Lake Tarusan Kamang, offers the attraction of tourism and scientific research

Besides having beautiful scenery, Lake Tarusan Kamang that located at the foot of Bukit Barisan Mountains, Kamang Mudiak, Agam regency, West Sumatra Province, also has a unique natural phenomenon that attracts many people, including geology scientists. Lake Tarusan Kamang sometimes turns into a broad expanse of prairie, in another time, again turned into a lake or pond. Change from lake to pasture is not affected by the rainy season and dry season. If it was about time, even in the dry season the water of Lake Tarusan Kamang will not recede.

Lake Tarusan Kamang, Agam regency, West Sumatera Province, Indonesia. AeroTourismNews | Lake Tarusan Kamang, offers the attraction of tourism and scientific research.

Lake Tarusan Kamang, Agam regency, West Sumatera Province, Indonesia.
(Photo By: Erison, J. Kambari, November 2012)

Lake Kamang Tarusan, when the water receded and the lake turns into grassland. AeroTourismNews.

Lake Kamang Tarusan, when the water receded and the lake turns into grassland.
(Photo By: Erison, J. Kambari, July 2012)

The lake is located in West Sumatera is indeed quite unique. His name the Lake Tarusan Kamang. This lake is located at the foot of Bukit Barisan Mountains, Kamang Mudiak, Agam regency, or about 20 kilometers from the town of Bukittinggi. The uniqueness of the lake has an area of 38 hectares is located on the water behavior. One time it was so vast lake. But suddenly the water to be receding, and in a week could be a stretch of green pasture. Because of this, local people used to call the lake two faces. This condition may occur due to the underground river. As a karst lake, when ground water rises, the hallways beneath limestone hills will spout water and pasture cover. Behold a vast lake. And Lake Tarusan Kamang can look beautiful. Conversely, when an underground river water down, water being sucked down, so the lake turned into pasture.

There is no definite time, when the lake receded and how long a dry lake water. In 2012, the water level of Lake Tarusan Kamang dry for one year. The water then appeared again five months ago. Currently (March 2013) the area was still a lake, where children swim and people fishing. "Sometimes these lakes could dry up and become a pasture for up to five months, even up to two years," said Sukri, boatman and youth leaders in Kamang Mudiak. "Likewise, when filled with water, can be five months to two years, uncertain time."

According to Sukri, when the lake water rose to the surface, usually accompanied by the sound of explosions in the foothills. Sometimes the sound was heard from several places, such as the sound of a kettle of hot water, and three days later the water flowing from the holes in the limestone foothills located around the lake and turn a lake into meadows.

Lake Tarusan Kamang allegedly has existed 70 thousand years ago. Therefore, none of the people who build houses in the watershed that will turn into a lake. Lake Tarusan Kamang now began to be the object of tourism. "Many karst lakes in other regions, but only Lake Tarusan Kamang that have a direct connection with the underground river that appears unique phenomenon," said Andang Bakhtiar, geologists in Indonesia who is also a former chairman of the Association of Indonesian Geologists. He has been researching Lake Tarusan Kamang on February 23, 2013.

Karst hills in Lake Tarusan Kamang much older age of the karst in Java. Karst in Kamang old estimated 400 to 300 million years as evidenced by the many trees that thrives on it. In addition to the Lake Tarusan Kamang, many are also caves active at the bottom of the karst hill, underground rivers, and underground lakes. But its existence has not yet been investigated. For cave tour enthusiasts, this place is very interesting because the cave is still active. In addition, there is no cave mapping and mapping underground river in Lake Tarusan Kamang.

The scenery around the lake is flanked Bukit Barisan Mountains and the wall of a hill that extends as a barrier between Kamang Hilia and Kamang Mudiak not less interesting than landscapes elsewhere. Likewise, the surrounding hills which could potentially be developed into a location for paragliding. Culinary in Kamang which can be purchased at the shop or home residents are "karupuak Kamang". Not far from Lake Tarusan Kamang and still in Nagari Kamang Mudiak, there is an object called grotto Kamang tourism. This tourist attraction is a long hole in the cliff, and on the inside there is the stones of stalagtite and stalagmite that beautiful.

If you want to visit Lake Tarusan Kamang, you can rent a motorbike from the city of Bukittinggi, then headed to Kamang Mudiak. You can also use the rural transportation car from the terminal of Aur Kuning in Bukittinggi. The cars have a code K 01 and K 03.

3 solutions to maintain of flight service on the route of Padang-Singapore

Aviation News. Mandala Airlines plans to discontinue the flights routes of Padang-Singapore because the level of load factor on the route is very low. In order the flight route of Padang-Singapore is not so closed by Mandala Airlines, Association of the Indonesia Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) offers three options as a solution, which is the local government provides subsidies to Mandala Airlines, reducing the frequency of flights on the route, and modify the flights route to be Padang-Pekanbaru-Singapore.

Mandala Airlines. AeroTourismNews | 3 solutions to maintain of flight service on the route of Padang-Singapore.

Association of the Indonesia Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) offers three solutions for the flight route of Padang-Singapore that served by Mandala Airlines can be maintained and not be stopped because of the low level of load factor on the route. "Because of the low level of load factor, to cover the cost of airline operations, the provincial, district, and the city should be willing to provide subsidies to Mandala Airlines," said Chairman of ASITA, Asnawi Bahar, in Padang, Wednesday, March 27, 2013.

Asnawi said that it was related to the planned closure of Padang-Singapore routes by airline Mandala Airlines which will be conducted in mid-April 2013 due to low load factors on the route and the market is not yet ready. According Asnawi, if local governments, cities, and provinces are willing to provide subsidies for operations on that route, so as compensation, the airline must give the local tourism promotion through magazines and other facilities owned. "This subsidy to do with the allocation of funds and the promotion of tourism would be stopped if the load level afactor been adequate," he said.

Then, if the current number of passengers is still minimal, then the route will not be closed completely, but the frequency of flights may be reduced by operating three times a week so that operational costs can be reduced. "In addition, it can also be an alternative, the route is modified into Padang-Pekanbaru-Singapore, so the passenger load factors remain secure," he said.

Previously, Commercial Director Mandala Airlines, Brata Rafly, said that Mandala Airlines plans to close the flight routes of Padang-Singapore in mid-April 2013. "It had to be done because of the limited number of passengers and market at the route is not yet ready, so it can not be maintained by Mandala Airlines. Mandala Airlines should be careful and choose a route that is really promising," said Brata.

Brata said that Mandala Airlines has tried various measures so that the route can still be operated, including the promotion of intensive, but still have not managed to increase passenger numbers. The flight route of Padang-Singapore is first operated on December 1, 2012, from Minangkabau International Airport in Padang to Changi International Airport in Singapore, with a journey time of about 50 minutes.