Dieng's Embun Upas Frost Expected to Boost DCF 2026
- 09 Jul 2026 20:40 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- The Banjarnegara Tourism and Culture Agency predicts the embun upas frost-like phenomenon may continue until the Dieng Culture Festival (DCF) 2026, scheduled for August 28–30, 2026.
- Embun upas is a natural ice crystal formation that appears on grass and plants during the dry season when pre-dawn temperatures drop below freezing.
RRI.CO.ID, Banjarnegara - The Banjarnegara Tourism and Culture Agency in Central Java predicts the embun upas phenomenon may continue through the Dieng Culture Festival (DCF) scheduled for late August 2026. Officials hope the frost-like event will provide an extra draw that boosts visitor numbers beyond previous years’ targets.
Banjarnegara Tourism and Culture Agency, Tursiman, said embun upas is a natural occurrence at the Arjuna Temple Complex in Dieng during the dry season. The phenomenon typically appears from July to August, when pre-dawn temperatures can drop below freezing.
“This is a natural event. We want the public to know about it and encourage visitors to come and enjoy the atmosphere,” he said in Banjarnegara on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
In past seasons, temperatures in the area have generally fallen to around minus 1 to minus 2 degrees Celsius, and under certain conditions have dropped even lower. He said embun upas is a signature seasonal attraction that tourists look forward to, especially because it coincides with school holidays.
As reported by Antara, the agency continues to promote the phenomenon to draw more visitors to Dieng while monitoring weather conditions and protecting the landscape.
Head of Institutional Affairs, Human Resources and Marketing at the Tourism Agency, Eko Sri Wurjani Juniasih, said embun upas appearing during school breaks has positively affected visitor numbers to the Dieng Plateau.
“Thank God, it coincides with school holidays. Visits have risen significantly due to the embun upas. Many tourists are attracted because this rare natural event draws families and groups to Dieng,” she said.
During this year’s dry season, embun upas has been observed about six to seven times. The phenomenon first appeared in early June when temperatures reached about minus 2 degrees Celsius and recurred several times in early July.
At one point, temperatures were recorded as low as minus 6 degrees Celsius by the Dieng Regional Technical Implementation Unit.
She said embun upas has acted as a tourism magnet that helped raise visits to Dieng. “Ticket sales data show visitor numbers to Dieng in 2026 have trended upward, which are January 69,225; February 32,982; March 87,031; April 68,799; May 89,793; and June 131,970. From July 1–9, 2026, visitor numbers already reached 67,421,” she said.
Officials hope the cold conditions that produce embun upas will persist through the Dieng Culture Festival (DCF) 2026, set for August 28–30, 2026. If the phenomenon occurs during the festival, it could serve as an additional attraction that further raises visitor numbers to the Dieng Plateau.
Known locally as embun es, embun upas is a thin crystalline layer of ice that forms on grass and plants when night and pre-dawn temperatures fall very low. The event is a recurring seasonal draw on the Dieng Plateau, appearing in most dry seasons. ***
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