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Paisu Pok Lake is a good looking blue lake in Banggai, Indonesia that was nonetheless a hidden gem till very just lately, though photos of this superb lake are going viral throughout social media now so it appears the phrase is formally out.

We visited Paisupok just lately and it’s simply as good because it seems within the pictures. It’s not very laborious to get to there should you’re already touring in Sulawesi, which you need to, as a result of Sulawesi is a large island with so many great issues to see and do.

This journey information will clarify learn how to get to Paisu Pok Lake in Banggai, and every little thing else it is advisable to know earlier than you go!

 

How To Get To Luwuk & Banggai

Paisu Pok Lake is situated on Peleng island, which is a part of the Banggai Islands Regency in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Step one is attending to Luwuk. There are direct flights to the Luwuk airport (LUW) from Makassar in South Sulawesi, or Manado in North Sulawesi. For those who’re coming from Bali, Jakarta, or some other place in Indonesia, then you definately’ll should transit in Makassar or Manado on the way in which to Luwuk. You’ll be able to store for flights on Skyscanner.

When you arrive in Luwuk, you may take the general public ferry from Luwuk Folks’s Port (‘Pelabuhan Rakyat’) over to Leme Leme on Peleng island. It departs every single day at 2 PM and the journey takes 2 hours, though it often leaves an hour late (i.e. Indonesian rubber time).

Tickets could be purchased on the spot for 54k Rupiah (~$3 USD) per particular person. It is a huge picket boat that carries about 50 to 100 passengers. It has bunks and benches to take a seat on, however they’re not very cozy. If you would like extra privateness, you may lease a small room for 2 folks which has bunk beds and a fan. This prices an additional 50k Rupiah per room.

Alternatively, you may organize a speedboat to take you over to the most effective sights on Peleng island, together with Paisu Pok & Poganda Seaside. In that case, the journey takes 1 hour from Luwuk, and you may generally see dolphins in your method over.

A non-public speedboat tour like it will set you again 4 million Rupiah (~$250 USD) for the roundtrip, nevertheless it’s faster than the ferry and it might be economical should you’re touring with pals to share the boat value.

No matter whether or not you select the ferry or speedboat, the ocean could be very calm between Luwuk and Peleng island, so I wouldn’t count on waves to ever be a problem for crossing in regular conditions.

 

How To Get To Paisu Pok Lake

The ferry from Luwuk will deliver you to Leme-Leme port on Peleng, which remains to be 23 kilometers from the Paisu Pok Lake.

You’ll be able to then lease a scooter from Novpitri Homestay close to the harbor, or rent a personal driver with a automotive. Google Maps says it’s a 40 minute drive, nevertheless it truly takes nearer to 1 hour by scooter as a result of some elements of the street are damaged and it’s a must to decelerate to cross them safely.

There’s little or no site visitors on the street and it’s straightforward to seek out the lake. You’ll be able to’t get misplaced, particularly should you obtain an offline map beforehand. Right here’s the location to make use of for navigation.

After visiting the Paisupok Lake, you may return to Luwuk by ferry from Leme Leme, which matches again at 8 AM each day, or you may head east to Salakan and proceed exploring the Banggai islands!

 

Paisu Pok Lake: What To Count on

Paisu Pok Lake is simply as good because it seems in photos. We first noticed it within the morning, and we thought that was gorgeous, however the shade will get even higher when the solar shines on it.

You’ll be able to lease a small boat, canoe, or standup paddleboard for exploring the lake, or you may swim and snorkel in it. The water could be very chilly within the morning, however by noon it felt good and it was an excellent escape from the warmth and humidity of Sulawesi.

The within of the lake is nearly as stunning as the surface, with fallen logs and rocks that give it persona, and the water shade appears to alter with the lighting. In full daylight, it has extra of a greenish turquoise tint than I anticipated.

The lake is extraordinarily clear, nearly like glass, and you may often see all the way in which to the underside, although it’s truly greater than 10 meters deep in some locations!

The title ‘Paisu Pok’ means ‘black water’ or ‘darkish water’ in response to the locals. In case you’re questioning, I didn’t add any further shade or saturation to the photographs on this weblog submit. That is how the water actually seems.

There are solely a handful of different locations like this in Indonesia, such because the Labuan Cermin blue lake in Kalimantan, or the smaller Danau Kaco lake in Sumatra.

 

Conservation At Paisu Pok Lake

It is a small lake and it’s very stunning, so there’s a hazard of it changing into overdeveloped. I hope the locals can be critical about conservation.

My spouse, who’s Indonesian, made positive to thank the locals for shielding the lake, and politely requested/inspired them to maintain the pure surroundings and never reduce down too many extra bushes across the fringe of the lake sooner or later. I’m afraid of that occuring because it turns into extra widespread.

