The town of Pendolo is situated at the southern end of the lake, the town of Tentena is located at the northern end, while a number of smaller villages dot the shoreline.

The lake contains various fish, including the eel Anguilla marmorata which migrates between the lake and the sea,[1] and 11 fish species that are endemic to the lake, notably buntingi ricefish (Adrianichthys, Oryzias nebulosus, O. nigrimas and O. orthognathus), gobies (Mugilogobius amadi and M. sarasinorum), and the halfbeak Nomorhamphus celebensis.

[2][3] One of the reasons for the drastic decline of the native fish are introduced, non-native species, particularly Mozambique tilapia and common carp.

[7] A park containing wild orchids is located near the village Bancea on the lake.

As well the forests surrounding the lake still provide rare sightings of the anoa (dwarf buffalo) and the babirusa (literally, pigdeer), a ruminant pig.