Dieng Plateau
Dieng Plateau
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles520 reviews
Excellent
242
Very good
188
Average
65
Poor
15
Terrible
10

123hazet
Bandung, Indonesia527 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
This highland is locted in Central Java about 8 hoursdrive from Jakarta. This is interesting to visit because of its natural, cultural, culinary and local hospitality. Infrastructure & roads are quite good but you still have to use a fit vehicle. Ideal for short gateway from routine activities.
Written July 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KRISEK
Bishops Stortford, UK540 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Friends
Great escape from Yogyakarta for sunrise at Sikunir, Arjuna Temple and active crater. Beautiful views of potato and veggies terraces so unusual to typical rice terraces around all Indonesia. Great views of other volcanos around.
Written March 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jason
Mataram, Indonesia512 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Friends
I have been wanting to visit this area for a long time. The town is located in an old caldera, way way up in the mountains. Its cold at night. Lots of ancient candi to see, active caldera with bubbling water, good tourist traps and excellent hot springs bathing. Well worth the visit. There were lots of good places to eat. There was a good range of accommodation to choose from, too.
Written June 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

capungJakarta
Jakarta, Indonesia35 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2018 • Couples
In the 1980s, the Dieng used to be the magic place up there in the clouds where the weather is changing by the hour, mystic colours, steam, rain, cabbage and potatoes. However, at that time there was only one very mediocre place to stay. Things have changed.
Now, every attraction (the colour-lake, the temples, etc.) charges for the entry, foreigners pay at least double the price (reason unclear). In the temple compound, there are clown-like figures posing to be photographed, the temples themselves are only background for more pictures, selfies. There is nothing left of a sacral atmosphere at this religious site – it is like Disneyland.
The famous colour lake (“telaga warna”) is not worth visiting. Just another lake, trash along the foodpaths, plastic rubbish everywhere. A disgrace.
Worst, the Sikidang geysir. By itself, it is an interesting site with a pool that is bubbling with hot water and steam. Around the lake, trail-motorbikes are rented out and wannebee-stuntmen drive (without helm and protective gear) between the hikers and pedestrians. The noise can be heard a kilometer away. This situation is worse than the city traffic in Jakarta. Next to this crazy circus, birds (kind of owls, all protected species) are chained to a piece of wood to serve as background for selfies and memory pictures. They all have their feather clipped and cannot fly any more. Very sad. In other places protected flowers (“Edelweiss”, Anaphalis javanica) is sold. The entire area, for which an entry ticket has to be bought, is full of trash and plastic.

The attractions of the Dieng plateau have become a monument to ignorant people who do not have the slightest respect for culture and nature. Very sad.
Written April 20, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Steve D
Melbourne, Australia2 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2014 • Family
We took a tour from Jogja at 250000Rp per person. The tour was not really a tour, just a driver who took us to three locations. He spoke no English. The temple (25000 Rp) was ok, but was worth walking round the surrounding tracks which were very pretty. The steaming crater was interesting but covered in litter (seems to be the norm in SE Asia) - included in the temple fee. The real ripoff was the coloured lake. It looks beatiful from high up on the road, but just covered in litter and crowded at the lake itself. The most galling part is the 100,000 Rp (or worse 150,000 Rp on weekend) fee to get in. Seeing you are with a driver and have nowhere to go for the hour, you are pretty much obliged to pay up. According to reviews a year or so ago, it used to be 9000 Rp for foreigners, but I guess they decided it could be milked so put it up to 20x the local fee!!! BEWARE!
Also, beware of the 3.5 hour bumpy drive each way from Jogja.
Written September 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hayley H
39 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
We had a great time in dieng plateau. I definitely suggest renting a scooter to see everything yourself. Some locals brought us to the hot springs where everyone bathes however be warned, I got a bad fungal infection from swimming in there. Water is not clean, lots of people wash every day in there, mothers clean babies bottoms and people blow their nose. The bathes do not get emptied and it is a great breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. I would say if you have an open wound or you are a female don't go in. Otherwise very interesting experience.
Written October 16, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

