Mt Kelimutu is an active volcano with three different craters, all containing lakes but each with its own unique colour.
The three crater ( lake)s
What's even more unusual, the colours change over time. The three lakes once adorned the Rp5000 note, when they looked quite different.
That was then... (red, blue, green)
At a small display case on the path to the lookout, you can read what colours they were when. It is believed that this is caused by the different minerals in the surrounding rocks and soil being leached into the water.
Where is it?
Mt Kelimutu is in Flores, in East Nusa Tenggara (aka NTT) province.
The area around Mt Kelimutu
The nearest town is Moni, the nearest airports are in Ende (56 km from Moni) and Maumere (98 km). However, the Trans-Flores Highway is very windy, so you don't average more than about 40 km/h; going to Moni from Ende/Maumere takes two/three hours respectively.
While Ende's airport is closer, Maumere's airport gets more flights and is an easier place to arrange transport to see many other local attractions like traditional villages, diving, Komodo dragons, Flores Hobbit Caves, etc. I have already discussed travelling to Flores by plane and getting around in detail in that article; here I will focus on getting to the volcano.
You can visit any time, but the only time you are guaranteed unobscured views is at sunrise. For this, you need to leave your hotel at 4:30am for the 12 km drive to the trailhead. Halfway up, you need to find, wake up and pay the park ranger Rp20 000 if you're a foreigner or Rp2500 if you're local. (Unlike e.g. Borobodur, flashing your KITAS doesn't get you a discount or the local price). It's better if you have exact change.
The sole place where you can see all three lakes is rightly named Inspiration Point. The walk up (don't forget a torch) takes about twenty minutes, and isn't steep or difficult. You might see a monkey or two along the way. When you arrive, you can just sit back, relax and enjoy the moment as the sun rises.
The Righteous Dude was inspired here - 2009
Why is it special?
There were a few things I particularly enjoyed on my visit.
- You won't be fighting crowds and souvenir hawkers along the way.
The only person we saw selling stuff was a guy selling coffee. There were less than ten visitors to the mountain that day, despite it being the June/July school holidays. This is a nice change/different from Mt Bromo or (to a lesser extent) Ijen Plateau. - The accommodation nearby is generally good and very reasonably priced.
We stayed at the Watuhala Bungalows, and for Rp85 000 we got a room with double bed and single bed each with mosquito nets; our own bathroom; a full breakfast of banana pancake, fruit salad, tea/coffee. The rooms are much nicer than the sign suggests... - The interesting people you meet along the way.
We met tourists there from different regions of Indonesia and different countries, both in Moni and on top of the mountain. Speaking some Indonesian, we also had some eye-opening conversations with local restauranteurs, farmers, etc. This brings me to my next point... - Food there is nice, suited to Western tastes and inexpensive.
At a restaurant in Moni called "Bintang's", I had a macaroni and cheese that - unlike most Indonesian imitations - had a cheese sauce that was thick and creamy. The manager of "Chenty" - next door to "Bintang's" - is really friendly and the food equally good.
Watuhala Bungalows - blink and you'll miss it
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