Red cliffs
30 m high.
Vogensto — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Vogensto — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Tauʻolunga — CC BY-SA 2.5 · Vogensto — CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Lalolalo is a lake inside a volcanic crater in the south-west of Wallis Island, the largest island of the French archipelago of Wallis and Futuna in the Pacific, about 6.6 km in a straight line south-west of the capital, Mata-Utu. It is the largest body of water in the whole archipelago. The lake is almost a perfect circle of about 15 hectares, ringed by sheer red cliffs about 30 m high that plunge into dark water up to about 88 m deep. It connects to the sea through underground fissures, so fresh water stays on the surface above salty water in the depths, without the two mixing. Its name comes from the local word «lalo», meaning «below», and it holds symbolic importance for the people of Wallis, who see it as a source of life; the forest around it was long a sacred area. Eels live in the lake, reaching it from the sea through the fissures, and large fruit bats and tropical birds fly over it. The visit is free, and the lake is seen from a lookout on its rim near the road. You cannot go down to the water because the cliffs are so steep, so stay behind the edge and respect the site's traditional standing.
30 m high.
Very deep.
Over the lake.
South-west Wallis Island
No, the cliffs are too steep.
Yes.