THE WATERFALLS OF BALI

Apart from its landscape of rice terracesbeachestemples, volcanoes, and lakes, the island of Bali is also famous for its variety of natural waterfalls. Most are relatively close to the road or the parking area, with access to motorbikes or cars. A walk through the vegetation is enough to get there and enjoy a bath and some amazing views.

It is worth mentioning that in many of them there is an entrance fee since roads have been built for easy access to everyone. Since the distances between them are quite long, you will need a motorbike or a car (with or without a driver) to get to them. We also want to make it clear that it is practically impossible to visit a lot of them in one day, so you will need several days and good planning of your itinerary.

You will probably have doubts about which one to visit, whether it is better to go to a more important waterfall or choose another one that is near other points of interest. Before making a decision and planning your trip around the island, we invite you to read all the details about each one of them and search them on the map (we provide you one at the end of this page). In the end you will have a better understanding and you will know which one is the most suitable to add to your itineraries.

Let us first give you some recommendations to be taken into account before including a waterfall in your route:

  • As you will walk on slippery ground, bring with you water shoes, a swimsuit, a towel, a bottle of water and dry clothes.
  • Be careful with electronic equipment as it is a waterfall. There is quite a lot of humidity, so be careful with mobile phones, cameras, etc.
  • Apart from the beauty of each waterfall, bear in mind the difficulty of access to each one. This may help you to choose one or the other.
  • Although all of them have something that makes them unique, you have to understand that you will not be able to visit them all, you can see 3/4 a day at most. You need more than one day to see the most famous ones.
  • If you can’t find the way you can always ask the local Air Terjun [name waterfall] dimana? which means Where is the [waterfall name] waterfall? In Indonesian air terjun means waterfall.

These are the most famous waterfalls in Bali.

SEKUMPUL

Sekumpul is one of the biggest waterfalls in Bali and is undoubtedly one of the best. It is located in the north of the island, one hour from Ubud or Lovina, and consists of 3 waterfalls that fall in the middle of the forest (in fact, its name means a group of waterfalls).

To get to Sekumpul it is better to go by motorbike because when you get near the waterfall the road for cars is cut off and you can only get there by motorbike. If you end up going by car, keep in mind that you will have to hire a motorbike with a driver to take you down to the waterfall, which is about 300 meters on foot. On the way, you will find several panoramic points to enjoy incredible views before reaching the lower part of the waterfall where you can take a bath in the water (it is quite cold).

Remember to wear suitable footwear as the last part of the route is quite slippery. The entrance fee is 20,000 IDR.

Sekumpul waterfall in the middle of the vegetation, Bali

TEGENUNGAN

Tegenungan is certainly one of the most famous and visited waterfalls, especially by those who stay in Ubud and its surroundings, as it is only 12 kilometers away from the center of Ubud. It has two entrances, the main one, where there is a quite large parking space, and the secondary one, at the top, next to the waterfall.

Apart from taking a bath in its cold waters, you can take very good pictures from the long walk down the steps or from the very base of the waterfall. It is important to mention that it is quite crowded compared to other waterfalls and you have to be very careful, especially if you are going to climb the rock that is halfway up the waterfall.

In the rainy season or after heavy rain the water flow increases, so we recommend that you respect the safety measures when visiting this waterfall. Safety first! The entrance fee is 15.000 IDR.

Aerial view of the Tegenungan waterfall, Bali

NUNGNUNG

Nungnung is known to be one of the best waterfalls in Bali. It is located in the mountains in the middle of the island, about 35 kilometers north of Ubud and 900 meters above sea level. It is approximately 70 meters high, is easy to access but once you reach the parking area, you have to descend about 420 steps to reach this spectacular waterfall. Maybe the problem is not going down as much as going up.

Make sure you carry enough water to stay hydrated and food in your backpack. After the parking area, there is no other place to buy water or food.

If you don’t want to meet too many people, we recommend you to go there early in the morning to enjoy this impressive landscape.

About 20 kilometers away you can find the Beratan Lake and its famous temple, Ulun Danu Bratan, so you might be interested in including them in the same route as the Nungnung waterfall. The entrance fee is 10.000 IDR + 5.000 IDR parking and 2.000 IDR for access to the bath in the area.

Man ready to bathe in Nungnung Waterfall, Bali

ALING ALING

The Aling Aling waterfalls are located in the north of Bali, very close to Singaraja, one of the most important locations on the island. In addition to activities such as hiking through rice fields and rivers, you can take a bath or jump from the top of the falls of these waterfalls, even jumping down a natural toboggan.

Although this all sounds very interesting, we recommend you visit these waterfalls with a local guide as they know this area very well and know exactly where it is safe to jump and where it is not. We reiterate the importance of safety for any activity you have in mind.

