To be completely honest, I expected Kelimutu National Park to be slightly overrated. I imagined it a place where you pay your entrance fee, walk to a viewpoint, take a snap, ooh and aaah once, and then make your way to the exit.
I was wrong. SO WRONG. Kelimutu is not the Eiffel Tower of Indonesia.
In reality, the tri-coloured lakes of Kelimutu are an incredible sight. A sign at the entrance reads The Land of Mystical Beauty. Kelimutu National Park, Ende, Flores, NTT. And that perfectly captures the essence of the park. It’s beyond beautiful, with a good dose of mysticism thrown into the mix.
After spending two days exploring the Land of Mystical Beauty, we wrote this guide for independent travellers like you wishing to visit Kelimutu. Besides the famous volcanic lakes, we’ll also show you a few stunning things to see and do around Kelimutu.
So if you want to see the best of the Kelimutu area, then this guide is tailor-made for you.
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Quick Guide to Kelimutu National Park & Moni
Closest town to Kelimutu: Moni
Kelimutu National Park entrance fee: Foreigners pay 150K IDR on weekdays and 225K IDR on Saturdays and Sundays.
Opening hours: 05:00 – 18:00 daily
Where we stayed in Moni: There are a few guesthouses and restaurants in town. We stayed at Santiago Bed & Breakfast and loved the clean rooms, hot water, and fluffy pancakes for breakfast.
Getting to Kelimutu: Moni is about 12 km from Kelimutu. We rode our scooter up the mountain, and it was a beautiful ride. Ask your guesthouse if you need a car and driver.
See below for info on getting to Moni.
Getting around: Rent a scooter for ultimate freedom. We paid 150K IDR per day from Rainbow Cafe. Those who can’t ride a scooter can get an ojek (motorbike taxi) for the day or a car with a driver. Ask your guesthouse for recommendations.
How much time: Some people stay one night only, see Kelimutu at sunrise and then move on. We stayed for two nights and found it just right. With two days, you’re sure to see Kelimutu in case of bad weather and it gives you time to explore the sights around Moni.
Top tip: Watch out for the monkeys at Kelimutu. They’ll snatch anything that looks like food. We saw one bastard monkey run off with a child’s little backpack.
Moni, Your Base for Visiting Kelimutu National Park
The base for visiting Kelimutu is the beautiful village of Moni, about 12 km from the entrance to Kelimutu National Park. Moni is basically a one-street town hugged by rice paddies and forested mountains. It’s a beautiful little place with friendly vibes. There are a few guesthouses and restaurants in town.
We loved our stay at the Santiago Bed & Breakfast. Our ensuite room was squeaky clean and had a comfy double bed and hot water. The friendly owners rocking their distinct afros are from the Lio tribe, and they can arrange trips east past Maumere to Larantuka to explore the incredible cultures and landscapes of eastern Flores.
Moni sits at a high elevation that makes it refreshingly chilly, so book a place with hot water – you can thank us later.
Getting to Ende: Your first step to getting to Kelimutu is to reach the city of Ende. Ende has an airport with daily flights to Kupang and Labuan Bajo, or you can also reach Ende overland by public transport from Bajawa or Maumere. By road, the most comfortable option is Gunung Mas, a shared minibus service with private seats. Ask your accommodation a day or two in advance to make a reservation.
We reached Ende by shared car from Riung (120K IDR, 4 hours).
Getting from Ende to Moni: Hourly buses leave from Roworeke Bus Terminal in northern Ende. The bus terminal is just a stop next to the road, but your taxi/Grab/Gojeg will drop you at the right spot. The bus costs 50K IDR per person and takes about an hour to reach Moni.
Scam alert: Don’t believe the bemo drivers at Roworeke telling you there are no buses to Moni. They will insist that the last bus for the day has left already, and you must charter their bemo for IDR300K. Just wait a while and the bus will eventually show up.
Moni-Ende Private Transfer: We got a private transfer from Santiago to the airport in Ende, as we didn’t feel like buses and shenanigans that might make us miss our flight. We paid 500K IDR for a private transfer.
Getting to Kelimutu National Park from Moni
After breakfast at Santiago, we punched Kelimutu into Google Maps, fired up the scooter, and went off. It is 12.3 km from Santiago to the parking area at Kelimutu, and it’s a stunning drive with views for days.
