Off The Beat: Swimming with graceful whale sharks at Sulawesi Sea

A whale shark in the Sulawesi Sea. Photo: The Star/Wong Chun Wai

It's baffling how a paradise, dubbed Kalimantan’s best-kept secret, has eluded not only most Malaysians, but Sabahans in Tawau, which is the closest point to this place. Yet, it’s literally in our own backyard!

Tarakan, the Indonesian island city of North Kalimantan, is just 40 minutes away by flight from Tawau. It’s the gateway to the Derawan Islands, located in the province of East Kalimantan.