Dieng Volcanic Plateau

As our bus climbed the steep and narrow hills, we could feel the temperature plunge steadily until reaching 2000 metres above sea level. We arrived in Dieng under a cold mist and were lucky our driver knew where to drop us off, but a bit less happy after finding out the hot water didn’t work at our hotel – we could’ve used a hot shower right then and there. After putting our trousers on and a couple of long sleeve shirts, we tucked under the covers to recuperate from our long journey.

The following day, we set off on foot to do a 10km loop around the plateau. First, we went to Telaga Warna, or the ‘coloured lakes’, but rather than enter through the official gate and pay 150 000 rupiahs, we had inside information on a side entrance which actually led to a stunning view point of the sulphur-coloured lakes. It turned out to be rather spectacular and seemed like a much better vantage point anyway.

 

View of Telaga Warna

Happy girl in the vegetable fields, on top of the mountains!

Then, we got to Sikidang Crater, a very active volcano which bubbled, steamed and stank! It was in a stark setting and it seemed like the steaming vents and bubbling mud ponds popped up from everywhere. There, hoards of Indonesian tourists jumped on us to take pictures with us for their family holiday souvenir.

 

Steamy Sikidang Crater

Finally, we reached the Candi Arjuna Temple complex, made of 8 small Hindu temples, which were also packed with locals who wanted our photos! It was getting quite overwhelming so I put my scarf on my head, in a feeble attempt to be less noticeable.

The oldest Hindu temples in the world

Excited school girls wanting their picture taken with the ''bule'' (tourist)

The whole walk was very enjoyable, through the terraced vegetables plantations surrounding the main road and locals hard at work taking a second to wave at us. The sun came out for a few hours too which was unexpected and allowed us to take off a few layers of clothing. After about 4 hours of walking and exploring the region, we were back in town, ready for yet another meal of nasi goreng to give us back some energy!

The next morning came very quickly: at 3:30 am our alarm woke us up abruptly. It was time to get ready for our sunrise expedition. At 4am, we drove to Mount Sikunir through the Sembungang village. Then, we climbed the 800 metres to the peak of the mountain in pitch dark, lucky some fellow trekkers had a torch! The path was slippery with ravines on one side and the mountain on the other. The air was fresh and lovely to breathe, but a warmer jacket would have been useful. From the top, we waited with a hot coffee for the sun to rise. It was a rewarding experience, although very misty so the view wasn’t as spectacular as it could have been on a clear day.

The misty sunrise on top of Mt Sikunir