As you wind up the mountain, you’ll pass villages, rice paddies, springs, and forests. The ride up from one hairpin bend to the other is as exciting as it is visually stunning. Just before the entrance to Kelimutu National Park, the road follows a ridge with fantastic views toward the Savu Sea below.
After paying your entrance fee at the gate, it’s still a kilometre or so before reaching the parking area. Follow this pin to the Kelimutu parking area. It should take about 30 minutes to reach Kelimutu from Moni by scooter.
Hiking in Kelimutu National Park
The hike to the viewpoints overlooking the Kelimutu lakes is an easy 20-minute walk from the parking area.
You can take either of the two sets of stairs leading up from the parking lot, as both paths converge later. Initially, the trail goes through a lush forest filled with beautiful pines, tree ferns, casuarinas, and redwoods. Just before you reach the first viewpoint, the forest gives way to the barren top of the volcano.
When you reach the first viewpoint, where you can see the twin lakes separated by a shared crater wall, you’ll be amazed. This is the point where we realized that Kelimutu was not overhyped.
After the first viewpoint, the path heads uphill, with steep steps leading up to the highest viewpoint. The final viewpoint offers a surreal view of all three lakes. If you’re coming for sunrise, this is the most beautiful spot.
In addition to the main trail, several smaller paths lead down to the lakes. If you decide to take any of them, please be careful and do not try to get too close to the crater rims for that perfect photo. Several people have fallen into the lakes, and their bodies have never been recovered.
The hiking trails in Kelimutu National Park are beautiful, easy, and suitable for the entire family to enjoy this top Indonesian landmark.
Kelimutu Lakes & Viewpoints
Kelimutu’s mystical beauty lies in its three multi-coloured lakes. These lakes are known for changing colours and temperature due to volcanic activity. Science aside, the local people believe that the lakes are the final resting places of the departed souls.
From the first viewpoint, you see the teal-coloured Tiwu Ata Polo and the greenish Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai, separated by a shared crater wall.
Lake Tiwu Ata Polo, the one on the right, is the most prone to colour changes. It used to be dark red-brown but changed to turquoise in 2006. Locals believe Lake Tiwu Ata Polo (Bewitched Lake) is where the spirits of evil people go in the afterlife.
Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai (Lake of Young Men and Maidens), the greenish-white lake on the left, is the final resting place of good, young souls.
Follow the path up the hill to the highest viewpoint, where you’ll see all three lakes.
Fantastic views await as you ascend the steps up to the main viewpoint. Reaching the top, you’ll have an unworldly view of the two blue-green lakes on the one side and the black lake behind you.
The black lake, Tiwu Ata Bupu, is where the souls of old people go in the afterlife.
We spent quite some time at the summit, gawking at the lakes that seem to change colour ever so slightly when the wind blows or clouds move over them. It was pure magic.
Watch out for those pesky monkeys, though!
There are a few stalls selling coffee, tea, snacks and ikat back at the parking lot. We had a few strong cups of Kelimutu coffee and fried bananas before heading downhill back to Moni.
Places to See around Kelimutu
We visited Kelimutu in the morning after breakfast, which still gave us the entire afternoon to explore the area. The road took us back to Moni, from where we continued for about 20 km on the Moni-Ende road.
It’s another beautiful road with a few worthwhile stops to make.
Wologai Village
We spotted Wologai village from the bus window on the way to Moni and decided we’d have to come and check it out. The traditional Lio village is perched on top of a hill backed by forested mountains and can easily be spotted from the road.
We have mixed feelings about Wologai. The rustic village is beautiful in a stunning setting, and the details of the house carvings are remarkable. However, we felt like walking ATMs from the moment we arrived.
We had to pay for parking, entrance, and renting an ikat sarong, which all visitors must wear to enter the village.
A man instructed us to walk in a counterclockwise direction through the village. As soon as we entered, a woman immediately set up a fake loom, pretending to weave ikat. When I went to take a look, she shoved a tiny pack of ground coffee in my face to sell.
It takes about 5 minutes to walk around the 18 thatch-roof houses. I was quite into the carved panels on the houses and wanted to take photos of them. The man, however, rushed us along and tried to get rid of us.
