Matano Lake, Luwu Timur

Matano or Matana Lake is settled in Nuha district, Luwu Timur regency, South Sulawesi, precisely located in Sorowako city, next to Towuti and Mahalona Lake. Sorowako city is famous by the biggest nickel mining in Indonesia. Matano Lake is the deepest lake in Indonesia, even in Southeast Asia and it lies in number 8 in the world with its 600 meter dept.
The word Matano is taken from Dongi word, the mother tongue of Sorowako language, which means spring. In fact, this Lake was formed as the result of tectonic movement and the fracture of Earth crust. It takes millions of times for this the folds of the earth's crust filled with water and become a Lake.

This lake has 16.000 ha width and becomes a home for endemic species that will never been found at other places, the ancient fish Buttini. This fish is typical of rare and primordial with brownish face. Other fauna is about shrimp, crab, snail and other kind of fishes.

One other interesting situation at this lake is taken from numbers of underwater caves. These caves are clearly seen from the surface, when the water is receding, with the mouth of the cave that open wide. Those caves are located in the edge of the lake where the inside is settled some of ancient heritages like spears, dagger and household appliances that made of brass. Those appliances were estimated have hundred years old and better known as Goa Tengkorak or skull cave. This lake is covered by Verbec Mountains; we can do many activities like canoeing, kayaking, jest skiing, swimming, wind surfing and others.

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