Buzz
Resembling triplets, the lakes atop Kelimutu volcano occasionally swap hues like borrowing costumes for a unique spectacle.
In Ende province, part of the Flores archipelago in East Nusa Tenggara, an intriguing natural architectural ensemble exists—three identical lakes side by side, always adorned in distinct colors. Situated at an altitude of 1,690 meters on the summit of Mount Kelimutu.
Locals believe this is the resting place of ancestral spirits, hence they've named these three lakes accordingly. Two adjacent lakes are known as the 'Enchanting Lake' and the 'Lake of the Young Man and Maiden,' with hues of leafy green and coppery red. The more distant lake with a sky-blue tint is named the 'Lake of the Elderly.'
Over time, these lakes take turns showcasing various colors such as leafy green, sky-blue, coppery red, or even dark gray. Legend has it that the changing hues are influenced by the ancestral spirits' mood residing in this sacred place.
Unlike the Blue Lake in Mount Gambier, southern Australia, which typically transitions from sky-blue to metallic gray during specific months (from December to March the following year), or Yudamari Lake on Mount Nakadake in Japan, changing from sky-blue to leafy green, the Kelimutu lakes in Indonesia can change colors at any time of the year. Without any set patterns, only fortunate travelers witness the strange, ever-changing spectacle of these lakes.
While no scientific experiments have been conducted, it is believed that gas venting from the holes beneath the lake's bottom causes the phenomenon of consecutive color-changing waters in the East.
As the gas erupts, it interacts with minerals in the lake, causing the water color to shift. The Indonesian Institute of Science asserts that if the water in a certain lake turns dark gray, it's a sign that the volcano is about to erupt.
Visitors should come here early in the morning to witness the magnificent moment of the lake and descend the mountain before the sun sets. The uneven volcanic rocks and slippery trails around the lake's edge pose risks for evening and nighttime visitors. Those who have slipped and fallen into this lake in the past have mostly not survived. In 1995, a Dutch tourist also fell into the lake, and his body was never found.
The sudden color-changing phenomenon and the undiscovered bodies of those who perished here have woven strange tales, sparking curiosity in every traveler.
***
Source: Mytour Travel Guide – According to Vnexpress
MytourSeptember 29, 2015
