Wednesday, April 30, 2014

DIENG PLATEAU

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DIENG PLATEAU


The lofty plateau of Dieng (2093m above sea level) is home to some of the oldest Hindu temples in Java. Its name comes from Di-Hyang (Abode of the Gods), and it’s thought that this was once the site of a flourishing temple-city of priests.

More than 400 temples, most of which were built between the 8th and 9th centuries, covered the highland plain, but with the mysterious depopulation of Central Java, this site, like Borobudur, was abandoned and forgotten. It was not until 1856 that the archaeologist Van Kinsbergen drained the flooded valley around the temples and catalogued the ruins. The eight remaining temples are characteristic of early Central Javanese architecture – stark and quite squat.



These simple temples, while of great archaeological importance, are not stunning. Rather, Dieng’s beautiful landscape is the main reason to make the long journey to this isolated region. Any number of walks across the volcanically active plateau, the marshy caldera of a collapsed volcano, are possible – to mineral lakes, steaming craters or even the highest village in Java, Sembungan.

You can either stay in Dieng village, or commute up from Wonosobo, which has better facilities. The route up to Dieng is stunning, climbing through vertiginous hillsides of terraced fields planted with potatoes, spring onions and asparagus (all judiciously sprayed with pesticides). Vegetables have replaced pine forests, leaving little to bind the top soil together; inevitably, landslides are common in the rainy season.

The temples and the main ‘natural’ sights can be seen in one day on foot – arrive in Dieng in the morning, before the afternoon mists roll in. It’s a pleasant three- or four-hour loop south from Dieng village to Telaga Warna (Coloured Lake), Candi Bima (Bima Temple), Kawah Sikidang (Sikidang Crater), and then back to Candi Gatutkaca, the Arjuna Complex and the village. Many other lakes and craters around Dieng are scattered over a large area and are difficult to reach.

Information

Entrance prices have risen recently for the temples and natural sights in Dieng. A cost-saving ticket used to exist that covered you for the main sights, but at research time this appeared to have been discontinued – expect to have to pay for each attraction separately.

TEMPLES

The five main temples that form the Arjuna Complex (20,000Rp) are clustered together on the central plain. They are Shiva temples, but like the other Dieng temples they have been named after the heroes of the wayang stories of the Mahabharata epic: Arjuna, Puntadewa, Srikandi, Sembadra and Semar. All have mouth-shaped doorways and strange bell-shaped windows and some locals leave offerings, burn incense and meditate here. Raised walkways link the temples (as most of this land is waterlogged), but you can see the remains of ancient underground tunnels, which once drained the marshy flatlands.

Just southwest of the Arjuna Complex are Candi Gatutkaca, two small museums (admission incl in Arjuna ticket price; 8am-3pm) and a modest cafe. The site museum contains statues and sculptures from the temples, including Shiva’s carrier, Nandi the bull – with the body of a man and the head of a bull, it is a unique representation in Hindu iconography. There’s also a headless image of Shiva himself, depicted in the lotus position, while a gargoyle sporting an erection is distinctly animist. The second museum, a new building directly behind the site museum, has lots of information about the geology of Dieng, the folklore associated with the plateau and more carved statues. All the display information here is in Bahasa Indonesia only.

Further south, Candi Bima is unique in Java, its kudu (sculpted heads) looking like spectators peering out of windows.


The restored Candi Dwarawati is on the northern outskirts of the village. Near the entrance to Dieng at the river, Tuk Bima Lukar is an ancient bathing spring. It was once a holy place and is said to be a fountain of youth.
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WONOSOBO

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WONOSOBO

0286 / pop 110,000
Wonosobo is the main gateway to the Dieng Plateau. At 900m above sea level in the central mountain range, it has a comfortable climate and is a typical country town with a busy market. On national holidays it comes alive as people from surrounding villages gather for festivities in the main square. You might see the Kuda Kepang dance from nearby Temanggung, or the local Lengger dance, in which men cross-dress and wear masks.
If you value your comfort it’s easy to base yourself here in one of the town’s good-quality hotels and get up to Dieng, which is only just over an hour away and served by very regular buses.


Information

Bina (Jl Veteran 36; internet access per hr 5000Rp; 24 hr)
BNI bank (Bank Negara Indonesia; Jl A Yani) Changes cash and travellers cheques, and has an ATM for credit-card withdrawals.
Telkom office (Jl A Yani) Near the alun-alun.
Tourist office ( 321 194; Jl Kartini 3; 8am-3pm Mon-Fri) Can provide maps and brochures of Wonosobo and the Dieng Plateau, and contact details for tour operators in the area.

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PURWOKERTO

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PURWOKERTO

A surprisingly clean city with some architectural reminders of the Dutch colonial era, Purwokerto is a crossroads for travellers heading between Wonosobo and Pangandaran. There are hotels here, but you’re better off staying at the mountain resort of Baturaden, 14km to the north.



The train station is close to the city centre and the bus terminal is about 2km south. Buses run to all major centres, including Wonosobo (28,000Rp, three hours), Banjar and Yogyakarta. Infrequent direct buses go to Baturaden (6000Rp), or catch an angkot from Pasar Wage (6000Rp) in town.
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CILACAP

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CILACAP

Over the border from West Java, Cilacap is an unhurried city of wide boulevards and has the only natural harbour with deep-water berthing facilities on Java’s south coast. Very few travellers pass through here now there are no regular boats plying the backwater trip to Pangandaran.
The tourist office ( 534 481; Jl A Yani 8; 8am-3.30pm Mon-Fri, 7.30am-1pm Sat) is opposite the Hotel Wijayakusuma.