Yes, it’s a pretty place, but our experience could have been better. There are much better villages in Bajawa with friendly, welcoming folks, so don’t feel too guilty for skipping this village.
Before riding off, we read the information board saying that the entire village burnt down in 2012, and this is a reconstruction. So decide for yourself if this is for you.
[Location]
The Detusoko Rice Terraces
About 20 km from Moni on the road to Ende is Detusoko, an area of stunning rice terraces and paddies next to the road.
The Detusoko rice terraces are just as impressive as the Instagram Hall of Fame terraces in Ubud, but you’ll have it all to yourself here. No blondes prancing around in oversized yellow skirts and crochet tops, posing and pouting.
The best place to admire the Detusoko rice terraces is from Liona Top Cafe (location), a little family-run cafe overlooking the paddies.
We had instant noodles, a few cups of coffee, and cookies while enjoying the view. Before leaving, the owner recommended we stop at the nearby hot spring on the way back to Moni, which we didn’t know about.
Ae Oka Hot Springs
We came to the Ae Oka Hotsprings down a steep road from Liona Top Cafe, heading into the rice fields. You can follow this pin or look for an Air Panas Ae Oka sign. It’s under 2km from the cafe.
The water looked clean, was nice and hot, and piped into a pool under a roof. The hot pool is wedged between a river and paddies on the one side and a garden on the other. It’s a good setup and looks much more inviting than the other tiny hot springs you’ll find in the rice paddies in Moni.
Had we packed our swimmers, we could easily have spent an hour here, but this was an unplanned excursion, and we only found out about a few minutes before arriving.
The sign at the parking area states a 2000 IDR entrance fee, but no one was around, so we took a peek for free. There are also clean changing rooms and toilets.
So pack your towel and swimsuit under your scooter when heading out this way. You can thank us later.
Nduaria Fruit & Vegetables Market
Make a quick stop at the roadside fruit and veg market in Nduarai on the way back to Moni. It’s a colourful place with friendly vendors, and if it’s in season, you’ll find it here.
We got a bag of snakeskin fruit and a few oranges to take back to Moni with us.
Murundao Waterfall
Back in Moni, there is the pretty Murundao Waterfall still to see. It’s just across the road from Siantiago Guesthouse and Rainbow Cafe, so you don’t even need a scooter to get there.
It’s signposted, and a short walk down a path will get you to the waterfall in just a few minutes. Once you get to the waterfall, there are other paths to take, but the mosquitos were out in full force, so I took a snap and returned to Rainbow Cafe for an iced coffee instead.
Where to Eat in Moni
Good Moni
Our favourite place to eat in Moni is the wonderful Good Moni. And yes, it’s pretty good. It’s so good we had dinner here twice. Good Moni’s food won’t win any prizes for the most beautiful food, but it’s damn tasty and cheap, and that, for us, is what good food should be.
We loved the outside deck overlooking the jungle, the friendly staff and the hearty, hot food for those chilly evenings.
The soto ayam (Indonesian chicken soup) and pumpkin soup are both very nice. For something filling, try the croquettes topped with cheese.
Mopis
Mopis, right in the middle of Moni’s main street, is the cool kid in town. It feels like every Western tourist in town will have at least one meal here. The place is buzzing, offering anything Westerners might need, from brownies to vegan food and ethically sourced single-origin coffee beans.
Besides food and entertainment, they arrange shuttle services between Moni, Ende, Koka Beach, and Maumere.
I had the vegetable curry with homemade bread, and Jin had the burrito with fried potatoes. The food looked beautiful, and the atmosphere was perfect. We both feel it fell short in taste, though.
The Flores Files
Looking for more Flores travel information? Check out our other posts
And with that, you’ll have a great time in Kelimutu National Park. Drop us a message in the comments below if you have any questions
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Hi
Thanks for your great blog!
I’m thinking about to catch the public bus from Ende to Moni.
Would they still run at 3/4/5 pm in the afternoon?
Cheers
Hi Andreas,
I’m sure you can still get a bus at 3-4 pm, but I’m not 100% sure of schedule. There should at least be bemos (minibuses) that will take you, but make sure from the locals that the public bus is defintely not running – the bemo mafia will of course tell you that there are no buses. Have a great trip 🙂