Kelimutu: sunrise over three coloured lakes
At the summit of a volcano in central Flores, three crater lakes sit side by side, each a different colour, and the colours change over the years in ways no one can fully predict.
- Area
- Central & East Flores
- Start from
- Moni
- Distance
- about 13 km from Moni to the car park, then a 20–30 minute walk
- Time needed
- 1–2 days
- Best season
- April – October; clouds often clear in the early morning
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Transport
- Car or ojek from Moni before dawn
- Tickets & rules
- National park entrance fee
Why go
Kelimutu is one of the most extraordinary sights in Indonesia. At about 1,640 metres, the volcano’s summit holds three crater lakes, two side by side separated by a narrow ridge and a third a little apart. Each has its own colour: at various times turquoise, emerald, red-brown, black or milky white. The colours shift every few years, sometimes within months.
Most people go for sunrise. You leave Moni in the dark, ride up the winding road, and walk the last stretch through pine and casuarina in the cold. From the viewpoint, as the sun rises, mist drifts off the lakes and the colours slowly appear. Local women sell hot coffee and ikat scarves at the top, and the mood is quiet and almost reverent.
After sunrise, walk down through the forest and stop at the small waterfall near Moni, or visit villages along the way where weavers work outside their houses. Moni itself is a small, friendly village with rice fields and a weekly market.
The story
The Lio people who live around Kelimutu believe the lakes are resting places for souls. Tiwu Ata Polo, the lake of the bewitched, receives the souls of those who did evil; Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai, the lake of young men and maidens, receives the souls of young people; and Tiwu Ata Mbupu, the lake of the elders, receives the souls of the old. Offerings are still made at the lakes, and there is an annual ritual to feed the ancestors.
Scientifically, the colours come from the chemistry of the water: volcanic gases, dissolved minerals such as iron and sulphur, and changes in oxidation and acidity. Even so, no one can predict exactly when or how a lake will change colour, which keeps the mystery alive.
The lakes became widely known outside Flores after a Dutch official described them in the early twentieth century. Kelimutu National Park was established in 1992, and the lakes once appeared on an Indonesian banknote, which is why many Indonesians recognise them instantly.
Getting there
Moni is the base, about two hours from Ende or three to four from Maumere by road. Ende and Maumere have airports with flights from Bali and other cities.
From Moni, guesthouses arrange cars or ojeks for the drive up before dawn, roughly forty minutes. From the car park, a paved path leads to the viewpoints.
A suggested plan
- Before dawnLeave Moni around 4am by ojek or car.
- SunriseWatch the light from the highest viewpoint over all three lakes.
- MorningWalk to the second viewpoint, then descend through the forest.
- Late morningVisit a weaving village or the waterfall near Moni.
- AfternoonRest in Moni or continue to Ende or Maumere.
Where to stay
Moni has simple guesthouses and a few nicer lodges among the rice fields. It is cool at night, so bring warm layers.
Good to know
- Bring a warm jacket; it is cold at the summit before sunrise.
- Check the weather: on cloudy mornings, wait a little; the clouds often lift.
- Buy coffee or a scarf from the women at the summit to support them.
- Don’t climb beyond the fences around the lakes.
- The crater edges are steep and unstable; stay on marked paths.
- Volcanic gases can occasionally close the summit; check before going.
- Ojek rides in the dark on a winding road need care; ask the driver to go slowly.