Indonesia: Flores: Waecicu Beach and Kelimutu

August 26, 1995

Flores is one of Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands. It lies east of Komodo Island and west of Lembata Island. The west coast port town of Labuan Bajo is a gateway to Komodo National Park, known for its carnivorous Komodo dragons and waters teeming with sea life, including manta rays and turtles. Also on the island is Kelimutu National Park, with its volcano and 3 intensely colored crater lakes....Kelimutu is a volcano, close to the small town of Moni in central Flores island in Indonesia. It is around 50 km to the east of Ende, Indonesia, the capital of Ende regency in East Nusa Tenggara province. It has three volcanic crater lakes that differ in color.

🙂 Incredible colour of lakes!

🙁 Seeing what has happened since! Litter.

After leaving Komodo we hooked up with Charlie and Dave on our boat and headed to a piece of paradise! Absolutely stunning. Compare and contrast 1995 vs 2022 🙁 There was NOTHING there at the time – we arrived by fishing boat and drew fresh water from a well and ate freshly caught seafood…. how lucky are we to have travelled there and then at that time?!

Shower from a well where I bumped into another South African who was reading Law and doing his articles with my cousin’s husband’s Law Firm: Pampallis & Randles – small world!

The snorkelling was AMAZING but we did pick up a lot of plastic off from the stunning coral reefs.

Charlie and Dave great chaps who played with Trent. Absolutely stunning location.

Great dinner – shared three beers and bed. Up at 07h30 and boarded boat after breakfast. Had a stunning day snorkelling and relaxing on the white beach. A couple on their yacht moored up – the whole family were stark naked and having a ball – love it! Sadly we picked up a lot of rubbish walking around this what should be pristine island. When it was time to leave the skipper couldn’t move the boat – Charlie went to check what was wrong and we discovered that the rope was caught by a giant clam! (For Real!)… Stunning day.

In the evening took the bus to Moni – steep winding paths with lots of vomming in background into the black bags handed out at the start of the journey which people threw out of the window and hungry stray dogs eagerly devoured – YUCK! … stunning view of islands … Slept fitfully – Trent on bags and me on Paul. Arrived at 06h30 and took a bemo to the bus stop… checked into a lovely Homestay called Palm Bungalow. All the old ladies chew red tobaccos with their stumpy teeth and spit constantly …aaargh.

The lakes were spectacular – the changing colours at Kelimutu are thought to be caused by fumaroles, or volcanic vents that release steam and gases such as sulfur dioxide.