Sano Nggoang Lake: Flores’ Other Crater Lake

By: Reyhard Matheos

Kelimutu Lake on Flores, is widely known as the three colors lake. But in fact, the same island is also home to the biggest crater lake in Eastern Indonesia, Sano Nggoang. In the local language this means ‘the burning lake.’ This lake is located between the village of Sano Nggoangand Wae Sano village, in the West Manggarai Regency on Flores.

The trip to Sano Nggoang Lake takes more than 4 hours from Labuan Bajo. You can directly reach the lake, by oto—a local name for a public truck. The roads are rough, even though most of them are paved. Nevertheless, the view of the green and fertile Mbeliling mountain ranges, compensate the rocky roads ahead.

Jungle Hikes & Pristine Waterfalls in Koh Kong, Cambodia

By: Gabrielle Yetter

It was the first time I’d seen leeches.

In the jungle terrain of Koh Kong, there were masses of them, many of which fastened themselves onto my legs and ankles as we tramped through the undergrowth on our trek through the Cardamom Mountains. Our guide, a gnarly-faced Cambodian man wielding a machete, cut a path through the dense brush and slashed branches hanging across the trail until we finally arrived, hot and dripping with sweat, at our destination.

First we heard the sound of rushing water. And soon, a pristine, crystal clear waterfall emerged in front of us, beckoning us to swim in its refreshing pools and slither across the moss-covered rocks into the cool water.

Magic Mountain: One Man’s Mission to Save Gunung Sewu Through Ecotourism

By: Monica Dominguez

“Do you mind if I draw on your map?” Agung Setyobudi makes a huge brown streak across my Yogyakarta map, showing me the area the Gunungsewu occupies. It turns out one would need maps all the way to East Java, including the coast, to see the entire area. Gunungsewu is huge; a plateau approximately 120 km long by 60 km wide, stretched between ranges of active volcanos both to the north and to the south. “It would take months to really explore it.”

Setyobudi, founder of local non-governmental organization Save Gunungsewu, spends a large percentage of his days and nights climbing, exploring and mapping this region. But why Gunungsewu? Setyobudi seeks to protect the beauty and natural aspect of this region, but with the mystique of Gunungsewu’s unique ecosystems, there is also an appeal for mining companies, rock climbers and archeologists.