Kakaban

Island in Indonesia

Kakaban island is part of the Derawan Islands, East Kalimantan, Indonesia.^[1]

The island has an area of 774.2 hectares (1,913 acres) and is quite steep. Its limestone cliffs are covered with dense jungle right down to the water's edge. The wall drops to 180 metres (590 ft), and currents can be strong with upwelling, downcurrent and reversing directions.

The most distinctive feature is the huge brackish water lake in the middle of the island, in the local dialect Kakaban means "hug" as the island hugs the lake from the surrounding seawater.

Jellyfish Lake

In the middle of this island is a mangrove-fringed lake, slightly above sea level, where thousands of jellyfish live, making it interesting for diving. The jellyfish consist of four different species which do not have the ability to harm humans with their stinging cells. They are Aurelia aurita with a transparent body, Tripedalia cystophora which is fingertip size, Mastigias papua is like a green-brown bulb, and Cassiopea ornata which is an upside-down jellyfish with upright tentacles.^[2] Although they cannot sting humans, they still have poison and can sting their prey. Similar lakes exist in the Philippines (Siargao) Palau, with Jellyfish Lake being the best known.

The lake has warm brackish water and the bottom is covered with marine green algae. There are other animals, including sea cucumbers, gobies, sea anemones, tunicates, crustaceans, nudibranchs, orange purple clams and yellow clams on the branches, and snakes.

The lake is at most 17 metres (56 ft) deep with poor visibility and is 10 minutes walk from the beach. Kakaban was probably uplifted during the Holocene era and seawater was trapped, forming a landlocked marine lake. The water is now a mixture of saltwater and fresh water from rain.

Barracuda Point

This is a steep wall, where the current brings large pelagics like whitetip sharks, leopard sharks, jack, tuna, snapper and barracuda. Drift diving can be done with the help of a grab line permanently secured 24 metres (79 ft) across a relatively flat area on the upcurrent side of the point. Currents can be fierce with down currents.

Blue Light Cave

The cave starts at a crack at 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) deep and descends through a narrow chimney. At about 21 metres (69 ft) the chimney opens into a large cavern that extends for about 120 metres (390 ft). The exit is a long vertical crack in the wall at 44 metres (144 ft). The name of the cave comes from the blue light of the sea which is seen from the cavern.

References

^ Govt promotes new diving paradise in Aceh and Kalimantan
^ "Danau Kakaban Danau Air Asin Paling Unik di Dunia". April 21, 2013.

Regencies and cities of East Kalimantan

Capital: Samarinda

Regencies

Cities

Towns and
villages

v t e Tourist attractions in Indonesia
Sumatra	Aceh Tsunami Museum Ampera Bridge Baiturrahman Grand Mosque Bagansiapiapi Bandar Lampung City Barelang Bridge Berastagi Bintan Island Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park Bukit Lawang East Lampung Regency Gunongan Historical Park Jam Gadang Kerinci Seblat National Park Krakatoa Lagundri Bay Lampung Bay Lake Maninjau Lake Singkarak Lake Toba Lumbini Natural Park Maimun Palace Mentawai Islands Regency Metro City Mursala Island Nias Pagaruyung Palace Penyengat Island Pugung Raharjo Sabang Samosir Island Sipura Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra Way Kambas National Park
Java	Alas Purwo National Park Ancol Dreamland Anyer Arjuno-Welirang Baluran National Park Banyuwangi Regency Batu City Baturraden Bogor Palace Borobudur Cemoro Lawang Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark Cukang Taneuh Dieng Volcanic Complex Ceto Temple G-Land Gembira Loka Zoo Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park Heroes Monument House of Sampoerna Ijen Crater Istiqlal Mosque Jalesveva Jayamahe Monument Jawa Timur Park Karimunjawa National Park Kawah Putih Kenjeran Bridge Keraton Kasepuhan Keraton Kacirebonan Keraton Kanoman Keraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Malang Meru Betiri National Park Mount Bromo Mount Halimun Salak National Park Mount Merapi Mount Semeru Mrapen Museum Angkut Nusa Barong Pangandaran Patenggang Lake Palabuhanratu Penataran Prambanan Puncak Ragunan Zoo Ranu Kumbolo Ranu Pani Sangiran Sempu island Sidoarjo mud flow Sukorambi Botanical Garden Surabaya Zoo Suramadu Bridge Taman Mini Indonesia Indah Tangkuban Perahu Thousand Islands Tirto Samodra Beach Tretes Trowulan Yogyakarta City Ujung Kulon National Park
Kalimantan	Beras Basah Island Betung Kerihun National Park Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park Baning Nature Tourist Park Danau Sentarum National Park Derawan Islands Kakaban Kutai National Park Sabangau National Park Samboja Lestari Tanjung Puting The Equator monument
Sulawesi	Bantimurung – Bulusaraung National Park Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park Bunaken National Park Gandang Dewata National Park Kepulauan Togean National Park Lake Tempe Lore Lindu National Park Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park Taka Bone Rate National Park Toraja Trans Studio Makassar Wakatobi National Park
Lesser Sunda Islands	Awang Bay Bedugul Bali Bird Park Bali Safari and Marine Park Canggu Cempi Bay Dreamland Beach Garuda Wisnu Kencana Gili Air Gili Meno Gili Trawangan Goa Gajah Gunung Rinjani National Park Jimbaran Kelimutu Kintamani Komodo National Park Kuta Lake Segara Anak Lovina Beach Mandalika Mount Rinjani Mount Tambora Moyo Island Nusa Dua Nusa Penida Nusa Lembongan Pecatu Rinca Sanur Seminyak Senggigi Tampaksiring Taman Werdhi Budaya Art Centre Tanah Lot Tanjung Ringgit Tirta Gangga Ubud Ujung Water Palace Uluwatu
Maluku and Papua	Fort Belgica Lorentz National Park Puncak Jaya Raja Ampat Islands Teluk Cenderawasih National Park Wasur National Park