Lake Dolat: Wetland Birdwatching

Around Labuhanbajo

A marshly lake and buffalo wallow (approximately 6 km to the south of Labuhanbajo) attracts migratory waterfowl in the northern winter (oct-Mar). at the height of the dry season (Jul-Sep) egrets and whistling ducks from surrounding areas concentrate at this rare area of fresh water.

Getting there

Few people in Labuhanbajo know where Lake Dolat is; an added confusion is that villagers along the way seem to know several areas as “Dolat”. To be sure of getting there, take a guide from the National Park office. Alo Sahu knows the area and is a keen birder, but for 3 weeks every month he is based on Komodo.

Finding your own way there is a nice adventure and you will see plenty of open country birds Black-winged Kites, Rainbow Bee-eaters, Singing Bush-larks and the like, along the way.

There are two ways of getting there. One is to charter a boat to take you down the coast to Nonganipa (about 30 min/$20 charter) and then walk inland asking along the way for Dolat. The locals do not consider it to be a lake, so your best bet is to ask for Rawa (swamp) Dolat or lahan basah (wetland) Dolat. The other option is to approach it by land. Take any bemos in the direction of Ruteng and ask to be dropped at Cabang (branch0 ke kampong Nanganai, which is 5 km out of town. 

There’s chicken farm on the right at the right place. Take the trail behind this farm over a small rise, then down through a bamboo grove to an area of paddies. Walk direcly across the paddies for about 2 km until you come to a river with a village on the opposite bank. Wade the river then go through the village and carry on for about 3 km, asking at every opportunity for directins. It is best to head off in the early morning, take lunch and plenty of water, and approach it as a pleasant stroll which with luck will arrive at Lake Dolat.