Hi stimix,

how cold is the dieng plateau area?

i've no idea how cold is cameron highlands nowadays... used to be pretty cold a couple of years back.

Well, when I was there in the middle of Afternoon, it's about 23C. at nite probably ~ 17C. I dun bring any light jacket just wear round tee. still can stand. If really can't stand cool weather, probably a light jacket will do.

Gonna update 1st pg info soon

Day time not cold lah. Only evening and night you start shivering, esp if it's raining in the afternoon.

BTW, for my 5D4N (3 pax) not so budget cost in Jogja:

Transport (Avanza/Xenia) 3 days - Rp1,300,000 or RM455
Entrance tickets + illegal tolls (Crazy...worst than Bali) ~Rp1,200,000 or RM420 (For 3)
Airport tax- Rp300,000 (RM105)
Misc batik shoppings, makan (Avg Rp70K X 2 X 4) etc ~ Rp900K or RM300
hotel 3rd person surcharge..sigh# - Rp360K - RM126

Total spent ~ RM1,400. excluding airfare (RM180) & prebooked hotel RM436...Actual total ~ RM2000 for whole trip

so basically if i want my driver to be a guide as well, i have to pay for all his entrance tickets... correct?

also, your estimate for the entrance tickets + illegal tolls include the fees for mandatory temple guides?

The driver, not really good as a true pro-guide-lah...Even I hv to explained to him the greatness of Borobudor, Prambana & giving him a brief lecture on hindu empire of South East asia..haha..Turned up, I guided him on temples tour haha!

I paid him for Borobudor bcos I wanna disguise as his relative from Riau/Medan but the Borobudor guard dun buy my story , Thereafter, Prambanan, I sked to fool the guard liao Guides are not a must at Borobudor & Prmabanan but they might offer you the service...I was told can be ~ 70 to 100K rupiah!

At kraton, guide is a must but up to you to give. At pulau Cemeti & Taman Sari, which have to snaked thru kampungs, you hv no choice but hire a guide...I pd him Rp20K although he told me normal ~ ro50K!!..The walk around Pulau Cemeti/ Tmn Sari is pretty far.

Yeah my est include those illegal tolls, parkings & entrance for 2 adults & one school children. (School children, you can bring library card & etc. They will photostate the card b4 givinmg you the 50% discount

We spent under RM1400 for 7D/6N for two persons including transportation from Puchong and back (taxi, bus, air tickets everything) and all expenses including shopping in Indonesia.

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Added on March 21, 2011, 10:48 pmSo stimix what is your overall verdict of the trip and the place? I think there are lots of interesting places to see in Java Tengah, and the people are very nice, but the transportation is just a nightmare. If transportation were good, I would seriously consider going again to see some of the things I missed.

This post has been edited by PangurBan: Mar 21 2011, 10:48 PM

are there any places/temples where women need to wear long pants?

None. In fact, if you were to go to Candi Sukuh, the women might as well start taking everything off to blend in.

Well, once in a lifetime visit to one of the wonders of the world..That's one of my dream since young.
Yeah due to the transportation nitemare & lack of higjways just like in Bali, going from one place to another is not easy & you spent $$$ on transportation cost + slowing down the journey..Imagine 120KM distance needs 3.5hrs..

Another thing I like about Jogja- This is the bestplace for budget shopping esp Malioboro...probably the best in indonesia interm of price & one-stop ctr..much better than the overatted Bandung factory outlets * even Bali...T-shirt selling at Rp12.5-30K (RM4- RM12) and batik from Rp30K-Rp100K, key chain an souvenirs from rp1000 nia..dirt cheap...

