Plan your journey

Maratua Island is closer than you think

Getting to Berau

Your Gateway to Maratua Island

The smoothest way to reach Maratua Guesthouse is via Berau, a small city in East Kalimantan with its own airport. Once you reach Berau, the journey to Maratua is straightforward - and we are here to help every step of the way.

The best flights to Berau depart directly from Jakarta, which offers the most frequent connections. Flights are also available from Surabaya, and guests can connect through Balikpapan and Samarinda. Note that direct flights to Berau do not operate every day, so we recommend booking early and checking schedules carefully.

Maratua Island does have a small airstrip served by Susi Air, with flights connecting to Berau and Tarakan. However, this service operates with only 12 seats and tickets can only be purchased in person at the airport - they cannot be booked online or in advance. Flights are frequently cancelled or not operational. We strongly recommend not planning your trip around these flights, as they are not a reliable way to reach the island.

Guests travelling from Sabah, Malaysia will find the journey more complex. If you are arriving via Tarakan, we recommend our private transfer from Tanjung Selor - a one-hour public ferry from Tarakan - rather than attempting to route through Berau. Please see our Private Transfers page for full details.

Private Door-to-Door Transfers - $90 per person

The easiest and most stress-free way to get from Berau to Maratua Guesthouse is our private door-to-door transfer service. We collect you directly from Berau Airport or your hotel and handle everything, delivering you straight to our front door on Maratua Island.

For same-day transfers, your flight should arrive at Berau Airport by 13:00. Boat services to Maratua cease after sunset for your safety.

For departures from Maratua, your flight from Berau Airport should depart after 16:00 to allow for variable sea conditions.

We can also pick you up from

Minimum 2 people. $90 USD per person.

View Private Transfers

Travelling from Sabah, Malaysia?

Guests travelling from Sabah or arriving into Tarakan by flight or ferry have a dedicated transfer option via Tanjung Selor. Take an early public ferry from Tarakan to Tanjung Selor - ferries begin at 08:00 and the crossing takes approximately one hour. We recommend arriving in Tanjung Selor by 11:00.

From Tanjung Selor our private taxi will take you to the jetty at Tanjung Batu, approximately a 4.5-hour journey. From there our boat captain will bring you directly to Maratua Guesthouse in approximately 1.5 hours. Total transfer time from Tanjung Selor is approximately 6 hours.

For your return journey we recommend planning an overnight stay in Tanjung Selor or Tarakan, as the last ferry from Tanjung Selor to Tarakan departs at 16:30.

Minimum 2 people. $130 USD per person

Public Ferry from Berau to Maratua

A public ferry service operates between Berau and Maratua Island, run by a government-supported cooperative of 20 to 30 independent boat captains who each own their own vessels. This cooperative system provides employment for local boat captains and is an important part of the island community.

The ferry departs from Taman Sanggam Jetty in Berau at approximately 10:00. Tickets are sold the evening before departure directly by the boat captains - there is no advance online booking. We strongly recommend arriving in Berau the night before your ferry to purchase your ticket in person. The ticket price is 550,000 IDR per person.

The return ferry from Maratua to Berau operates on the same cooperative system, departing at approximately 10:00 AM from Maratua. We recommend spending the night in Berau after your return ferry rather than scheduling an international flight on the same day, as the ferry can run late and connections can be tight.The Taman Sanggam Jetty is in Berau town and the Berau Airport is outside of town and there can be traffic on the road.

Any questions about getting to Maratua Guesthouse?

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