IT was noon in mid-December 2008. I was overwhelmed by curiosity as my eyes swept around on arrival by car at Tanjung Batu Port, Berau regency, East Kalimantan. From here, when I started gazing at the sea, I noticed a land mass with the green of vegetation in the waters.

“Is it Derawan Island?” I asked the boatman who was going to take a group of passengers to Derawan Island.

“No, it’s not visible from here,” he replied.

From Tanj