Habema Lake in Wamena City, Papua Province
Indonesia is a beautiful country and it is surrounded by tons of stunning natural landscapes. Due to the reasons, people are likely to find more new places to explore when visiting the country. As for the reference, Wamena City of Jayawijaya Regency has a rare lake called Habema. People recognize it as the tallest lake in Indonesia. It is because the lake resides on a high land, so tourists need to conduct trekking in order to reach the location. Plus, it offers a distinct beauty as compared to others. Not to mention the locals consider it sacred and mystical!
The Nuance
In terms of beauty, Habema Lake is undoubted. It has the total size of about 225 hectares and resides at the height of 3225 meters above the sea level. The real name is Yuginopa Lake, but it changed to Habema (which is named after the founder). For the information, the lake is located in Lorentz National Park, so it is quite noticeable. The lake is surrounded by hills and numerous highland plants, too. If tourists get to the lake by car, they only need to spend about 2 hours.
Exploring Habema Lake
A long trip to Habema Lake is worth the effort. After all, tourists are able to enjoy the stunning panorama along the way to the location. The hilly landscape and tall trees won’t bore them! Plus, the air is quite fresh, especially if tourists come in the morning. The best experience comes when they arrive on the site. The beautiful lake resides with its majestic snowy mountain in the background. It is likely tourists would take photos right away once they arrive there.
Aside from photography, visitors should not miss the chance to explore the location. Some spots provide the best views for sightseeing, after all. For instance, there is one site where tourists can see Trikora Mountain clearly. What about swimming? According to the villagers, the lake is not suitable for swimming or playing water. It is because of the cold water and depth. The size is quite big, too, so tourists aren’t likely to swim safely there. As an alternative, they can take selfies in front of the lake and conduct family recreation in that area.
Here is the tip. It is better to avoid visiting Habema Lake late in the afternoon or during the wet season. It is because the temperature and atmosphere become too low at those times. In fact, the temperature is 10 Celsius degree at noon and it drops significantly to 0 at night! In order to avoid discomfort, in this case, tourists should wear a jacket and other comfy attire.
Nearby Attractions
- Puncak Trikora
- Yugum'paga (Lorenz National Park)
- Mbua Waterfall
How to Get There
It is true the fastest and most comfortable way to reach Habema Lake is by airplane. For those coming from Jayapura City, the flight takes only about 30 minutes. For those coming from Jakarta City, in this case, they may spend at least 10 hours to get there. Later, after arriving at Wamena, they can simply take Yos Sudarso Street and head to the lake right away. The distance is 42.4 km, so the trip takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Where to Stay
- Sinakma Elok Hotel
- Rainbow Hotel
