Peaceful lake in the centre of Sulawesi, ad an ideal spot to break a long trip.
Danau Poso is a surprisingly deep lake, some 450 m deep, in the middle of Sulawesi. There are two relatively large towns along the lake, Pendolo in the south and Tentana in the north, which calls for a boat trip in between. In the old days, ferries ploughed this stretch, but nowadays you will need to charter a boat to enjoy the experience.
In Pendolo an eerie, Hotel-California type of place, the Mulia Poso Lake Hotel, barely operates: we were the only guests, and except for some elementary breakfast, no food was being served, and no other services were being provided. But the hotel has a splendid location, along a soft sandy beach on the lakeshore. Inviting a dip.
Renting a boat is not difficult, and the trip to Tentana, on the other side of the lake, is a pleasant and very relaxed one, taking a few hours. The boat largely follows the lake shore, and even though the scenery is not spectacularly beautiful, this form of transport is so much better than the long distance coaches that connect Makassar to Poso (and Pendolo to Tentana, if you are lucky enough to find a seat).