schneth3
Switzerland132 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
The Dieng Plateau can be explored from it's must beautyful side by hiking only. It's also the only way to get all for free, no tickets, no driver, and no guide. The tour explained in the following is approximately a 6-8h hike hitting some of the best spots. The trail is sometimes exposed and not recommended for children. Don't forget food and water.
Starting in Dieng follow the road to the twin lakes Telaga Warna and Telaga Pengilon. When you see the lake jump through the bushes onto the walkway surrounding the first lake. Follow the trail to the very end of the lake, there are green signs spotting various directions. A not marked trail starts in a sharp angle towards your left onto the crater hill. On the top (turns a little behind the summit before opening the view) you have the best view on both lakes. Explore the rest of the area.
Leave the park through the main gate heading towards the village Karangsari, don't turn left when Kawah Sikidang (Sulfur Sources) is signed. (there is again a ticket charged even though the krater is still a km away) Walk through Karangsari until you hit the steam pipeline climbing to your left. Follow the track parallel to the pipeline and climb the hill. On the other side you enjoy the steaming ponds (if you like you can bypass all the annoying sellers to their right). Now starts the more adventurous part. When finished inhaling sulfur leave the area on it's back end. Follow the path that was built for the white water pipes (don't go the uphill trail to your right). After a few hundret meters you see the old track to your left. Follow a single white tube through the high grass to the track ( if you follow the main bunch uf white pipes you are heavily exposed to your left after another 100m). When you made it to the track, probably in the second attempt, follow it until it hits the volcano and becomes a single trail shortly climbs uphill. Just follow this trail through a beautyful scenery. Still on the trail you hit a village village. This is indeed middle age. You will discover why when seeing the "buildings" to your right. The path is now concrete and you follow it passing under the mosque on it's left. When the path ends turn right uphill into the farm land. After 50m ignore the first left turn option and climb until you see a single tree (second left turn). Turn left passing the tree and follow this trail until you hit the lake Telaga Merdada and the road. There are always farmers waving their hands and pointing the way when asked. (You can walk around the lake in an additional half an hour). Turn left on the road, after 100m on the highest point you see a little green building. Turn right onto the crater rim at this point. Follow the trail an enjoy the view. The target is the antenna in direction Dieng. On the top the trail will become very narrow and it's obviously not often used. But it's there :-) Hati Hati at this point, walk carefully between the rocks. Suddendly you hit a little plain field, pass it on the left towards the antenna. 20m before the antenna the trail splits, don't go left, stay right and surround the antenna counter clockwise. Use the bridge over the steam pipeline and turn right downhill. You see now Dieng. At the bottom turn right again and walk between the pipelines. After 300m you are in the middle of a small but wide valley. At the vally ground you see the temple. On your right find another pipeline bridge and on your left the downhill trail starts with a back loop. Follow this trail to the temple. When finished leave the area through the main gate and selamat datang in Dieng.
Written September 23, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Izz Shariff
Shah Alam, Malaysia95 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Its about 4 hours drive from yogyakarta. Located at the Highland. a bit colder here.

Only few main attractions there
1. Telaga warna entrance fee IDR 100,000
2. Telaga warna tower where you can look at telaga warna view from far IDR 5000
3. Arjuna temple entrance fee IDR 10,000
4. Sikidang Crater entrance fee IDR 10,000

If you hired supir (driver) from yogyakarta and if it so happen the supir ask you weather you want to hire a tour guide, (normally they will ask you when you almost reach there) just say NO. You don't need any guide when you reach Dieng Plateu since you have a driver.

What happened to us was, the supir offered a guide with slightly cheaper price (only different by IDR 2,000) then he fetch the tour guide (Joseph). The thing is the guide (Joseph) didn't bring us to the right entrance of telaga warna which we have paid IDR100,000 earlier but only went to the hill to look at the panoramic view. He not even give us any ticket for all of the entrance fees.

When we ask about we want to see telaga warna nearer, he said that we don't have enough time. But actually he don't have intention to bring us there.

Not even the tour finish, Joseph ask us to pay. Please be careful with any tour guide in Dieng Plateu especially Joseph.

Other option, there's no problem if you want to hire a guide but make sure you visit all the 4 places.

Happy holidays!
Written October 8, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Matan C
31 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2014 • Friends
I'm going to outline the itnerary that a friend and I followed because it was, frankly, amazing. Will try to include useful information but not so much descriptions as others have done this well. Please excuse the spelling mistakes though!

