The Maninjau caldera was formed by a volcanic eruption estimated to have occurred around 52,000 years ago.

The natural outlet for excess water is the Antokan river, located on the west side of the lake.

One method of preparing palai rinuak is to grill a mixture of the fish along with coconut and spices, wrapped in a banana leaf.

The villages are bordered uphill by a large belt of forest-like tree gardens, which dissolve into the upper montane forest on the steepest parts of the slopes up to the ridge of the caldera.

[3] The tree gardens include three typical components:[3] The first president of Indonesia, Sukarno, visited the area in early June 1948.