This time, I tried to visit the largest crater in Wonosobo, especially in Dieng village, Kejajar sub-district. I was not alone, of course. Accompanied by a female friend who had been to this crater before, we drove from Sikunang village, which is not too far away. I used a motorcycle to get there quickly.
This was my second day in Wonosobo. I came to this city yesterday and climbed Mount Bismo first. Unfortunately, from yesterday until now, the weather here is foggy all day long. I asked the locals to confirm the weather in the span of one week, they said, it is indeed rarely raining (even though it is the rainy season in Indonesia), but fog or sunny always streaks from the weather forecast. This is where, as a human being, I realized that nature does have an extraordinary ability that humans cannot control at will.
After a ten-minute drive from Sikunang Village, we finally arrived at the large parking lot in front of the entrance to the crater. For your information, although there is no special place for luggage storage here, visitors can ask the officer to put items that are quite heavy to carry, at the registration office.
REGISTRATION
There is no admission fee for visitors under the age of five, while the admission fee is charged for those above the age of five. Tickets for one person are priced at Rp 20,000. Fun fact: I just found out that the ticket price listed is a one-way ticket, which can also be used to enter Arjuna Temple. So, these two places are still in the same area.
However, this pass is only valid for today. And there is a limitation time, which is from 07.00 am to 04.00 pm. The ticket is an ordinary paper sturk that contains a barcode to be scanned when entering the crater area. My friend and I entered at 11:29 am. And you know what? It turns out that I mentioned something wrong! It turns out that Dieng part of Sikidang crater and Arjuna temple is included in Banjarnegara Regency! LOL. Please forgive my negligence. Indeed, the Dieng plateau is included in two districts. Part of it enters Banjarnegara and the other part enters Wonosobo area.
SIKIDANG CRATER
I know very well that KIDANG means deer. Once inside, visitors are immediately greeted with the mascot of two deer statues. However, I have never heard if there is a story behind this Sikidang crater? Usually, natural tourist attractions in Indonesia have folklore such as sagas or legends. Visitors to Sikidang Crater are not allowed to smoke. There is a NO SMOKING sign on the path to Kahyangan Bridge.
KAHYANGAN BRIDGE
This bridge was built by the local government right above the crater area for one kilometer. From the entrance to the exit, this wooden plank bridge is made very neat and very safe for crater visitors. In the some spots, there is a shelter on the left side of the bridge. This shelter is used by visitors who want to rest comfortably and avoid the scorching sun or rain. In addition to being a shelter, in each shelter there is a certain information board ornament. For example, as I photographed in the first gazebo after the Kahyangan Bridge entrance, there is a legendary story about Sikidang Crater. Yeah, this is what I was looking for!
The wooden board told me that there was a connection between the famous dreadlocks in Dieng and the legend of the curse on Sikidang Crater.
On the board, it was written that the origin of the dreadlocked people in Dieng was due to the curse given by King Kidang Garungan to Queen Shinta Dewi. The curse was born because King Kidang Garungan felt disappointed by the Queen. In addition to causing Ratu Sintha Dewi's descendants to become dreadlocked, it also caused the birth of a crater. Wow... it turns out I only just found out about this story!
I continued my journey along the bridge. The air was thick with sulfur, which was very stinging. I would like to recommend you to wear a mask for those of you who can't stand the sharp smell. The hazy sky, gentle breeze and not too cold air, I really enjoyed this trip. Sikidang Crater can also be visited in groups with friends or family.
After walking one kilometer, I headed for the exit. And it turns out, on the way to the exit, there is a traditional market that specializes in selling Dieng souvenirs, as well as trinkets such as hats, cups or t-shirts with the theme of tourist attractions around. So, visitors don't have to worry about where to buy specialties, because they are also provided here!
Well, it turns out I've told a pretty long story, thanks to the readers who patiently spent the story of my trip to Sikidang Crater, hopefully you are entertained.
Oh! There is one more thing I don't want to miss. I found the only old bookstore in the souvenir market! My eyes were immediately stunned and darted for a while. At first, I didn't just want to stop by, but also wanted to buy a book by my favorite author Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Unfortunately, according to the seller, old books by the author I was looking for were very rare and even if they existed, they were sold out immediately. Yes, all right!
Okay! It's really over, my friend and I decided to leave and go home. Turns out I needed to have lunch. Haha. Bye everyone!
All photos are mine taken with Oppo Reno 5f
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