When asked about the particularly famous tourist destinations in Flores, some people might answer Komodo Island, Labuan Bajo, Mount Kelimutu, and other places. While these answers are correct, there are other places in Flores that you can visit and enjoy during your stay on the island. One of such places is Wawomudha Lake or Wawomudha Crater, commonly known as a Mini Mount Kelimutu!
Description
Flores is filled with many mountains, with Wawomudha Lake being one. Originally known as an inactive volcano that has been dormant for centuries, the mountain suddenly made several small eruptions back in 2001, which created a small lake after the eruptions concluded.
After the mountain erupted, local civilians realized that these eruptions created three small lakes of water, each with different colors. The emergence of these small lakes reminded people of Mount Kelimutu, another famous volcano in Flores, and Indonesia as a volcano with three volcanic crater lakes, each with different colors as well.
As such, people begin to refer to Wawomudha as “Mini Mount Kelimutu” because of their similar characteristics, primarily in having three lakes with different colors in each of them. However, Wawomudha is smaller in scale, making it somewhat of a “smaller relative” of Mount Kelimutu on the island’s east side.
Location
The lake itself is located in Ngoranale Village, Susu Ward, Bajawa District, Ngada Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province. The lake is also situated north of Bajawa, the regency’s largest town, and south of Mount Inielika, a larger volcano north of Wawomudha.
Furthermore, the lake is located southwest of Bajawa Soa Airport, the regional airport and entry point for airliners to enter the area. While seemingly close to the main road on the maps, no direct road connects Wawomudha with the main road, as much of the access is only traversable by feet from the lake’s parking lot.
Route
Located close to the main road between Bajawa and Bajawa Soa Airport, it takes about 6 kilometers from the center of Bajawa Town to the lake. From Bajawa, tourists can make their travel from Bajawa T.W. Mengeruda Street (the main road between Bajawa and Bajawa Soa Airport) before making a left turn to Wawo Muda Street.
Upon entering Wawo Muda Street, visitors can keep on traversing the road until they see a sign that notifies an entrance to Wawomudha Lake on the right side of the road.
Amenities
Due to Wawomudha’s relatively recent eruption and lack of reputation compared to Mount Kelimutu, most of the nearby tourist facilities are only available on the closest main road and village. While it doesn’t rob any of Wawomudha’s charm for tourists, they need to consider this fact to prevent disappointment from having to climb the mountain and expecting an abundance of amenities shops.
Moreover, due to a lack of infrastructure and direction signs, traversing the forest to reach the lake can also be challenging without proper guidance. As a result, tourists are highly advised to prepare their own amenities before accessing the lake since there is still a lack of amenities shops where they can buy things on the spot.
When to Visit
The best time to visit Wawomudha is during the rainy season. The reason is that during the dry season, the water content of the lake will dry up and thus not result in the lake showing its distinctive colors, much like in Mount Kelimutu.
For that reason, it is commonly better to visit the lake during the rainy season. While the trekking can be a little bit harder due to the wet soil, the lakes’ water content is at its highest at this point.
How to Get to
Luckily for tourists, the initial trek to Wawomudha from Bajawa or other spots is more accessible now, as the main roads have already been paved properly. By using a car or a motorcycle, tourists can drive up the road before arriving in the lake’s parking lot. From there, tourists can reach the lake after walking on foot for 30 minutes with a local guide’s help.
Conclusion
While smaller than Mount Kelimutu in terms of scale, Wawomudha Lake remains a strong contender for mesmerizing tourist destinations in Flores. In fact, if you love hiking so much, consider visiting this lake to feel the sense of satisfaction of seeing colorful lakes after having a long hike!
