Maninjau Lake, the Legendary Lake in Agam

Helloindonesia.id – The natural beauty of West Sumatra is fully summarized in the Minangkabau land. From the charming beaches, amazing stretch of canyons and valleys, natural contour decoration in the form of mountains and hills and not to forget, the beauty of the stunning lakes. No doubt, one of the lakes in West Sumatra that holds an attractive natural panorama is Lake Maninjau.

Lake Maninjau is a volcanic lake located right in the heart of Agam Regency, West Sumatra. Located at an altitude of approximately 460 meters above sea level, this lake stretches over an area of 100 km square with an average depth of 105 meters. With this breadth, Maninjau is the eleventh widest lake in Indonesia.

Historically, this lake was formed due to volcanic eruptions from Gunung Sitinjau which occurred approximately 52,000 years ago. Caldera formed so broadly then developed into a lake. This is the same as what happened to Lake Toba in North Sumatra and Lake Batur in Bali.

Beyond scientific glasses, there is a legend that has been hereditary among local people regarding the origins of this lake. This legend is known as ‘Bujang Sembilan’, which tells the story of 10 brothers and sisters consisting of 9 single people and a girl.

Once upon a time, the girl established love with a young man named Sigiran, but the love story ended with the appearance of slander from the nine singles. These singers accuse the relationship between the two as exceeding the norms of society.

With the accusations made by his nine siblings, the girl and her lover then swear. Both of them will jump into the crater of Mount Tinjau (Sitinjau) to prove their holiness. Before jumping, they said loudly, if they were guilty the mountain would not erupt, but if they were both innocent the mountain would erupt. This story also ended with the eruption of Gunung Sitinjau so as to prove both of them innocent.

The attraction of Lake Maninjau lies within the fantastic thing about its natural panorama that may be seen from a distance. Therefore, it is incomplete to discuss Lake Maninjau without discussing the ideal spot to enjoy it. Especially for lovers of photography certainly, do not want to miss the beauty without capturing it.

The best spot to observe Lake Maninjau is from the middle of the area called winding 44, which is from around winding 23 to winding 30. Around this area, the view of the stretch of lake decorated with fertile rice fields looks very beautiful and can provide peace of mind for those who witness it.

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