Sights & Activities

Built between 1861 and 1879, Benteng Pendem (admission 2000Rp; 8am-4pm) is an impressive Dutch fort complex at the entrance to the old harbour. It has intact barracks (bring a torch to explore properly, as they’re rather dark) and massive ramparts, and is one of the best-preserved colonial garrisons in Java.
The fort overlooks a long stretch of dirty sand, Pantai Teluk Penyu. This popular local beach has souvenir stalls that sell an array of shells and trinkets.
For better beaches – complete with white sand – head to Nusa Kambangan, a long island south of the port. This island contains no fewer than four high-security prisons (and five inactive ones); former inmates have included the Bali bombers and Tommy Suharto. There are fine beaches to explore, but swimming can be treacherous. Keep a lookout for white-bellied fish eagles surfing the thermals. Ferries sail from Cilacap at 7am (30,000Rp) and return in the late afternoon.

Sleeping & Eating

Hotel Anggrek ( 533 835; Jl Anggrek 16; r with shared mandi/air-con 45,000/75,000Rp; ) For a cheap bed, consider this place, which has spartan and reasonably clean rooms. It’s about a five-minute walk to Jl Yani, the main drag. Hotel Mutiara Cilacap ( 531 545; mutiaracilacap@intanhotels.com; Jl Gatot Subroto 136; r from 550,000Rp;   ) This is the best hotel in town, with business-class facilities, comfortable, spacious rooms, and a decent restaurant plus a bar and cafe. Restaurant Perapatan/Sien Hieng

BOAT

Only charter boats are now plying the back-waters from Cilacap to Majingklak. Click here for more information on trips. The jetty is near the big Pertamina installations.
The Cilacap bus terminal (Jl Gatot Subroto) is 3km north of the city centre. Buses run between Cilacap and Pangandaran (32,000Rp, three hours), Yogyakarta (48,000Rp, five hours) and Purwokerto (14,000Rp, 1½ hours), where you’ll need to change for Wonosobo.
For door-to-door minibuses to Yogyakarta (70,000Rp) call Toko Djadi ( 533 490; Jl A Yani 72); for Purwokerto (20,000Rp) use Nusantara Express ( 533 301; Jl Perwira).

Cilacap’s central train station is just off Jl A Yani. Very few trains now operate from here, but the Purwojaya leaves for Jakarta (executive/business class 150,000/80,000Rp, five hours) at 6.30pm.


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BALI TRAVEL TIPS

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BALI TRAVEL TIPS

Passports & Visas :

Bali Visa Information - Important changes to Indonesia's Visa Policy for Tourists. Please read carefully as there have been changes to Indonesia‟s Visa policy, if in doubt check with your Travel Agent or local embassy.

Countries that do not require a Visa to enter Bali are: Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region, Malaysia, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

Countries that require and are eligible for a VOA (Visa-On Arrival) are:
Algeria, Arab Emirates, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Cyprus Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy Japan ( processed on plane), Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Monaco Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States America VOA Price is: US$25 for a stay of up to 30 days (can now be extended). The 7 day visa is NO longer available.



Bali Time

There is a joke that says everything on the island is done in “Bali Time” in reference to Bali‟s laid back style of getting things done. Bali‟s “actual” Time Zone however is : GMT + 8 hours.

Credit Cards & Offices in Bali

Major credit cards are acceptable in most hotels along with American dollar traveler's cheques.
American Express :
Grand Bali Beach Hotel, Sanur. Tel : 288511 ext. 111
Mastercard :
Bank Central Asia, Jl. Cokroaminoto, Denpasar. Tel : 222652
Visa Card :
Bank Duta, Jl. Hayam Wuruk 165, Denpasar. Tel : 226578

Clothing

Light, airy, casual clothes are the most practical and you'll find natural fibers like cotton or linen are the most comfortable in Bali's often humid conditions. Waist sashes should be worn when visiting temples.

Emergency & Useful Phone Numbers

Emergency Numbers
110 : Police 224111: Tourist Police
113 : Fire 51111 : Search & Rescue
118 : Ambulance 26465 : Red Cross

Medical

AEA International (Medical Evac) : Jl. Hayam Wuruk 40, Denpasar. Tel : 228996
BIMC (Bali International Medical Center) Private Hospital : Jl Bypass Ngurah Rai 100X Denpasar. Tel : 761263
Rumah Sakit Dharma Husada (Hospital) : Jl. Panglima Sudirman No.50, Denpasar. Tel : 227560
Kuta Clinic : Jl. Raya Kuta No.100X, Kuta. Tel : 753268
Nusa Dua Clinic : Jl. Pramata No. 81A, Nusa Dua. Tel : 771324
Sanglah Central Public Hospital (Rumah Sakit Umum) : Jl. Diponegoro, Denpasar. Tel : 227911

Bali Fast Facts

Area: 5620 km2 Population: 3551000
Timezone: GMT +8 Languages Spoken: English, Indonesian
Currency: Indonesian Rupiah Code: IDR Symbol: Rp
Area Dialling Code: Elecrical Plugs: Two pin Euro
0361 (Central Mountains, East Bali,
South Bali, West Bali & Ubud)
0362 (North Bali) and 220V 50Hz
0370 (Lombok)
Country Code: +62 Operator Assisted Calls: 100
Directory Assistance: 108

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