurs at first light and diminishes by mid-morning.
• Hover neutrally and avoid sudden movements near the wall — threshers are cautious animals that will retreat from disturbance.
• Open Water divers can still have an excellent dive on the shallow wall sections even without reaching thresher depths.
• A torch helps illuminate sea fan details in the deeper, darker sections.

Safety Considerations

Depths of 20–40 metres require careful dive computer monitoring and conservative ascent rates. Advanced Open Water with deep dive specialty is recommended for the deeper sections. The wall’s vertical nature means it is easy to drift deeper than planned — set a maximum depth alarm on your dive computer. Medical evacuation from Kakaban takes over 3 hours.

Photography

Thresher sharks at cleaning stations are one of the most prized underwater photography subjects in the Indo-Pacific. A wide-angle lens on a 15 mm or fisheye setting allows full-shark shots in clear water; darker ambient light at depth may require raising ISO. The wall’s gorgonian fans and soft coral structures are excellent subjects for both wide-angle and macro work.

Site Information

• Location: Kakaban Island, Derawan Archipelago, East Kalimantan, Indonesia
• Entry Type: Boat dive
• Site Type: Wall dive
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Maximum Depth: 28 meters

Additional Resources

• Last Updated: 2026-05-17

Sources: PADI – Kelapa Dua, Scuba Junkie Sangalaki – Diving Maratua, Green Nirvana Resort – Fun Dives, Derawan Islands ISRA – Important Shark & Ray Areas. Last updated 2026-06-27.