Kelimutu (Lake Three Colors)

Kelimutu (Lake Three Colors)

Three Colors Lake on Mount kelimutu, known to be the world's best travel destination. Located 60 kilometers from Ende, precisely in Moni. Crater at the top of kelimutu has long been a mainstay of tourism in East Nusa Tenggara. Kelimutu crater is known even to many parts of the world, mainly through word of mouth for foreign tourists who had come there. The shape is similar to the rest of this crater lake was called Lake kelimutu or Lake Three Colors. Located on about 5,000 hectares of land, since 1967 the government established the region as a national park.

There is no record of exactly when the three colors of the lake is at first found. Water color change from time to time. However, the most famous lake water is red, white, and blue. This is the color used to sing primary school children in various parts of the island of kelimutu. From time to time, this color change with the seasons, sunlight, and the various chemical changes at the bottom of the crater.

Van Schuktelen, a Dutch citizen, who at first 'open' this information the lake-color into the world wide in 1915. kelimutu is the beauty of the spread after the Y.Bouman, also a European traveler, wrote in 1929. After 1929 the foreign tourists began to arrive. Foreign missionaries on kelimutu also brought news of this unique lake to the other parts of Europe and other countries. Not to mention that most researchers are interested in finding out the causes of natural phenomena is very rare.

Beautiful, quiet, and the mystical, the lake stretched away in the bottom of the crater in green, blue and black. In Ende Lio, the population was three lakes as Tiwu Mbupu Ata (parent lake), Nua Muri Tiwu Ko'o Fai (Lake of young people), and Tiwu Ata Polo (soothsayer lake) known haunted. Ata Polo and Tiwu Tiwu Nua Muri steep walls separated only as wide as it used to be 15-20 meter. This wall impassable of people but are now wall almost disappeared due to the eruption of volcanic events and earthquakes. About 300 meters to the west Tiwu Nua Muri is located Tiwu Mbupu Ata. Communities around Lake kelimutu is believed that the spirits of the ancestors place. After death, the spirits they moved from village to the top of kelimutu for good. Crater which will be occupied depending on age and deeds during live. Before to go into one of the lakes, according to belief, the spirits first face Konde Ratu. He was the gatekeeper Perikonde, which is believed to be the entrance to Lake kelimutu spirits. Here, each visitor is allowed to coin, betel nut, or cigarettes as offerings to the Queen Konde.

For tourists who do not like the mystical affairs, 'miracle' of three craters kelimutu still has appeal. The color of the water all of the crater is constantly changing. Crater Tiwu Mbupu Ata in 1915 that blood-red, now black-brown. Similarly Tiwu Nua Muri. Active crater with a depth of 127 meters is constantly changing color from emerald green to white, blue and finally green. While Tiwu Ata Polo from white, green, blue, red, black and brown now.
According to some researchers, the color changes in the crater that could be caused by refraction and reflection of light color of the walls of the crater, biota, water, reflection of the lake bottom, as well as chemical changes are dissolved in the crater.

Unfortunately, the beauty that can not be enjoyed for long. Around 09.00 local time, the fog had enveloped the surface of the crater. Therefore, travelers should depart from Ende when it was still dark so that after a two hour drive, they can reach the lake at sunrise. It's amazing three color lake is to be the best travel destination.

Another option is to stay of overnight in the Moni village, 12 kilometers from kelimutu. Accommodation provided by local government which is quite representative of the cottage which is used as a place to stay for a while. Of specialty we can see the beauty of nature's charm is still very natural and the cool mountain air wrapped.