KELIMUTU
KELIMUTU
Your Guide to Vacation AMAZING INDONESIA ( holiday travel guide )
Some people may only dream about trekking to Mt Kelimutu
on the island of Flores with its three colored lakes, while others make
it a reality. The challenging trip in a rented polished 7-seater car
can make one entertained for hours because of the endless winding road.
However, being shaken by the sharp curves in the road that cuts through
the 350-km long Flores Island is a worthy price to pay to witness the
ultimate top-drawer panoramas that Flores has to offer.
Mt. Kelimutu National Park is the smallest among six national parks in the stretch between Bali and the Nusatenggara islands.
Its size obviously does not matter much when it offers one of the most
spectacular wonders that nature has to offer. There are three lakes on
the mountain sharing the same name, Kelimutu, meaning ‘the boiling
lake’. Each has its own colors and a local name. But all are believed to
be the resting place of departed souls.
Located some 66 km. from the town of Ende or 83 km. from Maumere,
Lake Kelimutu was discovered by a Dutch named Van Such Telen in 1915.
It gained global fame after Y. Bouman wrote in his notes in 1929 about
the bizarre color-changing lakes.
As travelers start ascending from Moni,
a small rural town, a basecamp for backpackers, idyllic views appear
which will remain perfect in the mind. The westernmost lake is named Tiwu Ata Mbupu, meaning ‘the lake of old people’. The middle one is called Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai, or ‘the lake for young men and maiden’. The easternmost is called Tiwu Ata Polo, or ‘the lake for evils spirits’. The three lakes are quite a display as their colors keep changing.
Unlike the Blue Lake in Mt. Gambier,
South Australia, that changes color from blue to cold steel grey within a
predictable period, or Lake Yudamari in Mt. Nakadake, in Japan, that
changes from blue-green to green, the Kelimutu lakes are unpredictable
as to when and what color they will change into. Sometimes, the colors
are blue, green, and black, and some other times they turn to white,
red, and blue. The last time a traveler saw them, one was dark brown,
just like a pond of chocolate. Previously, the east lake was red and the
middle lake was blue.
Scientifically speaking, lakes change
colors due to subaqueous fumaroles. Scientists believe that these are
the result of minor phreatic eruptions in ancient time. The phenomenon
here, however, are of particular interest to geologists since the three
lakes present different colors but are yet located on the peak of the
same volcano. The local ranger in the national park explained that this
is due to chemical reactions of materials contained in the lake,
triggered by volcanic gaseous activities. The local people in Moni, however, believe that somehow people around the mountain have done something evil and have died there.
Lake Kelimutu is part of the Kelimutu
National Park, presenting a highly aesthetic value and surreal
experience. The national park’s highest point is 5,679 feet at Mt.
Kelibara (1,731 meters), and 5,544 feet high (1,690 meters) at Mt.
Kelimutu. It is a national park that protects 19 endemic and endangered
animals, among which, the Floresian punai (Treron floris), Wallacea owl (Otus silvicola), Floresian kancilan (Pachycephala nudigula), Floresian eagle (Spizeatus floris), and Timorese tesia (Tesia everetti).
Here are also endemic mice, deer, porcupines, and the legendary luwak or civet (Pharadoxurus hermaphroditus)
that gained its fame for the expensive coffee it produces. Visit Mt.
Kelimutu and the three-colored lakes as an essential part of your Flores
adventure.
Kelimutu
area is surrounded with forest containing floras that are scarcely
found in Flores area. Other than pines, there are also casuarinas, red
wood and edelweiss. Pine forest grows well in this side of Kelimutu
Mountain. The other side of the mountain is dried land with highly
unstable sand and soil. Local community believes that Kelimutu Mountain
is sacred and donates fertility to the nature nearby.
Visitors can only walk around Lake
Kelimutu but not all areas can be explored because some are dangerous
and therefore restricted. From Moni to Kelimutu, if you like to go
trekking, there is a path which is shorter than the car access route.
Distance from Moni to the top is about
12 kilometer (km). The distance to the parking lot by motor vehicle is
11 kilometer, and then visitors will climb on foot through the pathway
for 30 minutes.
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Definitely a hike to Lake Kelimutu is the ultimate reason for any traveler coming to Moni or Ende.
The Kelimutu area is surrounded by forests containing flora that are
rarely found in other parts of Flores. Beside pine trees, there are also
ferns, casuarinas, red wood and edelweiss. Pine forests grow well on
this height of the Mt. Kelimutu. The other part of the mountain is dry
with highly unstable sand and soil. The locals believe that Mt. Kelimutu
is sacred and a source of fertility to the lands nearby.
Several parts of the national park are
restricted due to geothermal instability. Trekking is best around the
safe areas between Moni and Mt. Kelimutu. The track is a challenging
12-km rocky off-the-beaten path. Climbing to the peak from the parking
area is around 30 minutes on foot.
For other activities, please refer to to do in MONI.
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