Dieng Trip (Eng)

Dieng trip 19-21 July 2019

 The main purpose of this trip is to pursue the phenomenon of ice dew in Dieng which appears every year around June until August. A week before leaving, the ice dew still there. Unfortunately, a few days before leaving the temperature back to normal and no more ice dew T_T

This trip, I still joined explorer open trip, and my guides were still the same Iyan and Richard (what a coincidence). The journey started from Plaza Semanggi by bus at 9.30 pm. Throughout the night, the bus stopped for 3x at public toilet. Due to traffic jam, we arrived at Wonosobo at 12 am and change our bus to smaller one and set off to Dieng plateau.

 

My bus's tagline seems thrilling Xp

1.     Rock View Hill/Wind Lamentation Rock

The first stop is Rock View Hill (Bukit Batu Pandang) or Wind Lamentation Rock (Batu Ratapan Angin). One place with 2 names. The name “Wind Lamentation Rock” has been known lately because when the wind blows, the rock creates  a “wuzz wuzz” sound and is heard like thw wind is wailing. But when I was there, there was no wind, so I didn’t hear any sound. This tourist spot is a hill and the path goes up and most of it already in stairs.  

From the top of the hill, the view is Lake Color.

There are some spot that are required to pay IDR 5000,- . But you don’t have to rely on these spots to get good pics, there are many free beautiful spots.

Taking pictures with air balloon, have to pay IDR 5000,- . Btw, i don't who is she, 

but she was on the right spot ;)

The good thing about open trip, 

there will be someone who help you to take pictures.

2.     Dieng Theater

At the bottom of Rock View Hill, there is Dieng Theater, which is located in the same area. At the beginning I was hesitate to watch movie in this theater, but after I watched it, it was quite interesting and informative. The theater plays short documentary movie about Dieng culture and history. 

An overview of the Dieng Plateau.

Dieng is located 2000 m above the sea and is an active volcanic area. Dieng comes from the word “di” which means “place” and “Hyang” which means “God”, Dieng means where God resides.

Dieng Plateau is famous for its beautiful landscape. Dieng is surrounded by Prau Mountain and Sikunir Hill, both of them are famous for their Golden Sunrise.

There are several craters that are still active and emit CO2 gas. One of the craters that emit high concentrated CO2 gas is Sinila Crater. In 1979 due to earthquake, the crater erupted and claimed 149 lives. Other crates such as Sikidang crater is safer to visit because the CO2 gas in there is not too strong. There is also Dringo crater that was created from mountain fracture. These craters are used as geothermal electricity, high pressure gas moves the turbines and produced electricity.

One of Dieng typical culture is the Dreadlocks Ceremony. Only children of Dieng whose hair can grow dreadlocks naturally. Usually the dreadlocks grow when the child is around 1 year old. And the ceremony was held to cut the dreadlocks and after the ceremony the hair will grow as usual and the dreadlocks will never grow again. This ceremony is also done to get rid of bad things.

Dieng also known for potato. It supplies most of potatoes in Indonesia. In tourism site, there are many people who sell potatoes, beside the usual yellow potato, there are also purple potato which can be used for medicine. One of the typical fruit that only grow in Dieng is Carica, the color is yellow and the inside is white. This fruit is widely used to make Carica dodol (it’s really delicious, but I forgot to take a picture before I finished it all) and Carica jelly.

 

Next to Dieng Theater, you can perform bicycle acrobatic, also not free.

3.     Sikidang Crater

From Dieng Theater, we continue to Sikidang Crater, this Crater is very crowded and quite safe to visit. The gas from the crater is not very strong, most of the place can be explored, except the center of the crater that emits sulfur gas is enclosed. 

The gas that contains sulfur comes out from the center of Sikidang crater.

(It smells like boiled egg)

The ground emits sulfur gas.

When i saw these few words, i was confused, do they sell boiled egg 

(but no one sell egg) or i can boil my own egg in the crater?

Below that board, irresponsible visitor wrote their names 

(hopefully they clean it someday).

There are several photo spots in here, each of them cost IDR 15000.

Beside sightseeing and taking pics, you also can try flying fox. 

It can save your breath if you are too tired to hike.

