Stunning and underrated
Within a cool and misty high volcanic plateau, Dieng’s ethereal landscape with gurgling mud pools, hissing sulphuric vents and enigmatic ancient Hindu temples conjures a mystical atmosphere and it’s not difficult to imagine why this locale was chosen as an auspicious sacred site.
Home to Indonesia’s oldest existing religious structures, the Dieng Plateau perches some 2,000 metres above sea level in Central Java dominated by Gunung Prau (2,600 metres) and Gunung Sindoro (3,150 metres), 100 kilometres southwest of Semarang and slightly further northwest of Yogyakarta. The nearest town of any significance is Wonosobo, 30 kilometres south.
Winding up the hill from Wonosobo, a spectacular patchwork of verdant crops cling as far up the slopes as is possible to farm and surround the marshy caldera. Peppering this mist-swirled sodden realm are clusters of small squat stone structures. The temples themselves, though historically significant, will likely underwhelm the casual visitor and it’s more the dramatic setting and beautiful scenery that make this area worth ... Travelfish members only (Full text is around 1,300 words.)
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