Anybody ever heard about Bunaken Island? of course! it's an aquatic ecosystem paradise, a great sea garden and reefs near Manado, the center of North Sulawesi Province in Indonesia. But do you ever heard about Linau Lake?
Linau Lake (Danau Linow) is a tourism place that offering a well-managed lake located in Lahendong, Tomohon City, near Manado. It's actually a quite small lake with many pine trees (and other tropical trees of course) surrounding it. The difference of Linau Lake with another lakes is the magnificent water. Local society called Linau with " Danau Tiga Warna " or " Three Coloured Lake". Yes, it has three colour. If you are lucky and come in the right time, you can see three of them. Turqoise blue, green, and white. The colour was made by the reflection of sunlight on the water that containing sulfur. It's because Linau was located on a big 'brimstone land'. fyi, in Lahendong we have a PLTP (Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Panas Bumi) also known as Geothermal Power Plant and a brimstone mining area.
the scene behind the pine trees and a bamboo parkbench is the reflective water of Linau Lake.
Path along the way near to the water.
a small shack next to the lake
"Buanglah sampah pada tempatnya" signage. Roger that, sir!
To get in the site, you have to pay Rp 25.000,- in the gate. Then you will get a coupon for each ticket. Inside the site there's a cafe named Cafe Koffie (if i don't make mistake).You can get a free cup of coffee by giving the ticket to the waitress of the cafe. The cafe is so cozy, hanging high near the walking path next to the water. It's actually not hanging, it sustained by a structure and wall under it, that functioned for toilets.
For hygiene matter, you wouldn't worry too much because this place is pretty clean. There's three 'hanging cafe' with the same owner and menus, that offers the different point of view. you can try three of them if you want, especially when you are trying to get the best viewing or capturing point. For myself, i only ever tried the 1st and the 2nd cafe. I am looking forward to try the 3rd :)
On Sunday, February 5th 2012 i had my 2nd visit to Linau with my father, mother, and my little sister. Here are the pictures
me and my cup of coffee. one cup is never enough :)
my little sister posed on an unique tree near the water.
father, mother, and i. I loooove this pict!
two free small sweet cookies instead of a free cup of coffe for each visitors. yumee :D
my sister order an additional pot of black coffee.
can you see the colour of the water behind me? see? see? it reminds me of mint flavour, or...a toothpaste?
the horizon is perfect!
white wooden stools and tables with the green wooden railing and grey-brownie board flooring. Perfect match for the turqoise-white-greenie water.
looking forward to see this place again :)
IN LITTLE ARCHITECT EYES :
For the second time i visited Linau Lake in Lahendong, North Sulawesi, i realized something that related to an architectural and landscaping design concept. Those who understand architecture, they may will be realizing that the designer or landscape planner has a quite pretty eyes for design. Here's the concept, maybe i got it.
He designed this gorgeous place with a technique or concept named 'sequence(s)' in architecture. Sequence is a way of hiding the vocal point (the most interesting spot) of a place. To get there, the visitors should pass the curvaceous walking path. and, BANG! they'll get the gorgeous vocal point at the end of those walking path.
In this place, the vocal point is the white brimstone wall and the boiling lake water at the left of the site. It creates a gorgeous combination of colours. The trees, the green water, white brimstone, and turqoise reflection of sunlight on that brimstoned water. You can reach this amazing scene by walking on a path that made by square-shaped stepping stones. You can come here and see it yourself.
how to get there you can use your own car, driving through Lahendong in Tomohon City, North Sulawesi (Tomohon 30 mins from Manado - the center of North Sulawesi, Lahendong about 45mins - 1 hour from Manado). Or by public transportation (Rp. 6000 or 7000, i forgot the price :p) from Karombasan Bus Station, South Manado to Tomohon, then continue with another public transportation with Tomohon-Sonder track. Don't forget to stop in front of a little church on the left in Lahendong (You can see a quite small "Danau Linow" signage next to the church). Make your way to the path next to the church. To get to the lake you should take a quite exhausting walk, because you will meet an uphill pathway. But the beautiful scene really worth the journey.
my suggestion people said the best time to come here is on a sunny afternoon, after a hard rain. the water's colour is perfect. But if you don't have time to wait for that moment, come at 3 or 3.30 pm until the site closed at 6pm. the sunshine and lighting is perfect. Don't come if the weather isn't good, you'll see nothing here. And also, this place have a clement air, so bring your jacket in case of a windy weather.
North Sulawesi is such a great place to visit. It doesn't only have 'the super-famous' Bunaken Island. Come here and see (:
All photos was taken by me and my sister Puspita on Sunday, February 5th 2012.
