At an altitude of 2000 meters, the Dieng Plateau provides very cool and pleasant weather. This may be of no special importance to visitors from cooler climates but in a South East Asian country, such a place can mean a respite from the normally hot climate.
There are also some very interesting temples, beautiful scenery, good walks, and cold (freezing) nights. To really appreciate Dieng, it is definitely worth staying here for the night rather than just making it a daytrip from Wonosobo.
Dieng is the collapsed remnant of an ancient crater. On the swampy plain in front of Dieng village are five Hindu/Buddhist temples that form the Arjuna complex. These temples are thought to be the oldest in Java, predating Borobudur and Prambanan.
Though historically important, they are small, squat and not particularly impressive. Another temple nearby is Candi Bima, to the south and the small site museum contains statues and sculpture from temples.
The Dieng is an ancient volcanic caldera, one that isn’t about to erupt again, but still makes for some interesting thermal areas. The volcanic soil is very fertile, and everywhere you look – on the plains, the hillsides, and in the steep valleys – there are fields. Mind you though that these are definitely not your usual rice and corn fields. They’re potatoes.
Yes, Dieng produces h
ordes of potatoes, making the price of French fries in the restaurants pleasantly cheap, and the local landscape quite fascinating. While turquoise and green lakes effervesce with sulphurous fumes, pits of boiling mud bubble and steam vents roar into the clear sky, farmers go about their daily business, planting and harvesting, digging and irrigating. It’s a strange sight with the quirky whiff of sulfur.
The plateau’s natural attractions and its sense of isolation are the main reasons to visit. From the village, you can do a two-hour loop walk that takes in pretty Telaga Warna (Coloured Lake) and Kawah Sikidang, a volcanic crater with steaming vents and frantically bubbling mud pools. You can see all the main sights, including the temples on foot in a morning or afternoon. Other volcanic areas and lakes lie farther afield.
The walk to Sembungan to see the sunrise from the hill 1 kilometer from the village is a popular activity. It is reputed to be the highest village in Java at 2,300 meters. Start at 4am to reach the top 1 ½ hours later. Dieng Plateau Homestay and Losmen Bu Djono both offer guides for 30,000Rp per person.