MENGERUDA HOT SPRING – SOA AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

MENGERUDA HOT SPRING

Mengeruda hot spring is located in the Mengeruda Village of Soa dub-district approximately 25 km from Bajawa the Capital City of Ngada District. If you want to visit this hot spring you would pass some villages namely Naru, Menge, Boba, Gou, Nepa and Soa. This hot spring is often visited by domestic and also the foreign in most of the time especially in holiday.
According the local people beliefs, the Mengeruda hot spring is usually using for the traditional medication especially for the skin problem. Beside the hot spring visitor also can enjoy the beautifulness on the natural scenery.
To reach Mengeruda hot spring, the visitors can use any types of the vehicles from Bajawa. There are many bemo (small public bus) that running regular to Mengeruda Village or any other rental transport that occupied in Bajawa.

SOME LOCAL CULTURE ATTRACTIONS

-. SAGI
Sagi is a heritage attraction of the Soanesse. It can be mentioned as a traditional sport to remind the fight of ancestors while they were in migration process till the area where they life now. This attraction is usually celebrated in between March till July in several village around Soa Sub-District. In the night before attraction the contestants usually celebrate the special dance to spirit the fighters that usually called Dero. On this dance the participants usually sing the sings to give the spirit of the boxers who will fight on the next day.
The equipment for the boxing has the shape of spool of palm fiber rope in oval named ”tai kolo” by Soa people.
-. PARA
In non regular time, there is also a traditional ceremony called Para, a kind of offering and celebration of life. This ceremony is held by sacrificing buffaloes with some a unique technique and processes.
-. ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE
There are some archeological sites that are located not too far from Mengeruda Hot Spring such as Kobatuwa and Olabula. Now in both of the locations above were found the fossils of pygmies stegodon tortoise any many artifacts which is indicated 18 thousand years old. Some of this collection you can find it at the office of Cultural and Tourism in Ngada District. To reach this site, you will find the beautiful landscape of Flores Island with some area can be reach by car, motorbike as well as trekking. There is a road to Boawae area - Nagekeo District, where you passing through the Olabula Archeological Site and Olakila village (starting to develop Community Based Tourism Village), where people are aware of the important of Archeological sites as one of tourism destination especially for a research and an adventure.