DIENG PLATEAU, A land above the clouds

Since my plan go to Singapore cancelled, and I've submitted vacation form. I decided go to Dieng with my friend from junior high school. I took an economic train to Purwokerto. Why I should bold that word? It because I never tried before, hahahaha. It should be included in the list of self achievement in my life, LOL.

In Purwokerto, my friend Sari already wait there. We would ride a motorcyle to Banjarnegara and stayed in Mya's place. It spent about 2 hours from Purwokerto to Banjarnegara. For the alternative public transportation you can take a bus from Purwokerto bus station.

I arrived in Purwokerto about 6 pm and had a dinner Soto Sokaraja ( traditional Indonesian soup mainly composed of broth, meat and vegetables). So many variant of Soto in my country, every city has their own variant of Soto. Soto Sokaraja is popular variant soto in Purwokerto. If you arrive in the morning you can find Soto Sokaraja in Jalan Bank. It just took 1 km from train station.

Soto Sokarja

In Purwokerto public transportation (angkot) didnt operate 24 hours, it just operate from 7 am to 6 pm only, and the last bus to Banjarnegara until 9 pm. For alternative transportation from train station you can take a taxi or motorcyle taxi (ojeg).

From Mya's place in Banjarnegara, it took 2 hours to Dieng by motorcycle. Dieng Plateau is one of outlying region in Central Java that entered in two territory, Banjarnegara and Wonosobo. In your way you will surrounded beautiful view and fresh air. For me that usually stay in Cirebon and Bandung, Dieng is the most cold place that I ever visited (13.6 °C / 56.5 °F).

Welcome to Dieng. We arrived at 10 am, and the first thing that we find were FOOD. We were so hungry since we just have cereals in the morning (for us, Indonesian people, having no rice in our meals is same meaning with having no meals haha). We found our meals in Candi Arjuna area, it called Mie Ongklok, tradisional food from Wonosobo. It was so yummy.

 

Mie Ongklok (Ongklok noodles)

With full tummy, we were ready to explore Dieng. Start with nearest area, there is two place that we can explore Arjuna temple and Kailasa Museum.

For Kailasa Museum, we didnt explore it more but the museum contains artifacts and information panels about nature (geology, flora and fauna), community Dieng (daily, agriculture, beliefs, arts) as well as the archaeological heritage of Dieng. The museum has a theater to see a movie (currently about archeology Dieng), an open stage, as well as restaurants.

Museum Dieng Kailasa

(source image : www.indonesia.travel)

The Plateau is the location Hindu temples. It is unclear when they were built. They are known as the oldest Hindu temples in Java.

Arjuna Temple Area' sign

Semar and Arjuna temple

Arjuna Temple Area

 

 Gatotkaca Temple

 Puntadewa temple

In sunny day at Arjuna temple area, you can take a photo with rampok yakso tradisional dancer. Sadly it was not free of course. You should pay Rp. 5.000 for one photo or Rp. 10.000 for three photos with them.

Time passed by, and we should checkin and worship. We stayed in Hotel Asri for one night with bathroom inside. Across the street there is grand mosque Jami' Baiturrohman that as I know it is the only one mosque here (correct me if I wrong).

Jami' Baiturrohman Mosque

After put our bag and worship we went to Kawah Sikidang (Sikidang crater). It took 10 minutes from our hotel. You will pass Arjuna temples area in your way. You can take this route Arjuna temple area, kaliasa museum, kawah sikidang, and telaga warna.

Sikidang Crater

In this area you should bring a mask. The smeel of sulfur covered this area. If you not bring a mask, dont worry there is some mask seller around this area but I didnt know how much it is.

To explore this area, you  can walk by foot or rent a horse. of course with additional payment. Since this area not that big I think there is no need to rent a horse.

  

In Sikidang crater, there is tradisional market. They offered many thing, from household to tradisional craft for handgift. I bought 2 boxes of CARICA (the must handgift you should bring when you visit Dieng, it is carica fruit pickles). I love the taste, I always order it whenever my friend go there.

 

 
Tradisional market

 Dieng chili

 Carica pickles
(source image google.com)

For me, a bit difficult to find food stall that suitable with my nagging tummy. I am bit picky about food. So we decide to stop by the minimarket (thanks God, minimarket exist here). We bought some stuff and food. And we met new friend there, he called nano ceper. We talk a bit about Dieng and some stuff. He suggested to visit Telaga warna in twilight. It because the different color will see clearly in that time. And with big heart he offered to be our tour guide, wwwooohhh lucky us.

Based on the suggestion, we closed our day visited Telaga Warna (the colorful lake). Is it right translate telaga warna to the colorful lake? I'm not sure hahaha. For some reason this lake has two color in one lake and beside it there is another lake with different color too.

Telaga Warna

 

 Telaga Warna in different time

Both of this picture no filter and took at the same day (same pose too -__-"), the left photo I took around 4 pm and the right one at 6 pm. Like magic the different of color clearly visible. The lake fully green in twilight.

with mas nano ceper, our tour guide

The sun disppair and we back to our hotel to rest and full our stomach. We will hunt sunrise in early dawn. And the atmosphere was so quiet. Time to sleep.

For day 2 in dieng, I will write in another post. You can find about the details of our expense there. And you can see more picture on Galleries.

See ya