The freshwater sea
A lake among the Gayo mountains.
Asep Mulyadi — CC BY 2.0 · Rijksmuseum — CC0 · MNWAR11 — CC BY 4.0
A broad mountain lake at about 1,200 metres in the Gayo Highlands of central Aceh, stretching some seventeen kilometres between green mountains, with the town of Takengon at its western end. Its name means freshwater sea, and it is home to the depik, a small fish found nowhere else and a speciality of Gayo cooking. The Gayo Highlands are among the world's best-known coffee regions, and Gayo arabica is exported worldwide; the hills around the lake are covered in its gardens. Visitors enjoy the road around the lake, the villages and mosques on its shores, the cool fresh air, and cafés serving fresh coffee over the water. The lake is free, with small charges at some beaches and parks on its shore. You can hire a boat or swim at calm spots in modest dress. Takengon is about seven to eight hours by car from Banda Aceh or Medan, and has a small airport. Combine the lake with the Pantan Terong viewpoint above it and a visit to a coffee garden.
A lake among the Gayo mountains.
Among the world's best known.
Found nowhere else.
Takengon, Gayo Highlands, Central Aceh
Yes: around Takengon, small farms and cooperatives welcome visitors, explaining picking, drying and roasting and offering tastings. Ask at your hotel or the town's cafés.