Rainbow colors of Kelimutu lakes woo tourists<\/p>\n
By Yacob Herin<\/p>\n
MAUMERE, Flores (JP): The three crater lakes shimmering
\nindividual shades of blue, red and white are not fantastical
\nimages of a long lost Shangri-la.<\/p>\n
Carved out of the summit of Mount Kelimutu, they have long
\ndrawn praise. \"Infinite beauty\" were the words chosen by Van
\nSuchtelen, one of the first two people to climb the mountain in
\n1915, in his book Ende Flores.<\/p>\n
Mt. Kelimutu, reaching a peak of 1,640 meters, is one of
\nFlores' 11 active volcanoes and last erupted in 1969. Yet the
\nmystery of its colored lakes sets it apart from the rest, and
\nlures visitors to climb its rugged slopes.<\/p>\n
Mt. Kelimutu is located in Ende regency in the province of
\nNusa Tenggara Timur (NTT). It is around 72 kilometers from the
\ntown of Ende and 142 kilometers west of Maumere in Sikka regency.<\/p>\n
It is not difficult to reach Mt. Kelimutu, which is only 12
\nkilometers from the highway linking Ende to Maumere. Private or
\nchartered vehicles travel up to 1 kilometer from the location.<\/p>\n
Peering down into the crater at the lakes is stunning. Viewers
\nfind themselves looking twice to determine if the lakes are real
\nor just apparitions.<\/p>\n
The red lake has a steep ledge which looks as if is glued to a
\nslanted wall. The lake's hues float dreamily between crimson,
\nyellow, green, white and its famous red. The surface of the slick
\nwaters is a mirror, bouncing back the beautiful colors of the
\nlake walls.<\/p>\n
The white lake is just as eerily beautiful as clouds of sulfur
\nemissions have lacquered the crater walls with a burnished hue.<\/p>\n
The light blue waters of the third lake cover plant growths on
\nthe bottom. The craggy surface makes it difficult to climb down
\nto the water's edge.<\/p>\n
Changes take place in colors of all the lakes. Waters shimmer
\nfrom red to a green. White turns into black, and light blue
\nburns into sapphire.<\/p>\n
Local people insist the colors of the lake are different today
\nthan in former years. Blue now has a tendency to fold into a deep
\nred bordering on black. The white which formerly crossed into
\ngreen is now sky blue. Red evolves into a subdued tone of green.<\/p>\n
People believe the lakes were created by an eruption about 80
\nyears ago.<\/p>\n
The 1973 edition of the General Encyclopedia, published by
\nYayasan Kanisius Yogyakarta, refers to the different colors of
\nthe lakes and attributes them to chemical processes occurring on
\nthe lake bottom. The lakes contain high concentrations of iron
\nand sulfur. Scientists also believe a microbe may be responsible
\nfor the color changes during fluctuations in water temperature.<\/p>\n
The sun reflects the surface of the red lake. The murmur of
\nthousands of pine trees around the crater is heard when strong
\nwinds blow. The sound of a cock crowing occasionally breaks
\nthrough the silence.<\/p>\n
The true beauty of Mt. Kelimutu is this stillness and oneness
\nwith nature. Awed visitors contemplate God, nature and the
\ninsignificance of humans compared to the greatness of natural
\nwonders.<\/p>\n
Sukarno, Indonesia's first president who was exiled to Flores
\nduring the 1930s, visited the site in 1950 during his presidency.
\nSukarno reportedly looked up at the sky and murmured words
\nunintelligible to his entourage after gazing down at the lakes.<\/p>\n
Local lore has it that Mt. Kelimutu and its lakes are a
\nmeeting place of the region's spiritual forefathers. The blue
\nlake is locally called Tiwu Ata Mbupu, home of ascendants. The
\nwhite lake is known as Tiwu Noa Koo Fai, or the domain of young
\nspirits who were unmarried when they died.<\/p>\n
The red lake, or Tiwu Ata Polo, is considered the place of bad
\nspirits. During harvests, locals still sacrifice animals at the
\ncrater in the hope of blessings of sufficient rain and an
\nabundant yield.<\/p>\n
The best time to see the colored lakes is before 9 a.m. in the
\nmorning, as a mist envelops the summit during the rest of the
\nday.<\/p>\n
There are regularly scheduled return flights from Denpasar,
\nBima, Ende and Kupang. Other return routes are available via
\nKupang, Maumere, Bima and Denpasar, or Kupang, Maumere and
\nUjungpandang.<\/p>\n
The KM Kelimutu also offers service every two weeks docking at
\nKupang, Ende, Bima, Padang Bai, Ujung Pandang, Surabaya,
\nBanjarmasin and Semarang.<\/p>\n
Several bungalows offering either single or double rooms are
\navailable for rent about 12 kilometers from Mt. Kelimutu. The
\nresort is close to a village which sells handicrafts such as
\nwoven cloth and where traditional dances are performed. Tourists
\ncan tour traditional houses and observe rituals. Local variations
\non dishes such as fried and boiled potatoes can be sampled.<\/p>\n
Conditions around the arid, barren mountain are quite
\ndangerous, filling visitors with a mixture of awe and fear as
\nthey climb the steep slopes. Yet even the arduous trek does not
\nstop them from making the journey to view one of the nation's
\nmost unforgettable sights.<\/p>",
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