Mount Kelimutu: Indonesia can be proud of a unique monument of nature

Indonesia is a country of beauty and exotics. Even a person who has never been interested in this archipelago has probably heard about Komodo Park or the Buddhist temple of Borobudur, as if descended to people from the screen, from films about Indiana Jones. But that's what the imagination of an experienced tourist Indonesia can do to impress - mountain Kelimutu + Lake of tears. This unique natural spectacle is no longer found in any part of the world. And the most interesting thing is that this complex spontaneously changes with the passage of time.

Pride of Indonesia

Flores Island, on which Mount Kelimutu (Indonesia) is located, is part of the group of the Eastern Lesser Sunda Islands. The mountain itself is a volcano and a link of the Fiery Volcanic Ring. In total, the island has 14 volcanoes, and some of them are in "working order", and therefore earthquakes are not uncommon here. Kelimutu is considered extinct, although the last eruption occurred in 1968, so it's premature to make such conclusions. Especially high volcano can not be called: it does not reach one meter to the mark in 1640 m. At the same time it is the object of active tourist interest. And all thanks to Ozeram got down.

Lakes of evil spirits: how they were formed

It was thanks to the last eruption of the volcano that these three ponds appeared. When the lava flowed, the mountain top sank, and hollows called calderas appeared. As there are no drains from them, precipitation gradually accumulated in them, as a result of which this natural wonder was formed. The coloring of these lakes is especially attractive for people: regardless of each other, they change their color. It is this that is famous for Lake of Tears (or evil spirits) and Mount Kelimutu (Indonesia) - photos from different angles show an unforgettable sight, which is this extinct volcano. Note that the two lakes are near, almost touching each other. The third from them is at a distance of almost one and a half kilometers.

Legends

Each of the lakes has its own name. Those that are neighbors are called Tivu-Ata-Mbupu and Tivu-Nua-Muri-Koh-Tai. The first name is translated as "Lake of the Old" or "Lake of the Souls of the Ancestors". The second means "Lake of boys and girls." The third, located in the distance, is called Tivu-Ata-Polo, in the translation "Enchanted", "Lake of enchanted people" or "Lake of sorcerers" - depends on how you hear the interpreter. According to the beliefs of local residents, in the colorful lakes, the souls of the dead end their way. In Tivu-Ata-Mbupu there are spirits of wise men and elders, in Tivu-Nua-Muri-Koh-Tai - children and youth, and in Tiva-Ata-Polo - sinners and evil sorcerers. Tradition says that if you disturb, anger or insult the spirits living in the waters that are crowned by Mount Kelimutu (Indonesia), then the water in them will begin to change color. Probably, somebody has already touched the dead, because this phenomenon has happened many times: now the lakes have dense black, turquoise and green hues, and only a few years ago the scale was different: burgundy - black - blue-green. Tivu-Nua-Muri-Koh-Tai and in a quarter of a century changed the shades a dozen times. Probably because it has become a haven for children, and they are very restless and fickle.

Scientific explanation

Although the volcano Kelimutu is considered extinct, some underground processes in it still occur. In one of the lakes comes the solfatar - a crack through which hydrochloric acid and hydrogen sulfide enter it. The latter, upon contact with oxygen in the atmosphere, is converted to sulfuric acid. Both compounds are very active, and since the lakes are very mineralized, chemical reactions result from which the color of the water depends . While one of the lakes had a red shade, this indicated the interaction of iron and hydrogen sulphide; Now the color is almost close to black. All the tones of green and blue are the result of different concentrations of the above acids and their reactions with different components of the lakes.

The way to the miracle

Mount Kelimutu (Indonesia), is part of the national park, which is relatively small, but is located far enough from the benefits of civilization - to the nearest city to go 60 kilometers. Therefore, the village of Moni, which is located directly at the foot of volcanoes, enjoys the great love of travelers. Here you can not only relax, but also hear a variety of details (often very contradictory) of local legends.

To see the colorful lakes, it's best to land in the End. From there goes a minibus to Moni; People who do not save on expenses can hire a taxi or rent a scooter.

Another option is to take the plane to Maumere; However, this city is further from Kelimutu, 105 kilometers, but many tourists this route is more convenient for their own reasons. From there also buses go to Moni; In the way it will be necessary to spend 3-4 hours - depending on what the weather is worth and if the earthquake did not happen after the earthquake.

Minibus to Moni go minibuses, and even to the craters will have to climb the stairs - as much as 13 kilometers.

Travel Tips

Observation platforms with which Mount Kelimutu (Indonesia) is equipped are fenced for safety by fences. It is strictly prohibited to climb them - and do not ignore this prohibition. The guide will gladly tell you about the young Dane, who wished to take a photo from an unexpected angle and fell into the Lake of young souls. By the way, his body was not found.

The best view of the Lake of Tears opens at dawn - later the probability of a fog is great, because of which it is often impossible to consider anything.

It's better to go down to dusk - mountains in the dark are dangerous, and it comes very sharply. Go try the group: the lakes are highly dangerous fumes, from which people lose consciousness. In the crowd there will be someone to take the fallen.

Traveling in Indonesia, do not miss the volcano Kelimutu - photos that you will make in these places, will be a long time to remind of a visit to truly wonderful places. And they will prove incredulous that the lakes are really colorful.