Cenotes Indonesian style

Nicholas Kouvaras · Issue 132, May/Jun 2023 · pp. 54–57

Products mentioned: Olympus OM-D E-M5 mark III, Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye PRO Lens, Nauticam housing, 4.33'' Dome port, DJI Action 2, Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye lens

It is 3:00 o’clock in the morning in Jakarta and a group of divers with a lot of gear are waiting to check in for a flight to Balikpapan. From there a smaller plane would take them to Berau and from there with a speed boat go down the river and finally to Maratua. One of the hidden gems of Indonesia’s archipelago. The purpose of the trip is to dive in a cave/ sinkhole/lake/cenote. Halo Tabung or Haji Mangku Cave is a hidden gem on Maratua island. Inside the forest but close to the Ocean it is the most accessible from a series of similar flooded caves on this Karstic island. According to the locals it has some mystical history and it is considered a sacred and spiritual place. It is definitely magical, if you ask me. Maratua island is located in the East Kalimantan region and apart from the caves it offers an amazing diversity of dive sites. Schooling barracuda, thresher sharks, great wal…