Kelimutu

Kelimutu is a volcano, close to the town of Moni in central Flores Island of Indonesia containing three summit crater lakes of varying colors. Tiwu Ata Mbupu (Lake of Old People) is usually blue and is the westernmost of the three lakes. The other two lakes, Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai (Lake of Young Men and Maidens) and Tiwu Ata Polo (Bewitched or Enchanted Lake) are separated by a shared crater wall and are typically green or red in color, respectively. The lake colors do vary on a periodic basis. Subaqueous fumaroles are the probable cause of active upwelling that occurs at the two eastern lakes.

The lake have been a source of minor phreatic eruptions in historical time. The summit of the compound 1639-m-high Kelimutu volcano is elongated two km in a WNW-ESE direction; the older cones of Kelido and Kelibara are located respectively three km to the north and two km to the south. The scenic lakes are a popular tourist destination. Keli Mutu is also of interest to geologists because the three lakes are different colors yet reside at the crest of the same volcano.

The local community considers these lakes a sacred place being the abode of the souls of the dead. The name Kelimutu itself is derived from the word 'keli', meaning 'mountain', and 'mutu', meaning 'boiling'. The east lake is also called "tiwu ata polo" or the lake for evil spirits, while the center lake is known as "tiwu nua muri koo fai" or the lake for young souls, while the west lake is called "tiwu ata mbupu" or the lake for the souls of the elderly and wise people. Lake Kelimutu and its spectacular panorama are now a very popular tourist attraction.

The closest airports are Maumere, and Ende. There are regular flights to Maumere from Bali. The drive from Maumere to Moni, the town at the base of Keli Mutu, takes about 4 hours.