Hordes Of Tourists Visit Lake Kelimutu

JAKARTA, Feb 22 (Antara) - Kelimutu, a small but well-known Indonesian volcano with three summit crater lakes of varying colors, is the most famous tourist attraction in Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara province. These colored lakes of Kelimutu that change colors on a regular basis continues to attract hordes of local and foreign tourists all year round. A popular tourist attraction, the scenic lakes of Kelimutu are respectively said to have varied colors of turquoise, brown and black, green and red periodically. No wonder, this world-famous tree-colored lakes which offer unique flora and fauna attracted the visit of tens of thousands of both local and foreign tourists last year. In a release some time ago, the Kelimutu National Park announced that the number of tourists visiting the three-colored lake during 2017 reached 91,219 people. "This is a very significant figure over the past year," Kelimuntu National Park Office Chief Agus Sitepu remarked in Kupang, the center of East Nusa Tenggara provincial administration. Sitepu also affirmed that the visitors who came to Kelimutu last year were made up of 73,417 domestic tourists and 17,802 foreign tourists. From the total number of visitors during 2017, the Kelimutu National Park managed to reap a profit of Rp3.5 billion, while that of the previous year only reached Rp2.8 billion from around 80 thousands visitors. The Kelimutu National Park Office chief expressed optimism that in 2018 the number tourists visiting Lakes Kelimutu will be even greater. "We are sure that more tourists will visit this year because Lake Kelimutu tourism is increasingly in demand by both local and foreign tourists," Sitepu explained. According to him, 5.606 domestic tourists and 926 foreign tourists had visited the Lake Kelimutu tourist attraction during the period of January to February 13, 2018, and the number is believed to continue increasing until the end of the year. Both local and foreign tourists keen on witnessing the sunrise compete to scale Mount Kelimutu's peak in the morning at around 5 a.m. local time or even earlier. Tourists are willing to withstand the chill of the piercing morning air just to be able to enjoy God's creations from the mountain top. The experience of being on top of Mt Kelimutu is different, as the sun rising from the eastern horizon appears to slowly but surely rise up and illuminate the lake. The participants can capture the scenery of the sunrise on their cameras. Both local and foreign tourists get into a frenzy to capture the sunrise from atop Kelimutu. Mount Kelimutu, with its tree-colored crater lakes, is viewed as a scenic natural phenomenon and mystical place in Flores. Evelyn, a Swiss tourist who visited the area in October 2017, admitted to being enthralled by the charm of the tourist area of Lake Kelimutu, which is famous for its color that often changes. "This is my first visit to see how beautiful the lakes are," Evelyn remarked at an altitude of 1,345 meters above sea level in the forest area of Lake Kelimutu. Several myths still abound on the origin of Kelimutu. This is one of the reasons why Mount Kelimutu was and continues to be a sacred place for the local people. Over the years, the three crater lakes have often changed their color from black-brown to green and to a reddish tone. The first lake is named Tiwu Ata Mbupu, the lake of the ancestors' souls; the second is called Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai, or the lake of the young people's souls; and the third is known as Tiwu Ata Polo, the lake of evil spirits. The first and second lakes are situated in proximity to each other, while the third lake is some 1.5 kilometers to the west. Kelimutu is a scenic place to explore, but the best time to visit is in the early hours of the morning when the clouds have not yet blocked the view of the sunrise. The most popular and convenient starting point to visit Kelimutu is Moni, a village close to the Transflores highway. The Kelimutu crater lakes are only a small part of the Kelimutu National Park. This area belongs to the worldwide protected areas and is internationally recognized by the United Nations Environment Program. Due to its unique natural features, rich biodiversity, and cultural heritage, the Kelimutu National Park attracts thousands of tourists each year. Hence, the government is offering the Kelimutu National Park tour package along with a visit to Labuan Bajo to international guests and participants attending the 2018 International Monetary Fund-World Bank (IMF-WB) annual meeting in Bali. Thus, attending the IMF-WB annual meeting in October 2018 in Nusa Dua, Bali, is not solely intended for serious discussions and seminars. To this end, the government, at the meeting supported by the Ministry of Tourism, will also encourage all delegates to travel to the island resort of Bali and Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Labuan Bajo, and Kelimutu National Park in Flores Island and explore other places in Indonesia. Some 18 thousand participants from 189 countries have reportedly registered to attend the IMF-WB annual meeting to discuss global financial issues along with undertaking a visit to Labuan Bajo to get a first-hand glimpse of the home of Komodo giant lizards, known as indigenous animals that exist exclusively in Indonesia. East Nusa Tenggara Tourism Office Chief Marius Ardu Jelamu remarked that by visiting Labuan Banjo and the Kelimutu National Park, participants of the IMF-WB annual meeting will have an opportunity to witness Komodo dragons and the tree-colored lakes of Kelimutu.