When researching for this road trip I struggled to find
clear information for individual travellers about how to get to Dieng and what
to do there, especially in English. In this blog series I will describe the
different routes to Dieng and share some of the amazing places and camping spots
you can explore there. I hope it helps some of you with planning your next
adventure to Dieng.
Bukit Sikunir
Sikunir hill is famous for its golden sunrise views. It
takes around 40 minutes of hiking up a steep path with many steps to reach its
top. The path is easy to find. It starts next to a large parking area, just
behind Sembungan village, the highest village in Java located at around 2300 meters above sea level.
The first few hundred meters of the path are lined with small shops selling
drinks, food, souvenirs, and warm clothes. Make sure to bring a very warm
jacket and a good headlamp if you decide to go on this hike before sunrise.
We camped near the starting point of the hike to Bukit
Sikunir, but to be honest, we had no motivation to walk up the hill at night
through the freezing rain. We made an attempt the next morning, but shamefully
had to give up before probably even reaching half way. We’re not at all used to
the high altitude which made this hike more challenging. Instead, we just went
back down and enjoyed the view from a much lower photo spot above one of the
small Warungs along the path.
Find the starting point to Bukit Sikunir here.
 |
| View from our campsite next to Cebong Lake. |
Sikidang Crater
Sikidang crater is a fascinating place to visit. It’s a
large volcanic area with several small streams and holes emitting sulfuric
smoke. A wooden walkway leads over this hostile landscape to the main crater, a
large pool with boiling water covered in sulfuric smoke. Make sure to wear a
mask or bring a scarf to wrap around your nose as the smell is pretty strong.
Another interesting thing to see are the beautiful fields of large Hortensia flowers
right next to bare and inhospitable areas filled with dead trees. Whatever the
sulphur touches seems to die but the soil nearby remains fertile and keeps on
giving life to plants and animals.
Sikidang crater is easily accessible from the main road. The
entrance fee is 20.000 Rp. / person and included access to Candi Arjuna.
There two entrances to Sikidang Crater. This is the smaller and less crowded one.
Bukit Ratapna Angin
This is a beautiful viewpoint on a hill overlooking the two
differently coloured lakes Telaga Warna and Telaga Pengilon. It also gives you
views over the surrounding hills and Sikidang crater in the distance. The whole
area is very well taken care of and we were impressed by all the different
flowers growing along the path leading from the parking area at Dieng Plateau
Theater to the top of the hill. It takes a walk of around 10 to 15 minutes to
reach this viewpoint. The entrance fee is 10.000Rp for Indonesians and 30.000Rp.
for foreigners.
This it the parking area for Bukit Ratapna Anging.
Tol Kahyangan
Tol Kahyangan is the highlight when taking the route via Banjuputih
and Bawang to Dieng. After the adrenalin rush from driving up steep inclines
for what seems forever, you suddenly find yourself driving along the top of a mountain ledge. From here you have 360° views over the valley and surrounding
mountains. The narrow-terraced vegetable fields add additional layers of colours to this already
stunning landscape. The views are simply beautiful. There are some small Warungs
along the road and of course the typical selfie-spots for Indonesia.
Tol Kahyangan is located after the extremely steep parts of
this route, so you can also reach it from Dieng, if you rather avoid the
extreme inclines.
You can find the location here.
Bukit Cinta above Telaga Menjer
Bukit Cinta is located above Menjer lake, near the main road between Dieng Plateau and Wonosobo. It’s challenging to get there but absolutely worth the struggle. From this hill you can enjoy the view over lake Menjer with Mount Sundoro in the background. You can also see all the way to Wonosobo and its surrounding valleys and mountains.
When we got there, it was pouring down so we decided to stay
at Bagas Luxury Camp instead. It’s a small hotel with 2 rooms and some glamping
tents. It’s build on the hill’s edge and has stunning views over the lake. It's an absolutely
beautiful place to relax and enjoy nature.
We paid 500.000Rp. for the room with breakfast, balcony, and
hot water. I was so happy to have hot water in this cold place, especially after
camping without having had a proper shower for a few days. Considering the
location, I think the room price is fair and absolutely worth it The camp also has a small restaurant with surprisingly cheap prices for their delicious food. Even
if you don’t stay there, I highly recommend stopping by and enjoying some coffee
or food on their beautiful terrace.
Bukit Seroja
Bukit Seroja is located on the opposite side of Bukit Cinta,
above Lake Menjer. The rocky road passes through a tea plantation, but it can
be accessed by all types of cars. There is a lot of construction going on along
the road up to the hill so a lot might change in this area in the next years. So
far, the highest point you can reach by car is Kahayangan Skyline. It’s a view
point with an outdoor coffeeshop and a glass platform for the cool Instagram
crowd. I usually don’t like these kind of “cool” Instagram places but the views
from this hill are worth sharing it with the selfie-crowd. The entrance fee to Kahayangan
Skyline is is 10.000Rp. There is also a campsite for tents.
This is the location of Kahayangan Skyline.
Tea Plantation Panama
This tea plantation is also located near Lake Menjer. It’s a
great place to go for a walk. A wooden walkway has been built over the tea
bushes. From there you get beautiful views over parts of the tea plantation and get
to admire the thousands of leaves in all different shades of green. The plantation
also has a camping spot further up in the hills but the access road is only recommended for
4-wheel drive cars. The entrance fee to the tea plantation is 5.000Rp.
Candi Arjuna
Candi Arjuna is the main tourist attraction on Dieng
plateau. It’s a compound of Hindu temples from the 7th or 8th
century. The entrance fee is 20.000 Rp. / person and included access to
Sikidang crater.
Unfortunately, we
were not able to visit it. When we got there, it was pouring down and the area
was covered in thick fog. We hung out in a coffeeshop nearby, hoping for the
situation to improve but it didn’t. So instead, we changed our plan and decided
to head to Nepal Can Java, a stunning, colourful mountain village high up on
the slopes of Mount Sumbing. You can find out more about that in my upcoming blog.
Try the traditional foods
Tempeh Kemul
This delicious snack can be found packaged as oleh oleh (souvenir)
or freshly fried in warungs. It’s made from tempeh, flour, and spring onions and served with green chilies on the side. You should take a bite of the Tempeh
Kemul first and then a small bite of the green chili to add some spice.
Mie Ongklok
This is a noodles dish mixed with cabbage and a sticky sweet
broth called Loh. The broth contains a lot of starch which gives the dish a slimy
texture. Ongklok noodles are often served with chicken or beef sate. To be
honest, Mie Ongklok is not my cup of tea, but it’s one of the specialties of Dieng so you should definitely give it a try.
Carica
You can find the Carica fruit all around the Dieng. It is
also known as mountain papaya is native to the Andes in South America. It is usually eaten cooked and sweetened as compote
or jam. I enjoyed the Carica juice made by mixing water and compote.
 |
| Source: @Tekno.Tempo |
0 Comments
Post a Comment