Sikidang Crater in the Dieng Region was crowded with tourists during the holiday period for the 81st Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia's Independence.

The Dieng Plateau tourist area was once again crowded with visitors during the long holiday for the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia. One of the most visited destinations is Sikidang Crater, located in Banjarnegara Regency, Central Java. This attraction offers visitors the experience of observing active volcanic activity and hot steam eruptions up close.

For many tourists, this long holiday became the perfect opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of Dieng while visiting the crater site.

Sonia, a visitor from Jepara Regency, intentionally travelled to Sikidang Crater out of curiosity to see the crater conditions in person.

"I just wanted to see the crater, I was really curious. The view is absolutely beautiful, there are plumes of steam that look just like clouds," she said.

This was Sonia's first ever visit to the site. She noted that Sikidang Crater was quite busy, but she was still able to fully enjoy the scenery at the location. Aside from the crater itself, the active hot steam geysers also provided a unique experience for visitors.

Swandita, a tourist from Purwokerto, expressed that she was very impressed observing the geothermal activity at Sikidang Crater. She visited as part of the UMP Media Hangout group, to spend the holiday with recreational activities.

"Wow, this is really amazing, we don't have anything like this back in Purwokerto. So we all came here together to refresh ourselves. You really don't get to see hot steam eruptions like this very often," she stated.

According to Swandita, Sikidang Crater also carries educational value which makes it a very suitable destination for family visits.

"This is also an educational tourism site, it is very informative for family holidays," she added.

Improved Access Comfort at Sikidang Crater

Upgrades made to the tourist area have also been noticed by returning visitors who had travelled here previously.

Nana, another visitor from Purwokerto, shared that access routes to Sikidang Crater are now far more comfortable compared to her first visit back around 2014.

"Back then the paths were just dirt and rocks. Now there are proper walkways, including the wooden Kahayangan Bridge, and it is much more comfortable. The paths are also wider now," she explained.

Daily Visitor Count to Dieng Can Reach 10,000 People

Eko Sri Wurjani Juniasih, Head of Institutional, Human Resources and Marketing Division at the Banjarnegara Regency Tourism and Culture Office, stated that spikes in visitor numbers to Dieng consistently occur during long holiday periods.

"Visitor numbers always rise during long weekends or school holidays. Most tourists that come to Dieng are travelling with their families," she said.

On regular weekdays, average daily visitor numbers remain below 5,000 people. However this figure can rise to 10,000 or more during weekends.

An upward trend in visitor numbers has also been recorded consistently from June through August.

"For the month of June, total visitor arrivals were recorded at approximately 50,000 to 60,000 people," she added.

The local government has deployed additional personnel to manage visitor crowding at various tourist sites, particularly across the Dieng Plateau area.

Officers that normally only work on standard weekdays will be reassigned to assist on weekends and throughout the long holiday period.

Safety aspects remain a top priority. Site managers have issued special guidance for elderly visitors and families travelling with toddlers to only use designated safer pathways.

"Right from the entrance gate, we will direct elderly visitors and those with small children to avoid certain paths that are not suitable for them," she concluded.