Kerinci: Lake Kaca, as Clear as Glass

Regency of Kerinci have many tourism objects to see. Beside Mount Kerinci, Lake Kerinci, Kayu Aro tea plantation and Semurup hot spring, we may find Lake Kaca is an interesting place and worth enough to make a visit. This lake is located in Gunung Raya sub-district and is part of Kerinci Seblat National Park area which makes the lake surrounded by forest. Unfortunately, the accommodation to reach lake location is not good enough, you may find an annoying trip. But once you are there you would think that the scenery you get pays your effort to reach there.

You may reach lake location from Sungai Penuh City, it would take about an half of hour to Fort Depati Parbo by vehicles. From this point, you have to hike through grove and forest for, at least, 3 hours. Yeah, it's "just" 3 hours and just keep your smile while you are hiking or a famous Sumatran tiger would pounce you. No, I'm kidding you, but seriously, you may encounter them in your trip if you were lucky enough. And still on your trip, you will have to cross a creek (10 meters wide) with swift water currents, swamps, and many leeches (specially in rainy day), so be prepared. And the last stage is to down the 6 meters cliff before you are really at the lake location. If you plan to camp there, consider to pick lakeside area that can cover about 10 dome tents.

Lake Kaca is a small lake, approximately 10-15 meters depth in 900 square meters area (about 30 meters length and 30 meters breadth). The most interesting scenery from this lake you will get when you arrive in lakeside is you can see the bottom of the lake from lakeside because the water is so clear. The perfect time to see Lake Kaca is in clear weather and moonlit night. An amazing scenery would wonder you when you are looking at how the lake shines as if it has light source from the deep.

Lake Kaca, from lakeside in a sunny day

A view from another corner

The "Kaca" itself means glass, this name given to describe how clear the lake water is as clear as glass. A beautiful thing that would accompany and entertain you while you are hiking to lake location is song whistled by various birds. You may catch horn bills, sriguntings, and endemic Sumatran birds, tangkar uli. Beside birds, you may hear roars and cries of primates like siamang. And when you reach the lake and standing by lakeside, you will find semah fishes dancing there.

Here are tips to make your trip to Lake Kaca:

• If you plan to make round trip in a day you need to prepare your physic condition, since accommodations you will get are too minimum, including public health accommodations.
• Try to start the trip on 06.00-07.00AM, it would help you not in hurry when you make home trip.
• Considering to wear boots is good choice, it would help you in mud holes and when you cross the creek.
• Try to apply mosquito repellent to prevent leeches' bites.
• And don't forget to bring your raincoats to anticipate local tropical forest rain.
• And the last one is to bring your emergency medical equipment.

Good luck and have nice trip then... :)