Er I think you got your temples kelam kabut liao. Plaosan is near Prambanan, not Borobudur. To see the lava flows on Merapi I think got a few places, I didn't succeed in getting to any of them so no comments. When I was there, it rained a lot, so didn't even get a glimpse of Merapi itself. I suppose this itinerary is doable, but you are certainly missing out on what in my opinion are the best temples there, Sukuh and Cetho. But given your limited time, you do have to pick and choose. Go back another time to see Sukuh and Cetho.

Actually, if you have to choose between Dieng and Sukuh and Cetho, I will pick Sukuh and Cetho. The temples at Dieng are nothing special, beyond the fact that they are the oldest in Java. But Sukuh and Cetho are really interesting, and each is different. And the scenery is better than Dieng. Dieng hor, you really need to spend some time there to appreciate the place.

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Added on March 6, 2011, 9:17 pmTravel tip Nr 4: If you plan to rent a bike in Solo to go to Candi Sukuh and Candi Cetho, you can try the young lad at Hotel Keprabon, Jalan Ahmad Dahlan. They're just a few doors away from Istana Griya 1. Istana Griya wanted Rp100,000 but the young lad wanted just Rp60,000.

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Added on March 7, 2011, 9:28 amThis is the famous nasi gudeg - seems to be available all over Java Tengah.

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Added on March 7, 2011, 9:31 am

This post has been edited by PangurBan: Mar 7 2011, 09:31 AM

Most expensive ever lumpia, served on Universal Studio plate

RM3.50 for one serving, with side serving of pickle, chili padi, lettuce, spring onion, minced garlic and relish.

Famous hole-in-the-wall shop on Gang Lombok, Semarang.


Tapau very stylish some more.


Seems like a very popular stall. People tapau basket after basket.

This post has been edited by PangurBan: Mar 7 2011, 04:34 PM

A HEALTH WARNING for those of you who are planning to go to Yogya-Solo-Dieng.

I think I got giardiasis from my trip there. I've got it once before a long time ago. The thing is doctors here are not familiar with the condition because usually people get it overseas and bring the thing back with them. Believe me, it's nasty.

If you want to be really kiasu, eat only thoroughly cooked food (that means no gado-gado liao, unless you're in a really clean and probably expensive place, no es jeruk, es bua and es this es that) and drink only bottled water or water that's been boiled thoroughly (tea, coffee, etc). You might consider also brushing your teeth using only bottled water.

I was very indiscriminate and ate everything I fancied including all the forbidden stuff above.

Travel Tip Nr 5: If you're trying to get on a bus to go somewhere and people try and persuade you to take a taxi to another terminal because the bus you want to take has been cancelled. Don't believe them, ask other people; the stallholders around, or better still, someone official.

Aiyo, really peifu you all. I go Borobodur liao, then cannot see any more temples liao. Headache liao. Get temple constipation. Mendut ohso I didn't go in. Just wait outside then let my friend go in snap snap.

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

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

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

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

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:

ha! been there done that.

Telaga warna no need guide wan. There is a trail what goes round both lakes and the best viewing point is from near the dieng theatre. In fact, you can probably avoid paying the entrance fee to telaga warna by taking up the trail from the back of the theatre. Some stone steps going down, then you can already get a good view of the lake.

Got public bus from the airpok direct to Borobudur? Or gotto change at the terminal in Yogya?

Has anyone stayed at the Manohara? How izzit ah?

Thanks for the detailed reply. Tempting as a relaxed stay at the Manohara is, we've now decided to spend the night in Yogya and rent a bike to get us to Borobodur. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the countryside around Borobudur as well as the ride from Yogya itself the last time I was there, and decided it's best to do that again. We also plan to take the bike all the way to Gedung Songo (on another day of course).

You should be aware that at this time of the year, the Ramayana dance performance takes place indoors at an auditorium in the Prambanan grounds rather than outdoors with the temple as the backdrop.

I find Day 2 too much of a rush. Dieng is not very far from Yogya, but the traffic and road conditions will mean that you won't get there very quickly.

Cancel the trip to Solo unless you plan to see the Sukuh and Cetho temples as well.

Also, if you were to visit the Kraton on a Sunday instead of a Saturday, you will get to see a dance performance in the morning in the palace grounds (started at 11 when I visited a couple of weeks ago). On Saturday they might have some other performance like gamelan or silat, or nothing at all.

This post has been edited by PangurBan: Mar 12 2013, 11:12 PM

I've been to Prambanan twice. The second time round i found myself in the Plaosan temples by mistake, otherwise, I've only spent a couple of hours at the main complex. You do really need a few hours if you want to look around at all the outlying temples. I recommend would recommend at least seeing the Plaosan Group in addition to the main temple complex.

I've not tried using our CIMB ATM card in Indonesia, but I take it you are aware of the fact that you need to go to a local ATM to activate the card for overseas use first? There are two CIMB ATM's conveniently located at Malioboro. One of them is outside Hotel Ibis/Malioboro Mall, the other one is located just a few hundred metres down the road opposite Hotel Mutiara. But I don't see the point of the ATM's anyway, since the shopping at Malioboro is quite dire.

To appreciate Dieng properly, you really need to spend the night there. However, accommodation there is limited and not very comfortable. One spectacular thing to do there if you were to spend the night is to get out early in the morning, and trek out to a look-out point at the edge of the plateau where you get glorious views of the early morning sun rising to the east over the Central Java plains and the massive hulk of Sumbing Volcano rising right in front of you. If you do not plan to go to see candi Sukuh and candi Cetho east of Solo, you might consider going to Gedung Songo near Ambarawa after you're done with Borobudur. You get great views there and there are nine little candi for you to have a nice wander around on the hillside. There is also a hotspring where you can have a soak, and vents spewing out sulphurous steam. From there, you can drive to Wonosobo and spend the night there or go straight to Dieng. Accommodation in Wonosobo is more comfortable and if you start off early, you would still be able to get up onto the plateau to catch the early morning sun and the glorious views, before going round to look at fumaroles, craters, multi-coloured lakes, etc. And remember, if you do spend the night up on Dieng, it gets friggin' cold at night.

This post has been edited by PangurBan: Mar 13 2013, 03:45 PM

I did it the other way round. Borobudur first, then Prambanan. (Then a detour to the temples at Dieng). Then Sukuh, then Cetho.

Got better and better.

Cetho and Sukuh were the best temples for me partly because of the location, and partly because you'd have the place practically to yourself. Prambanan and Borobodur are always swarming with tourists and souvenir vendors, and this completely ruins everything. Sukuh has all the dirty pictures and a spectacular location up a mountain. Cetho is visually more stunning than Sukuh and the location, higher up the volcano, is breathtaking.

This post has been edited by PangurBan: Mar 15 2013, 09:25 PM

I stayed at Whiz Hotel on Jalan Dagen, just off Malioboro. Very conveniently located close to a bus stop for the airport bus, and just across the road from Malioboro Mall. Their tariff includes breakfast - you can even have Nasi Kucing.