Tasik Biru - Bau, Kuching

Bau, Sarawak is a quaint town located about 36 kilometres from Kuching, and is popular for its limestone caves and rich history. It used to be a bit of a sleepy town, but with the completion of the Semadang- Skio road, Bau has been welcoming visitors from nearby Serian, Padawan and Penrissen, as well as travellers on their way to border town Serikin. At the heart of Bau is Task Biru, which is Malay for Blue Lake, named so because of its unnaturally blue colour, which is a result of high levels of arsenic. Tasik Biru is a man-made lake and was originally an open mining pit. Gold mining began there in 1820 by the Hakka Chinese, who named it Tai Parit, which means 'Big Drain' in Hakka. A century later, mining efforts were abandoned when the 91-metre deep pit flooded with water. One look at the scenic turquoise lake, you'll never guess the bloody history or the poisonous waters that comes with it. Today, Tasik Biru at Bau is open to visitors as well as many water activities such as kayaking, bamboo rafting and even miniature sail boat racing especially during the annual Tasik Biru Festival. However, due to the lake's arsenic content, thanks to its history of gold mining, visitors are advised not to fish, drink, swim or bath in this man-made lake. #awesomepic #familyday