Not forgetting my driver introduced and brought me to reasonable clean & famous restaurants ...Ohhh I forgotten...The famous oleh-oleh from Jogja - BAKPIA..thier version of tambun biscuit or Tausar pia



This post has been edited by stimix: Mar 23 2011, 07:25 AM

I bought a bag of bakpia from Solo but gave it to my neighbour. Didn't try any. I only bought one piece of batik, in Solo. It was a simple piece of cloth, but it cost Rp125,000; partly because it was in a very touristy shop, and partly because they used natural dyes. Anyway, it was a pesanan. Didn't buy anything in Malioboro since it was the first stop.

However nightmarish the travelling is in Java Tengah, I suppose it's nothing compared to Sumatera Utara! But it will still put me off going back for another visit. Anyway, no more travelling to Indon for at least another year!

This post has been edited by PangurBan: Mar 23 2011, 09:49 AM

honestly the bakpia nothing close to Penang famous Him Heang or Ghee Hiang tambun pia but very cheap only rp7000 or RM2.50 per box..

The extend of Jogja promoting their Bakpia is a culture shock to me..everywhere you go you can see this bakpia. & in malioboro, there are few such bakpia outlets. Alos on that street, there is one traditional Chinese Bakery shop reminding me of yesteryear m'sian Chinese bakery .. I also chatted with one local Chinese there..suprisingly she still can speak fluent mandarin when most of the younger generation local chinese already lost touch wth the languarge esp in Jakarta, Bandung & Jogja..My driver, a chinese also can't speak chinese haha..but very good in recommending nice local food..

BTW, In borobudor/Mengdut, I grabbed these..Only Rp50K or ~ RM18...Worth it...& dirt cheap for such a Lava stone sculptures..On the way trying to escape from those sellers (simiolar pest encoutered in Bali)...One lady actually offer me Rp20K (RM7) for 2!! but 1/4 smaller than the one I hv...darn..should negotiated to rp30k or Rp40k



My Rp94K or RM33 long slave Batik from Batik Beteng (not Malioboro)..still dirt cheap if compare to KL..



This post has been edited by stimix: Mar 23 2011, 11:30 AM

I tried to bring back a mortar and pestle made from volcanic rock - you will have seen those on sale all along the road to Muntilan. Thought can make gado-gado and lotek mah. But because I didn't check in luggage, they confiscated it. I half expected it liao. They ask me to check in the bag but I will have to pay shit RM50, whilst the lesong only cost RM14. Some of the stone stuff really nice if can bring back put in the garden.

I met quite a few people who spoke Mandarin in Semarang, one or two quite fluent, mostly apek and auntie lah. There was even an apek who could still speak a bit of Cantonese. This oleh-oleh thing really chronic. Saw so many oleh-oleh shops. Donno 3/4 of what it is they're selling. The only thing I tried was this cracker thing made of tapioca and kiuchai. Quite nice lah.

I had coffee, cake and ice-cream in this establishment in Semarang called Toko Oen (our Mr Oon lah):





This is the Gereja Belanda in Semarang:



With a pipe organ inside (but all the pipes removed for renovation liao, or maybe all habis, only the façade left):



And here's a bit of the crumbling old Dutch quarter:

The dutch church not bad. Kinda missing few itineraries by skipping Semarang & Solo....haizzz..

Wah that bakery lagi antik..

@stimix,
thanks for the detailed itinerary with pics~ appreciated it~

btw, u guys seems to bought souvenirs made from volcanic rock~
any idea how can i know its make from volcanic rock?

This post has been edited by littleprawn: Mar 24 2011, 10:01 PM

came back from yogyakarta on monday... weather not good. everyday rain from around 1pm till late evening.

ha! been there done that.

any suggestions on hotels there? I'm going in mid may. I have no idea of the lodging and itenary yet.

stimix.. u really overpay for the transportation.. the transport cost should also covers for all illegal tolls..

however, nice pics that u upload here.. anything special on the dieng plateu and paranghitis beach? i skip these place during my previous trip to jogja..

Nice trip reports everyone :-)
I'm going to Yogjakarta this coming November. Doing a solo trip this time. Any futher input is highly appreciated. Regards,