The Dieng Plateau is a natural wonder located in the highlands of Central Java, Indonesia, not far from the city of Yogyakarta.
This former caldera complex has everything from active volcanoes to ancient Hindu temples, smoking sulfur springs, colorful lakes, fresh mountain air, sunrise views and endless terraces that cover the hills in every direction.
My friend and I spent a whole day exploring Dieng last summer and we were fascinated by this hidden gem and how few international tourists know about it.The sunrise over the Dieng Plateau is especially good.
Dieng means “Abode of the Gods” and the name seems apt for the incredible scale and mystery of this place. This travel blog will explain how you can get to Dieng Plateau and everything you need to know before you go.
Where is Dieng Plateau?
The Dieng Plateau is located 115 kilometers (70 mi) west of Yogyakarta in the central Java province of Indonesia.
The nearest airport is also in Yogyakarta (YIA) and is served by a number of budget airlines with good ratings.You can shop for flights to Yogyakarta on Skyscanner.
Despite the short distance, the drive from Yogya to Dieng Saravand takes much longer than you’d expect, about 4 hours, because of the winding mountain roads.
However, don’t let the long drive deter you from coming here because Dieng Plateau was honestly one of the most beautiful events of our time in Java.
How to get there?
The easiest and best way to visit Dieng Plateau is with a shared tour or a private driver for a full day from Yogyakarta.
If you want to do it with a verified tour company, GetYourGuide has highly rated day trips to Dieng Plateau from Yogyakarta.
Excursions include hotel pick up and drop off, all entrance fees and an English speaking guide.We have used GetYourGuide for many tours and activities around the world and they are highly recommended.
Another option is to hire a local driver from Yoga yourself and negotiate the terms directly, and that way you can try to add some extra sights if you have one in mind.
It’s about an 8 hour tour and we spent another 5 hours sightseeing.
Visit to Dieng Plateau. What to expect?
Sunrise over the volcano is one of the highlights of a trip to the Dieng Plateau, but unfortunately you’ll need a 4-hour drive from Yogyakarta a lot early start
Our driver picked us up at 11pm (yes you read that right) but this was overkill.We reached Sikunir hill in no time and slept in the van for 2 hours.
Sleep well the night before and ask your driver for the latest possible departure.
Dieng Plateau Java
What to bring?
- A jacket. It’s cold, so be sure to bring a jacket or shirt. You can shed it after sunrise. It’s a higher elevation than most of Indonesia, so it can be as low as 8 C (47 F) before sunrise.
- Long pants. See above. Pants are a good idea to stay warm.
- Hiking boots. The sunrise hike is not suitable for sandals and can be muddy.Wear shoes.
- Flashlight. You’ll need a flashlight (or your phone will do) to hike in the dark before sunrise.
- Camera. You’ll definitely want a camera and a drone to capture the scenery of this place.
Things to see and do in Dieng Plateau
• Sikunir Sunrise
One of the top attractions in Dieng Plateau is watching the sunrise over Mount Sundoro, one of Java’s active volcanoes.
A popular place to do this is on Sikunir Hill, on the eastern edge of the plateau. Your driver can help you find the trail, and the trail itself is a steep but short hike to the top of the hill, taking only 30-45 minutes.
Keep going until you reach the highest point in the photos. If sunrise at Dieng Plateu is at 5:20 am, you want to be at the top of the hill no later than 5:00, or maybe even 4:45 so you can get a good find a place to take photos.
At the top we interacted with a group of friendly Indonesian locals who wanted to take a selfie with us as they rarely see Bulgarian (westerners) here.The sunrise was foggy but beautiful.
• Telaga Varna Lake
This is a pair of sulfur lakes that take on strange shades of green and yellow.
You can view the lakes from the top for 30k or pay 100k to go down.There was no one at the ticket office when we went so we saw the upper lakes for free.
My advice. skip the lower lookout, it’s expensive and the best views are above the lakes anyway.
• hill terraces
The Dieng Plateau is loaded with terraces of potatoes, strawberries and other crops.
You can walk to some of these hills if you have extra time, but Dieng’s roads and hills are not very pedestrian-friendly.
The best way to see the terraces is with a drone.This place is a drone paradise.
• Sikidang Crater
It is a large smoking sulfur crater accompanied by many smaller bubbling geothermal cauldrons.
You can expect the usual stinky smell of sulphur, and there are also a number of tacky trinkets and flashy selfie spots (including a large stuffed gorilla) that kind of cheapen the experience and make it even weirder.
• Arjuna temple
Dieng Plateu has a cluster of 7th-century temples, which are actually some of the oldest surviving structures on the island of Java.
The Arjuna Temple is in prime condition and entry is included for free as part of the ticket you have already purchased for the Sikidang Crater.
Entrance fees
- Sikunir hill. Free
- Telaga Warna Lake (Upper). 30 thousand RDR
- Telaga Warna Lake (Lower). 100 thousand drams
- Sikidang Crater + Arjuna Temple. 30 thousand RDR
Hotels near Dieng Plateau
If you want to stay longer in the area, there are a number of homestay options on the Dieng Plateau and in the nearby town of Wonosobo.
Instead we decided to base ourselves in Yogyakarta and visit Dieng on a day trip.Yogya has many great hotels, restaurants and shopping centers at very reasonable prices.
Where did we stay?
We stayed at stepHouse Homestay in Yogyakarta.It was US$17 per night for a clean double room with aircon, private bathroom and fast WiFi.
One of the biggest positives of this home stay is the location, it was walking distance to Malioboro shopping center and train station which is perfect if you are going to Malang to visit Tumpak Sevu and Mt Bromo like we were.
Prices can fluctuate from time to time, so just keep an eye out for a good deal.
Our Yogyakarta hotel
Our Yogyakarta hotel
Java is safe.
I would say definitely yesJava is safe and I have visited the island many times over the years.
Indonesia has the lowest violent crime rate in the world. We walked around Yogyakarta at all hours of the day and night and always felt safe.
No place in the world is perfectly safe, but Indonesia receives millions of tourists every year, and many of them visit Java.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Java (and most of Indonesia) is from April to November.
The rainy season is from November to April. You can still go to Dieng Plateau during this time, but it won’t be ideal for the mountains or the sunrise as fog is more common.
Happy travels!
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