Another fun activity, renting trail motorbike. 

 Dieng potatoes.

 Along the road to the crater, there are many people who sell things such as potatoes, Edelweiss flower, knives, bracelet, honey, sulfur, Carica jelly, instant coffee, food etc.

Dutch Eggplants (red), bell pepper (green) and potatoes.

Dieng typical potatoes, purple potatoes, can be used for diabetic. 

Edelweiss Flower, the eternal flower.

Honey, directly harvest from the nest.

Knives and bracelet also been sold here.

Sulfur powder from the crater, can be used for treating pimple, itchy, allergy etc.

 Sagon cake, can be bought only in Dieng, made from coconut and sugar, and baked with charcoal. I like the taste, light and a little sweet, each for IDR 5000.

 As i know, this lady is the only Sagon cake seller.

There are also Sagon cake with various toppings, each for IDR 10000.
It looks like donut.

At the entrance/exit also has a traditional live music.

While waiting for other trip members in parking lot, there was a busker who walk around pulling a big speaker. She will approach every bus and singing, asking for money. Private live music :) Everything is already in here, the scenery, the food, the drinks, souvenir, even live music :)

5. Complex Arjuna Temple

The next stop was Arjuna Temple Complex, one place with 5 temples : Arjuna, Bima, Srikandi, Gatot Kaca and Semar. This temple was built in 8^th century to worship God Siva during the reign of King Sanjaya. This temple is made from andesite stone from mountain in Papua. Inside the temple, can be found Yoni, a place to put offerings. Until now these temples are still being used for Hindus.

The back side of the temple.

The carving on the foot of the temple.

The carving above the entrance of the temple.

The view from the window of the temple.

On these three sides of Srikandi Temple, there are carvings of Trinity (Siva, Brahma and Vishnu. Unfortunately, the carving is not good anymore.

4.     Sikunir Hill

This is the place that I was waiting for, the Golden Sunrise Sikunir. We departed from the inn at 3 am. Actually, the hill is not far, but due to massive visitors who also aim for the sunrise, our bus had to queue and waited for the other buses to enter the site. The track to the top is not hard, all are rocky stairs, but too many visitors, I could only walk slowly. The trip to the top just took around 30 minutes and along the road there are several toilets (toilet fee is IDR 2000).

When I reached the top of Sikunir, it was very crowded and I immediately seeked for a good position and hoping that the sky will not foggy. After waiting for 30 minutes, the Sun began to rise and golden rays began to cover the Sikunir hill.

 On the right side, it's the silhouette of Sindoro Sumbing Mountain.

                                              Tada...!! Golden Sunrise of Sikunir Hill. 

After 6 am, all visitors started to go down. The journey to go down was very challenging, extremely crowded, no more space around me, everyone walked step by step like a bride walking to the aisle -_-“
When I went to the top, it was still dark, but when I came down, the sky already bright and many people were selling food or taking picture with eagle (have to pay, not free 😊)

 Most of the food are sold here alredy been cooked. Cooked potatoes.

 Taking pictures with eagle.

5.  The lake of color

This was the last place I visited before returning to Jakarta. The scenery from the top of Rock View Hill is the Lake of Color. The green color of this lake comes from sulfur. There are a few legends about the color of this lake, one of them is the story about the Prabu’s ring that fell down into the lake and the reflection of the ring makes the lake turned into green（Prabu is a title for the king）. There is also a story of a nymph’s scarf that fell into the lake and the lake water turn into green because of the scarf. 

  The sulfur gas come out from the bottom of the lake.  

The bridge to the lake.

In this place, you can also find several caves : Well Cave (Gua Sumur), Jaran Cave, Semar Cave and Bride Caves. In the Well Cave there is a holy spring. Bride Cave and Semar Cave are used for meditation. Jaran Cave’s shape is vertical and it is said that there was a horse that ran into the cave and later came out in pregnancy. Based on this story, the local people believe that for those who want to get pregnant can go inside. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to explore the caves although all are in the same area. After visiting The Lake of Color, we had to return to Jakarta and parted with the local guide Mr. Imu (Mustafa) who had shared many stories about Dieng to me. This is the end of my 3 days and 2 nights Diend trip. Thank you for reading my story.