We insist on the importance of wearing proper footwear as, as with any waterfall, the paths can be slippery. The entrance fee is 10,000 IDR.

TIBUMANA

Tibumana is less well known than other waterfalls in Bali, but it is ideal if you are looking for a quiet bath without having to drive many kilometers on a motorbike or in a car. Although it is relatively close to Ubud (about 30 minutes by motorbike), few people go there.

After parking your motorbike in the free car park you have to go down a quite easy path for 10 minutes to reach the base of the waterfall. The entrance fee is 15.000 IDR.

Tibuman Waterfall in Bangli Regency, Bali

KANTO LAMPO

Kanto Lampo is one of the most accessible waterfalls due to its easy descent from the parking area, which, by the way, is free. Located only 11 kilometers from Ubud (about 15-20 minutes by motorbike or car) it is one of the few waterfalls where you will find changing rooms, bathrooms, and lockers.

You will most likely find local people helping and guiding tourists to reach the waterfall safely. It is not dangerous, but it is slippery, so it is better to wait for a local to help you. As there are many rocks at the bottom of the river leading to the waterfall, it is better to be prepared and wear water shoes.

Also, pay close attention and take care of your equipment (mobile phone, camera, etc) as you will have to walk along the river and you don’t want to have any surprises. The entrance fee is 30.000 IDR.

The Kanto Lampo waterfall in the middle of the vegetation, Bali

GITGIT

Apart from the GitGit waterfall itself, there are 5 other waterfalls that form the GitGit natural complex: Colek Pamor, Dam, Multitier, Mekalangan, Twin, connected by a trail. Located near Singaraja and about 15 minutes from Bedugul, it has fairly easy access via a wooden walkway. The last waterfall, the GitGit itself, is very famous, it is about 45 meters high (it is the highest in Bali) and falls into a kind of rocky pool.

In the surroundings, you will find many places that offer a guide. It is your decision if you want to hire one or not, but keep in mind that you don’t need a guide in the GitGit waterfall.

Since it is very close to the area of the lakes called Twin Lakes (Buyan and Tamblingan), you can include them in the same itinerary, as well as the Ulun Danu Bratan Temple. The entrance fee is 10.000 IDR + 3.000 IDR for the parking.

BANYUMALA

Banyumala is a waterfall located a bit north of the twin lakes Buyan and Tamblingan in the Bedugul area. It is famous for the natural pool in the middle of the small waterfalls and ideal for swimming and relaxing in nature. The entrance fee is 30,000 IDR.

TUKAD CEPUNG

The Tukad Cepung waterfall is known to be one of the best waterfalls in Bali, although it is not one of the most visited by tourists. Located in Bangli, it is a waterfall of easy access by motorbike or car, about 28 kilometers from Ubud. After descending the path that will take you through lush vegetation until you reach a kind of hidden cave that is accessed by water (you’ll have to get your feet wet). The views are impressive and very different from what you usually see in the other waterfalls on the island since in the end you will see a curtain of water through the rocks.

Be careful in the rainy season as the waterfall can easily flood. It is better to make sure before you go that access is safe to avoid any unnecessary problems. We recommend you to go in a different season than the rainy season. The price of the entrance is 10.000 IDR and the parking is 3.000 IDR.

Person inside the Tukad Cempung waterfall, Bali

MUNDUK

Munduk is one of the less-visited waterfalls due to its location, as it is about 62 kilometers away from Ubud. It is located in the district of Munduk, a few kilometers from the twin lakes (Buyan and Tamblingan), and is suitable for anyone because of its easy access.

To reach the base of the waterfall you have to go down for about 500 meters on a path that is well marked and surrounded by vegetation.

If you are staying in the north of the island, you can still include the Brahma Vihara Arama Buddhist monastery in your route to make the most of the trip. The entrance fee is 5,000 IDR.

JEMBONG

The Jembong waterfall is about 8 kilometers from GitGit and is a less known waterfall for tourists. To get there you have to walk through some cocoa trees, next to a river. It is not as high as the others, but it is very similar to Kanto Lampo, so it is worth visiting.

KUNING

Kuning is another of the less known waterfalls for tourists and is located about 20 kilometers from Ubud. It is located in the regency of Bangli and its name translates as yellow. As it is less known, you do not have to pay an entrance fee to visit it or to park your motorbike or car. If you are interested in seeing a waterfall and taking a bath practically alone, this may be your best option.

In the following map, you can see the location of the above-mentioned waterfalls. We hope we have helped you to decide which ones are suitable to add to your routes in Bali, according to your preferences and availability.

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