The Dieng Plateau is a high marshy valley - probably the remains of ancient caldera even - that makes an interesting day trip from Yogyakarta, Solo or Magelang. The three main sights of the plateau are all relatively close to each other. They are the Colorful Lakes, Sikidang Crater and the Arjuna Temple.
Getting to the Dieng Plateau
The Dieng Plateau is usually visited as a day trip from one of the nearby cities, such as Yogyakarta, Magelang or Solo. From Magelang, you can visit the plateau and be back to your hotel in the mid-afternoon. From the other two cities it's a much longer stay. There are a few homestays in Dieng village, a short trek from the sights.
The Arjuna Complex is a small group of Hindu temples on the Dieng Plateau. While it doesn't compare to the impressive towers of the Prambanan, the complex and its associated museum are a worthwhile stop when visiting the plateau. The group are among the oldest temples in Java, with initial construction completed around 809 AD.
A lone temple near the museum There are four main chapels in the main group, and another one on a hill nearby, where there's also a small museum.
Bubbling mud and steam coming from the main vent of Sikidang Crater Sikidang is probably not what you picture when you think of a volcanic crater. It's more like an open scar on the landscape, covered with rocks and ash in varying shades of gray, green and yellow. Scattered around the area are vents of varying sizes spewing steam and hydrogen sulfide, which gives the place its rotten egg odor.
The big lake near the 'beach' at the far end The Colorful Lakes, or multi-colored lakes, or Telaga Warna in Indonesian, is one of the three main sights on the Dieng Plateau. The lake appears to be a water-filled caldera with several active gas vents below the water's surface, and signs there are sometimes some active vents around the shore. There are usually two lakes, but the smaller one was just a grassy marsh when I visited at the end of the dry season.