(1) Hire a moped each from Jogja, should cost no more then 60,000 per person per day. Make sure they give you the owner card and a good helmet.
(2) Ideally you will have a phone with google maps and intenet on it. Just means you don't have to stop and ask for directions so much
(3) Drive out of Jogja towards Marapi, the volcano. Keep going until you reach a place where they say you have to dismount and hire a guide (it's where all the tourist tat is hawked).
(4) Ignore these people and instead head right towards the 'bunker'. Be warned, this is a very challanging ride on the moped through heavy dust drifts battling out with massive trucks. We found it exhilarating, but you will get dusty and you might find is scarey.
(5) At the bunker have a look around ask ask for some giner/bannan tea in the stalls - it's interesting
(6) We spend some time zipping around the mining roads, but you might decide you've had enough dust
(7) Head off toward Bodboudor area. The road takes you naturally past the second largest temple outside Bodboudur. It will be getting dark by now. We stayed in a very interesting place called 'nDalem Tentrem'. We haggled a really nice double room with hot water and private shower for 250,000. Just bring some mozzie repelent.
(8) The next day you can see the temple and go to Boudbouder. If you stay at the aformationed place the lady ownder might take you to another temple beside he children's school. It was small but getting there was fun.
(9) Depends how long you spend in boudboudr you can stay another night. We didn't and instead zipped off to the Dieng Platow, taking the slightly longer but more scenic route - the once avoiding the motor way as much.
(10) Climb up the plato is amazing, once there there are a number of things to do, but we refused to pay the 100,000 to see the stupid lake when locals only pay 5,000. Interestingly they then offered that we only pay 50,000 but there was already a bad taste in our mouths.
(11) Finally, head back down the other side of the mountain back to Jogja. It's quite a long drive and we had to do the last 1.5 hours in the dark, that was a little scarey.

Ok, this has gone on long enough. Hope this helps someone.
Written September 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The_Pale_Ridah
Gladesville, Australia1,956 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2013
The Plateau of Dieng is basically the floor of an extinct volcano. The town there is located at over 2kms above sea level making it the highest in Indonesia. The site is also home to an ancient settlement where Indonesia’s oldest surviving temples were built from the 8th century. The Arjuna Temple Complex once had over 400 temples all dedicated to Shiva, god of destruction. Today, only 8 of these temples have survived to the modern age all restored from piles of rubble. Amazingly some still have bas relief carvings of their god despite earthquakes & damage. They represent the earliest carvings in the country, ancient photographs from a people who were vastly different from modern day Indonesians, more Indian in language, culture & religion.
 
Geothermal activity on the plateau of Dieng has created numerous hydrothermally active areas with boiling mud ponds, fumaroles, acid lakes & warm springs. Some interesting hydrothermal areas include Telaga Terus, Kawah Sibanteng, Kawah Sigajah, Kawah Kumbang, Kawah Sileri, Kawah Upas, Candradimuka, Kawah Sipandu, Kawah Siglagah, Telaga Dringo, Kawah Pagerkandang & Kawah Sikidang. With the abundance of heat & steam inside the extinct volcano, Dieng is home to a geothermal power plant built in 1994 & operated by PT Geo Dipa Energi. It generates a respectable 60 MW of electrical power, enough to power 60,000 American homes. The plant uses natural steam from a deep underground pipe to turn a single turbine while a second plant is due to be completed in 2014. Another 20,000 of these plants & Indonesia should be ok.
 
The largest town today in the area is Wonosobo where most transit goes thru.
 
Very fortunately the Dieng Plateau sees few Chinese mega tours considering the village life is too close to home. Dieng’s fertile lush slopes, cultivated mountainsides & village lifestyle is what makes driving around the windy roads so appealing & is a welcome change from Jakarta’s polluted streets & Bali’s invasion of drunken idiots. The isolation of Dieng inside an extinct volcano made Dieng a sacred place visited by people of the lowlands trying to appease their angry god, now Dieng is the primary Indonesian producer of potatoes. The lord of destruction would be pleased, what man doesn’t like potato chips?
Written June 3, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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