Destinasi Wisata
Permandian Air Panas Wawolesea
Kolam Air Panas Wawolesea
Hawa hangat bercampur bau belerang begitu terasa ketika pengunjung berada di kawasan objek wisata Air Panas Wawolesea di Kabupaten ini. Kawasan wisata alam yang ditumbuhi pepohonan pinus itu berada kurang lebih 80 km arah Utara Kota Kendari. Hawa hangat yang memancar dari air kolam yang terbentuk secara alamiah dengan ornamen cukup fantastik ini sangat menyegarkan tubuh saat pengunjung diterpa tiupan angin yang berembus di kawasan seluas sekitar 100 ha ini. Pesona alam ditawarkan kawasan berbukit-bukit kecil dan hampir menyatu dengan kawasan pantai Wawolesea itu.
Hanya beberapa meter dari garis pantai, terdapat kolam air panas berukuran sekitar 500 m2. Secara kasat mata, sulit dipercaya kalau dinding yang membendung air bening kolam dengan dasar putih itu terbentuk secara alamiah. Namun, ketika diamati secara cermat, kolam itu benar-benar terbentuk karena proses alam, tanpa sentuhan tangan manusia sedikit pun. Sementara itu, altar di luar kolam terbentuk dari endapan kapur yang meluber dari bibir kolam karena terbawa aliran air yang mengalir sepanjang masa. Hanya kurang lebih 100 m dari kolam air panas itu, terdapat tebing yang tidak terlalu tinggi. bagian atas tebing bak altar yang membentuk undakan seperti anak tangga. Uniknya, di atas altar itu tumbuh pepohonan pinus dan sejumlah pohon jenis lain yang ukurannya hampir tidak bertambah dari waktu ke waktu.
Bahkan pepohonan itu sangat mudah dicabut, tapi tidak mudah roboh oleh tiupan angin kencang. Pada bagian dinding tebing yang curam itu, terdapat dinding-dinding karts (tebing kapur). Dari stalaktit yang terbentuk di bagian dinding karts, menetes air jernih yang bisa menghilangkan dahaga. Sementara itu, di bagian dasar tebing yang juga tampak seperti altar, keluar air panas yang meluber sampai ke laut. Pada pertemuan aliran air panas dan air laut itu, banyak terdapat ikan belanak, beronang, dan berbagai jenis ikan lainnya. Wisatawan dapat berendam air panas menurut kadar air panas yang tersebar di beberapa kolam. Tinggal memilih sekuat apa daya tahan tubuh terhadap air panas Wawolesea. Kolamnya terkenal sangat jernih karena terus menerus mengalir ke kolam paling bawah. Jika ingin menghabiskan waktu libur dengan pengalaman indah, Pemandian Air Panas Wawolesea menjadi pilihan yang tepat.
Di bagian lain kawasan itu terdapat bukit kecil yang tidak terlalu tinggi. Tepat di puncak bukit tumbuh dua pohon serume setinggi kurang lebih dua meter, yang sudah berumur puluhan tahun. Menurut legenda masyarakat setempat, bukit itu dahulu menjadi tempat Mokole Wawolesea melabuhkan jangkar petahunya. Mokole dalam bahasa daerah setempat berarti raja. Konon kawasan ini terbentuk karena kutukan Tuhan terhadap Mokele yang menikahi putrinya sendiri.
Wawolesea Hot Water Bathing Place
Warm weather mingled by smells of sulfur will be felt when visitors are in the area of Wawolesea Hot Springs in the Regency. The Nature Tourism area which is overgrown with pine trees is located approximately 80 km North direction of Kendari. Warm weather radiating from the pool of hot water that is formed naturally by the ornaments of fantastic enough, is very refreshing to the body when visitors are buffeted by winds blowing in the area of about 100 ha. Natural charm is offered by small hilly region and almost merges with Wawolesea Coastal areas.
Just a few meters from the shoreline, there is a hot water pool measuring approximately 500 m2. In plain, it is hard to believe that the walls block the clear white base water pond is formed naturally. However, when observed closely, the pool is actually formed by natural processes, without the slightest touch of human hands. Meanwhile, an altar outside sedimentary limestone overflows from the lip of the pool because it is carried by the flow of water in all time. Only approximately 100 m from the hot water pool, there are cliffs that are not too high.
The top of the cliffs like altar forms stair steps. Interestingly, on the top of the altar it grows pine trees and a number of other types of trees barely grow in size over time. Even the trees are very easily removed, but not easily collapsed by the wind. On the wall of a steep cliff, there are karts (limestone cliffs) walls. Of stalactites that form in the wall of karts, there is dripping water to quench. Meanwhile, at the base of the cliff which also looked like an altar, it is spilling hot clear water out to sea. At the confluence of hot and sea water, there are so many mullets, spine-foot fish, and various other fish species. Tourists can soak in hot water according to the content of hot water spread across multiple pools, just c h o o s e how strong the body’s resistance to hot water of Wawolesea. The pools are famous of very clear waters for constantly flowing into the pool’s bottom. If visitors want to spend time off with a wonderful experience, Wawolesea Hot Water Bathing Place is the right choice.
In other parts of the region there is a small hill that is not too high. Just up the hill there are two serume trees grow tall of approximately two meters, which are already decades old. According to local legend, the hill was formerly a place of Mokole Wawolesea who lowered his boat anchor. Mokole in the local language means ‘King’. It is said that the area is formed due to the curse of God against Mokele who married his own daughter.