It's difficult to get there. We were on holiday in Labuan Bajo. There is one flight per day at 1200 to Ende. When leaving, you must not miss the car with the driver. Approximate price 1,100,000 rupees per day. But after driving a kilometer from the airport, he will stop and increase the price. You have to go to the lakes at 5 am. Ascent along serpentine roads in thick fog. Entry fee is 150,000 per person and 10,000 per car. Three multi-colored crater lakes that constantly change their color from turquoise and black to green and brick red. Two lakes are located nearby and separated by a narrow rocky bridge, and the third is remote from them. Scientists explain the difference in the color of the lakes by the presence of thin underwater cracks through which carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, sulfide and hydrogen chloride escape. Gases and acids react with substances dissolved in water, and bring deep water, denser and richer in nutrients, to the surface. That's why the water changes its color. Lake Starikov is located separately from the other two reservoirs; it has an almost circular shape and steep rocky shores. According to local legend, the souls of deceased elders who led a righteous life find refuge on this lake. The Lake of Young Souls has a light turquoise color, sometimes it turns green, milky or pinkish. Local residents believe that the souls of children who prematurely left this mortal coil fall into this lake. At the bottom of the Lake of Young Souls there is a solfatara - a crack from which hydrogen sulfide and hydrochloric acid vapors are constantly released. When it comes into contact with air, hydrogen sulfide turns into sulfuric acid, the fumes of which are dangerous to humans. The Enchanted Lake is the darkest lake on Kelimutu. According to legend, the souls of bad people go here after death. The water of the reservoir has a high concentration of iron, which, when interacting with atmospheric oxygen, forms bright red iron oxide. The lake once had a luxurious scarlet color, but over time it darkened and became dark brown, almost black. Clouds of steam often rise above the surface of the lake, which is why locals call it “Boiling”.

The entrance gate now doesn’t open until 6am. Closes at 10am. This means you would miss out the sunrise. We arrived at 5am on our scooter unaware that it wasn’t opening until 6am. A local told us to go under the boom gate so we did. We were the only ones there for sunrise - absolutely beautiful. On our way down from the lookout, others that had been waiting at the boom gate were confused as to how we were there so early. On the way out the entrance gate staff stopped us and asked us to pay so we did. Seemed like no probs to go under boom gate as long as you pay on way out. Seems stupid to lock out tourists from seeing the most beautiful time of the day?

Very nice place this emblem of flora Attention at this moment open from 6 am , barrier lifted at 11 am (because of the sulfur that escapes; so no sunset in Kelimutu at this moment) Parking , in 20 minutes walk; we are there; lots of steps at the end but it's worth it. You have to go at sunrise; I will say no because of the 9 o'clock , the color blue turquoise is all over the big lake and the one behind that at 6:20 was black becomes green as for the 3rd; the red brown it remains really mysterious

To see the lakes of 3 different colors you really need to arrive at the right time, with the right combination: being the colors given by dissolved minerals it is necessary that at that time there are the right mixtures. We saw 3 lakes and 2 colors (red was missing) and the show was still magnificent. The climb that takes you to the craters is quite easy, doing it at dawn was not useful, as the fog takes a while to clear. On the way back the meeting with the monkeys.