Apart from the well-known tricolor lakes, KNP and its surrounding areas are also rich in natural resources, including rare or endemic flora, as well as specific ecosystems, namely Vaccinium and Rhododendron.
The results of an inventory of flora by TNK and LIPI (2007) state that there are 78 tree species grouped into 36 families. The family with the most species is Euphorbiaceae with 10 species, Lauraceae with 7 species, and Fabaceae with 6 species. The KNP and LIPI studies also found two types of plants as endemic flora of Kelimutu, namely uta bonga ( Begonia Kelimutuensis ) and gurudwara ( Rhododendron Renschianum ).
“As a conservation area, what needs to be considered in conserving flora are the limited number of species and their distribution in only one zone,” said Ridwan Fauzi, a TNK official. “There are also plants that can be used as medicinal plants.”
One of the well-known medicinal plants is bunge or amethyst ( Daura metal), a type of thornless shrub. According to Sri Mulyani in a book on the collection of Kelimutu medicinal plants, it is said that this plant is efficacious for treating mydriasis (pupil dilatation) and cycloplegia (eye muscle paralysis).
“The Arboretum is a means of education and research on native flora species in the KNP area,” said Fauzi.
But unfortunately, at several points, the facilities owned by TNK are still not kept clean. In several places, including at the top of Kelimutu, there is still a lot of trash scattered around. According to Ridwan Fauzi, this was also driven by the low attitude of protecting the environment from visitors, especially domestic tourists.
This was also agreed by a foreign visitor from England, Pauline, who was traveling with her two colleagues at the time.
“Visitors must be taught not to litter, let alone plastic waste, because it will damage the environment around the Kelimutu mountains,” Pauline suggested when met by Mongabay Indonesia.
Abdul Rahman, one of the local environmental activists, also contributed to discussions so that KNP managers could provide more trash cans and prepare officers who are always on standby in managing the cleanliness of the site.
Murukeba Waterfall and Kolorongo Hot Springs
Apart from the beauty of the mountain forests, there is also the beautiful Murukeba waterfall in the Kelimutu region. This waterfall is included in the Waturaka village area which is about 700 meters from the main road. Currently, this waterfall is managed by residents of the village of Waturaka with the concept of ecotourism.
To reach the Murukeba waterfall, tourists must walk. From the edge of the main road, tourists must climb the stairs to the guard post as far as 100 meters, uphill with a slope of 45 degrees. The road has been equipped with a bamboo fence as a handle. During the trip, tourists can see the tomato and vegetable gardens that are planted after the rice harvest.
The location of Murukeba Waterfall is an area of about 20 square meters. The waterfall flows from a 100-meter-high cliff. Before touching the ground, the water fell on the rocks that were about ten meters high from the ground.
According to the village head of Waturaka, Jira Loi previously had not managed this waterfall optimally, but since assistance from Swiss Contact, a non-profit organization, the villagers have started to become aware of tourism and develop it. According to Florida Higi, the woman guarding the entry post, about 50 people visit this waterfall per day.
According to Florida, there are even tourists who deliberately stay overnight in the camping area near the waterfall. The next morning these tourists will usually go to the three colored lakes of Kelimutu to catch the morning sun or look for the morning atmosphere at the peak.
Apart from traveling to the waterfall, tourists can also enjoy the Kolorongo hot spring which is still beautiful and in the middle of rice fields. This hot spring is only about 70 meters from the highway.
For visitors, there is a place to change clothes near the road.
The Hidden Beauty of Mongabay Travel in Tembeling Springs
The atmosphere immediately feels different when entering the southwestern tip of Nusa Penida Island, Klungkung Regency, Bali. The heat of this barren island is replaced by cool trees.
The journey to the springs in Tembeling, Nusa Penida does require extra effort and effort. This location is not only quite far from the center of the crowd but also because of the tough terrain.
After all, with these challenges, visiting the Tembeling Spring is actually a pleasure for nature lovers. The cool area here is inversely proportional to the condition of Nusa Penida Island in general which tends to be barren. The atmosphere is also quiet and still natural.
Three Charms
Tembeling Spring is one of the interesting locations in Nusa Penida which is only recently known even by residents on the island itself. The location is in Batumadeg Village, Nusa Penida District. From Sampalan Harbor, the most crowded area in Nusa Penida, it takes about 1 hour by motorbike to pass through the road that divides the middle of the island.
The Tembeling spring has become known in the last two years. Komah Setiabudi, a resident, said that the spring was found accidentally by a resident while looking for his missing cow. Since then, the spring has been increasingly visited by local residents as well as foreign and domestic tourists.
In the Tembeling Spring area there are three interesting things. First are the canyons along the trail leading to the springs. The canyon is on the other side of a gap about 20 meters wide. On the wall, there are at least two large water flow containers. More like a former waterfall.
According to Nengah, the story is clearer about cliffs and ravines, and how they were formed in the past is still a mystery.
The second interesting part of the Tembeling spring area is the spring itself. He became the main attraction. This spring is in the form of a well with clear green water with a width of about 10 x 8 square meters. The depth, according to Suka, is around 10 meters.
This clear lake is a place for visitors to bathe. The water is fresh and cold. Some visitors sit bathing on the edge of this small lake. Others are just busy taking pictures against the background of the lake.
Bayu Pradana from Denpasar was one of the visitors to the Tembeling Spring early last July. Together with his cousin and uncle, he visited Tembeling for the first time with a local guide, Gede Sukara. “It’s fun because it’s still quiet and natural,” said a high school student who likes to climb the mountain.
At the bottom, about 20 meters from the main lake, there is another spring which is specifically for women. This spring is shallower, only about 50 cm, with rocks at the bottom. Because of that, he is safer than the first lake.
“When swimming in a large lake, you have to be careful and have friends because there have been two drowning victims,” said Setiabudi.
The third interesting part of the Tembeling Spring area is the beach. This spring is exactly on the southwest coast of Nusa Penida. The open sea on the south side of the island is the Indian Ocean which brings high waves, especially in early July.
The south side of Nusa Penida Island is high cliffs like Bali Island, especially around Uluwatu to Nusa Dua. It reaches 100 meters high and faces directly with the ocean.
There are large cave-like inlets due to the crashing of the waves at Tembeling Beach, Nusa Penida. One part of this niche even penetrates the bottom of the reef and makes a kind of big cave.
Visitors can enjoy the waves that endlessly come hitting the high cliffs, leaving behind droplets of water and the crashing sound of the crash. “But you have to be extra careful here so you don’t get swept away by the waves,” said Gede Sukara, who usually guides tourists visiting Nusa Penida, including the Tembeling spring.
Spiritual
Komang Setiabudi, one of the guardians, said that once every six months the local Hindus carry out a ceremony at the temple. For other Hindus, the springs in Tembeling are also considered sacred so they become part of the ceremony.
From the courtyard of the largest temple, Pesimpangan Ratu Kanjeng Temple, visitors can enjoy the beach and the crashing of the waves from a height while feeling the cool temperature typical of the wet tropics. An experience and atmosphere that cannot be found anywhere else in Bali.
The beauty of Tembeling’s natural tourism can add to the attractiveness of Nusa Penida Island. From the beginning it was known as an underdeveloped island area, including Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan which are included in the Nusa Penida sub-district, slowly becoming the new gold for Bali tourism.
In terms of infrastructure, the main roads on the island covering an area of 202.6 square kilometers are increasingly being built. The 42 km long highway on the edge of the island is already in the form of a cold mix, so it is more comfortable to pass, especially if you want to walk along the beaches on this island.
The Tembeling natural tourist area can add to the natural and spiritual tourist attractions that were previously well-known on this island.
