Lake Kaco

Danau Kaco is small - a pool perhaps thirty metres across in the forest above Lempur in the Kerinci district - and what it is known for is clarity: the water is exceptionally transparent, over a pale sandy bottom, so that on a bright day it reads as glowing turquoise and the local name, kaco, means glass. The depth has not been reliably established and is variously reported; the stories attached to it, involving hidden treasure and a king's jewels, are village legend rather than record. Reaching it is about two hours on foot from Lempur through forest that is muddy in any season, with river crossings, and a guide from the village is the normal arrangement. Camping at the pool is common, since people come to see it under moonlight when the glow is at its strangest.

The landscape

• Exceptionally clear water - reading as lit turquoise over a pale bottom.
• A two-hour forest walk - muddy, with river crossings, from Lempur.
• A small pool - thirty metres or so across, not a lake in any large sense.
• Camping by the water - the usual arrangement, and the way to see it at night.

When to go

May to September; midday sun for the colour. A day, or camping overnight.

Before you go

It is small and the walk is long and muddy - some visitors feel the effort outruns the sight. Take a village guide. Leeches are present. There are no facilities at the pool.

Nearby

Lempur is the trailhead; Sungai Penuh and Kerinci are north.

Key facts