C. Sulawesi to revive tourism at Lake Poso
Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu, March 11, 2007

Apart from refugees, visitors have long shunned Lake Poso. Since conflict drove all willing visitors away, many of the lake's tourist facilities have fallen into disrepair.
Before the outbreak of conflict in 1998, the lake, which sits 657 meters above sea level in Tentena, North Pamona district in Poso regency, Central Sulawesi, was well known for its beautiful scenery.
A newspaper article once compared the shores of Lake Poso to Bunaken beach in Manado, the beaches of Lombok, and Lake Toba, North Sumatra.
Its crystal clear water is greenish at its edge, becoming bluer as the water deepens towards the middle.
Before the conflict, the area was one of Central Sulawesi's main tourist destinations, with many travel agencies including Lake Poso as one of the province's must-see spots.
The local administration held the internationally-acclaimed annual Lake Poso Festival for foreign and domestic visitors.
Tourists did not just enjoy the beautiful lake, the black orchid forest and the cool climate, but also wished to meet the beautiful girls of Pamona -- who are of mixed Chinese, Manado and Poso descent.
But all this was before the outbreak of the current fighting, which has claimed at least 1,000 lives.
These days Lake Poso, which spans 32 km from north to south and 16 km from east to west, is all but forsaken by visitors.
Facilities such as government-built cottages have been turned into shelters for people displaced by the conflict. Many of these facilities are falling into ruin.
But the Central Sulawesi Cultural and Tourism Office is unwilling to leave Lake Poso in isolation.
The office head, Mashud Kasim, said his office has dispatched a team to make a list of damaged facilities around the lake in order to rebuild the area.
"We have listed all damage caused by the conflict in the lake area and will start restoration in April," Mashud said recently.
The tourism office, he said, would also revive the Lake Poso Festival, which was last held in 1997, once the restoration work around the resort area was completed.
"God willing, we will organize the festival at the end of this year. If that's not possible, we will adjust the schedule according to the holiday season in Europe," said Mashud, who will visit Germany to promote Central Sulawesi's tourism potential.
To kick off the festival, Mashud said his office will organize a tour car rally, in cooperation with the Indonesian Motor Association (IMI), along the Palu-Poso-Tentena route.
"We hope the tour rally and festival will rejuvenate tourism in the area, so Lake Poso will no longer be left in isolation," Mashud said.