The jungle is half the wonder, and it might be actually unhappy in the event that they flip it right into a cheesy concrete theme park with swings, faux chicken nests, and different foolish picture ops in all places, form of like what’s occurring now at Alas Harum and another widespread locations in Bali.

For those who really feel the identical method and converse just a little little bit of Bahasa, you may additionally need to encourage the locals to preserve this place. So long as you’re well mannered, it will probably’t harm. Nature like that is already good. There’s no must attempt to enhance it with extra buildings.

       

 

Vacationer Charges

• Lake Entrance: 5k IDR
• Parking (Bike): 3k IDR
• Parking (Automobile): 10k IDR

 

Rental Charges

• Canoe Rental: 30k IDR
• Paddleboard Rental: 100k IDR
• Snorkel Gear Rental: 50k IDR
• Gazebo Rental: 30k IDR
• GoPro Rental: 200k IDR (+150k w/ photographer)
• Tenting In a single day: 35k IDR

These are the present charges on the time of writing, however they could change over time because the lake turns into extra widespread.

Among the rental charges could also be negotiable. For instance, the paddleboard rental is meant to be 100k Rupiah for 1 hour, however we noticed some Dutch women lease it for the complete day at that value.

 

Different Suggestions For Paisupok Lake

• Services: There’s a small store on the lake the place you should buy meals and drinks, and likewise a rest room and altering room.
• The place To Keep: There are a bunch of very fundamental homestays within the Luk Panenteng village by the lake. For those who keep there, you may stroll to the lake and swim every single day. We stayed at Novpitri Homestay, which is a bit farther away at Leme Leme. An alternative choice is to remain in Salakan, which is a way more developed and comfy city, nevertheless it’s a 3 hour drive from the lake.
• Language: This space remains to be very new to worldwide tourism, so that you’ll should be affected person with the locals and convey a translator app for communication. They’ll’t actually converse English, however they’re pleasant and useful, they usually may even help you with taking pictures or movies on the lake.
• Mosquitoes: We didn’t see many mosquitoes, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a good suggestion to put on repellent should you’re not swimming.
• Cell Service: We had cellphone sign with Telkomsel on the lake, and likewise at Leme Leme, so we had been ready to make use of the web and ship texts. It was useful for journey planning.
• Wildlife: We noticed some small fish within the lake, and this space has a lot of little lizards with brilliant blue tails that match the colour of the lake, which is a neat coincidence. For those who’re fearful about crocodiles, there aren’t any within the lake, and it doesn’t have a channel connecting it to the ocean.
• Extra Issues To See Close by: In the identical neighborhood because the lake, there’s a white sand seaside known as Pantai Poganda, and a turquoise lagoon known as Paisu Batango. Each of those are good and you may simply go to them along with the lake.

 

Greatest Time To Go to Paisu Pok Lake

Any month is nice for visiting Paisupok Lake. The one time it might be laborious to {photograph} is that if it’s raining, so I would like going within the dry season (April to October) when it’s often clear and sunny. Nevertheless, we visited Paisu Pok within the wet season (early December) and it was sunny all day, so don’t low cost the wet season fully.

The very best time of week to go to the lake is unquestionably on a weekday, and you need to attempt to keep away from any Indonesian holidays as properly. Weekends on the lake are very busy due to Indonesian home vacationers, they usually’ve truly began doing a 1 hour time restrict for staying on the boardwalk close to the lake as a result of it will get so crowded on weekends.

Surprisingly, the most effective time of day to go to the lake might be within the afternoon. We bought there within the early morning at round 7 AM considering that might be finest, nevertheless it wasn’t. There was a bunch of Indonesian vacationers who got here even earlier with the identical concept. The lake was additionally too darkish and backlit for pictures, and doubtless not heat sufficient but for swimming.

Paisu Pok is at all times stunning, however if you wish to see the lake at its very best, go when it’s calm and sunny, so you may see how clear and blue the water is! It actually does seem like glass with a bluish tint.

 

Is Paisu Pok Lake Price It?

Sure, the lake is superb and I believe it lives as much as the hype on social media, though that might change sometime if it turns into overdeveloped.

Would I journey all the way in which to Luwuk simply to see Paisu Pok Lake? Possibly not, however there’s a lot of different stuff to see and do in Banggai, so should you’re already touring in Sulawesi it’s undoubtedly value setting apart a minimum of a number of days for it.

 

Extra Banggai Journey Suggestions

Thanks for trying! I hope you loved this information for visiting Paisupok Lake in Banggai, Sulawesi. It must be the bluest lake in Indonesia.

I’m at present writing up a whole journey information for the Banggai islands proper now, so don’t neglect to bookmark this weblog and test again quickly! There are many good issues to see and do on this a part of Sulawesi.
 

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