Three Colors of Lake Kelimutu, NTT

Three Colors of Lake Kelimutu

NTT

Kelimutu an altitude of 1690 meters above sea level is a unique mountain and interesting because it has a series of 3 crater lakes where 3 lake has three different colors.The mountain is located in the Village District Perno Ende Flores Flores, East Nusa Tenggara. Kelimutu is a combination word of "keli" meaning mountain and the word "quality" which means to boil. According to local belief, the colors of lake Flores has the meaning respectively each and has a very powerful force of nature.

The lake is known as the Lake Three Colors because it has three different colors, namely red, blue, and white. However, the color - the color is always changing - change over time. No less than 12 times the color change had occurred within the last 25 years. The first and the second located very close together, while the third lake is located about 1.5 km to the west. This color change may be due to the refraction of light, the sun, the micro-biota of water, the dissolved chemical substances, and due to the reflection color of the walls and the bottom of the lake. 

Kelimutu Lake or Tiwu divided into three sections corresponding to color - the color that is in the lake. Blue lake or "Nuwa Muri Koo Fai Tiwu" is a gathering place for young people - couple who had died. The lake is red or "Tiwu Ata Polo" is a gathering place for the souls - those who have died and as long as he lived always commit a crime / magick. While the lake is white or "Tiwu Mbupu Ata" is a gathering place for the soul - the soul of the deceased parent.

The third area of the lake is approximately 1,051,000 square meters with a volume of 1292 million cubic meters. Boundary between the lake was a narrow stone walls prone to landslides. This wall is very steep with a 70-degree angle. Lake wall height ranges from 50 to 150 meters. Beginning this area was discovered by Van Such Telen, aDutch citizen, in 1915. Its beauty is widely known after Y. Bouman describes in his writings in 1929. Since then the foreign tourists started to come enjoy the lake known haunted for the local community. Those who come not only a lover of beauty, but also researchers who want to know a very rare natural occurrence it. For fans of hiking and love the natural beauty of the tropical mountain village, traveled to this place is the best option. Region set to Kelimutu National Wildlife Conservation Areasince February 26, 1992.