Dieng Plateau: paradise above the sky

Front gate of Dieng Plateau (source)

Have you been to some place you can be at the same height with the clouds, without really leave the ground? If you are a mountain climbers, don’t bother to answer.

I’m just a normal people, I don’t climb mountain, but the car did. ^ ^

Last year I went to Dieng Plateau, a place that is 1200-2000 meters in altitude. A place that believed to be a paradise, where the Gods and Goddeses abode.

I never been to paradise, but this place is so beautiful that I sort of understand why it called like that.

First, when I was still on the way to Dieng gate, I was amazed with the clouds that met my eye. It’s floating right in front of me! Some says it’s just a fog, but I know what I saw that day. It’s cloud. It’s called cumolo nimbus or something, I didn’t really pay attention to physic class... ^ ^;

Anyways here’s the photo. Is this a fog?

Dieng sky(source)

After admiring the clouds, I went in to the gate and got out of the car. Once I landed to the ground and took a deep breath, I knew I missed something: sweater. It was so cold and I was just wearing thin shirt!!! T^T

Luckily, I brought a muffler along, so it’s kinda help to bear the coldness.

I then walked to a candi site, and found so many pretty flowers along the road. The candi itselves looked a bit sad, maybe because there’s nothing much left. But it’s still a great work and I did some photoshoots anyways. ^ ^

Then I bought some edelweiss and continued to a museum called ‘Museum Dieng Kailasa’. I looked around for a moment, and entered a theatre that was showing a film about Dieng’s background. Actually it was a good one, but I kinda tired so I was yawning in the whole show. And it ended just 5 minutes after I sat. xD

After watching the 5-minutes-show, I went to a crater. Dieng is indeed a giant volcano that is still active. And to go to the crater, took a long tiring way. Not mentioning, there were a strong sulfur odor came from it. I could barely breath from 500 meters away.

But the struggle paid well. The crater was awesome. I saw this 5 meters in diameter hole that has boiled mud in it. As I looked around, I realized that all this area made of limestones and another smaller sized crater is everywhere on it.

Finished admiring the craters, I went down the hill and decided to go to this super cool lake with great color, called ‘Telaga Warna’. The color was turqoise! I’ve been told it’s because there were algaes live in the water.

Anyways it was a beautiful yet calm that it’s almost scary lake. I took a picture of it.

Next destination was caves. There were several caves, most of it used by people who seek for spiritual powers. I got scared and decided not to take pictures. I mean, I don’t want like, unknown hands on my shoulders or something...

At last, I got back to where I started with joyous feel. However, I kind of regret the fact that there is still so many places I could go. But that time, the sun was already set and I didn’t want to got home so late.

I’m planning to go to Dieng again next month, and I’ll make sure I’ll browse every inches of it’s beauty this time.

My country known for it’s thousands of beautiful places, and Dieng is definitely one of it.

The paradise above the sky.

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