If there is one thing true about the magical island of Bali, it’s that it continues to surprise us. Now, we all knew that there must have been plenty of waterfalls hiding within it’s tropical jungles and rain forests. Little did we know though, exactly how many there actually were, and when it comes to Bali Waterfalls, we just can’t get enough!
With that in mind we have decided to put together a short list of some of the waterfalls we have stumbled across in recent times. And when we say stumbled, we literally mean it. Most of these Bali Waterfalls are within easy reach of Ubud, Seminyak or Sanur, and we found each of them whilst searching for other waterfalls we knew were in the area. On each occasion we stopped to check them out, not having any idea what lay ahead.
But isn’t that what exploring is all about?
So sit back and have a read as we present to you 7 Bali Waterfalls you (probably) didn’t know existed.
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Table of Contents
- Bandung Waterfall
- Goa Raja Waterfall
- Tukad Krisik Waterfall
- Sumampan Waterfall
- Uma Anyar Waterfall
- Pengempu Waterfall
- Campuhan Antapan Waterfall
Wondering how to get around in Bali?
My suggestion is by Scooter. You can get anywhere on the island on a scooter, and you can easily hire one at this link. If you have an international driver’s permit, then you are set to go! Your other option is to hire a car and a driver. You can get one right here, and organize your day out in air-conditioned comfort! Either way, you will enjoy your day and get to see a bit of this wonderful island. As always, make sure that you have your Travel Insurance up to date as well.
Bandung Waterfall
Bandung Waterfall can be located just to the north of the township of Gianyar, and you will pass the signs on the way to the well known Suwat Waterfall further up the road. This is exactly how we found it, and it was worth the quick stop to have a look.
The entrance fee to Bandung Waterfall is just a donation of 10k Rupe, which for most of the lesser known waterfalls in the area is usual. From the entrance gate you can actually hear the Falls, and the walk in takes only about 5 minutes.
These falls appear man made, as the top of the Falls see water flowing down a long and wide concrete ramp before they hit the tops of Falls themselves. It is then that they cascade down a relatively low (for Bali) drop over a series of rocks and flow out through a small canyon. What makes Bandung Waterfall different though, is the multiple viewpoints on offer. Several bamboo bridges have been constructed to move visitors between viewpoints, and recently construction has also begun on concrete platforms at the most popular photo locations.
View the Falls through a small gap in the canyon aptly named “Vagina Falls”, or from the very top looking directly down upon them from above. For a different perspective though, have a quick search around the rocks directly in front of the Falls and you will find a narrow path down into the rock with carved out stairs. Follow this and you will find yourself within the canyon and standing right in front of them soaking up the full spray as it hits the rocks at your feet.
Goa Raja Waterfall
Goa Raja Waterfall can be located not too far from the popular Tukad Cepung Waterfall. And yes, as you may have guessed, we found this particular place whilst heading back from there!
To get to Goa Raja, follow the signs down a short road a couple of hundred meters to a small temple where you can park your car or scooter. The road isn’t very wide though, so if you pass another car coming the other way you better be prepared with great reversing skills!
The entrance to the Falls has a simple donation box, and the track will lead you down into a gorge to a small temple. From there the track continues behind the temple and along the floor of the gorge where it follows a small stream to the base of the waterfall. The walk is a pleasant one, crossing over a couple of small bamboo bridges as it winds it’s way down a very green and lush track.
Once you reach Goa Raja Waterfall you will be pleasantly surprised. The waterfall itself is rather high and hidden in a corner of the canyon where you will not see it until you round the corner. There is a cave behind it and a small temple also nestled into another corner of the canyon. Catch this waterfall at the right time of the day and we are sure you will get some great shots.
This particular inclusion on our list of Bali Waterfalls doesn’t have the volume of water of some of the others, but we WERE there during dry season. The big draw card, however, is just outside the corner of the canyon where the waterfall is contained. Here, you will find two smaller waterfalls that form a couple of great natural swimming pools. Neither of them are very deep, but brilliant for relaxing and cooling off, and perfect for the kids if you have them along with you.
Tukad Krisik Waterfall
The next on our list of hidden Bali waterfalls is Tukad Krisik Waterfall. This is another one that we found on the way to Tukad Cepung Waterfall. If you are heading up from Ubud you will most likely drive straight past this one, and can’t miss the signs. We saw the signs and came directly back to check it out later that same morning.
Also, you may see two different signs. One will read Krisik Waterfall and the other Air Tujun Tankup. We thought we would be going to two different locations to see these, but as it turns out they can be reached from each other. So just park at Tukad Krisik Waterfall and the entrance fee of 20k rupe will get you into both.
Some of our favorite Bali Waterfalls have been the ones that can be found hidden in canyons. We adventured through Hidden Canyon for that reason, and Tukad Cepung Waterfall was amazing. Goa Rang Reng had it’s own hidden canyon that we absolutely loved, and to our surprise Krisik Waterfall also threw up another surprise canyon for us!
Once you head off down the stairs into the jungle you will find a sign sitting IN THE MIDDLE of a stream beside the path. It points one way to Krisik Waterfall 1 and another to Krisik Waterfall 2 & 3. To say we were confused would be an understatement.
We decided to head to 2 & 3, and after a short walk the path crossed the stream and dived into a cave! Being the intrepid explorers we are, we glanced at each other, shrugged, and followed it. Within seconds we were walking through a canyon in ankle deep water (remember it was dry season) until we emerged eventually into another section of the gorge. There we found Krisik Waterfall 2. The path didn’t seem to go any further and for a few moments we were confused until we noticed a blue rope tied to the rocks on the right side of the waterfall. Kicking off our shoes we waded into the stream and followed it to a large pool that had been half out of sight from where we had been standing.
Krisik 3 waterfall appeared in front of us. In reality it is a part of Krisik 2, however it splits at the top and falls in a completely different motion, therefore seeming like a completely separate waterfall.
Backtracking now we headed back to the sign in the stream. Here we left the path once again and took a leap of faith, wading down the stream through yet another canyon hoping to find another hidden Bali waterfall. Before long it appeared before us through a narrow slot of the canyon. Once again, these falls don’t have the powerful water flow of many other popular Falls, but for these it’s the adventure of finding them that made it worthwhile!
Sumampan Waterfall
Sumampan Waterfall is only a fairly new waterfall that we found on Google Maps when heading to Tegenungan Waterfall. We had time in our day so thought we would check it out, and are so glad we did!
At the time of writing, this waterfall is still hardly even signposted. We rode past the entrance at least twice trying to find it. Eventually we did, parked our bike behind a little Warung and proceeded on foot. The path winds through some beautiful palms until it reaches the edge of the gorge containing the waterfall. We didn’t realize at the time but we could have ridden our scooter all the way to the edge and parked if we liked.
Follow the path down into the gorge. Beware that it is overgrown a bit,with the end of the path going down a very narrow and steep staircase attached to the side of an old rock quarry. Children may struggle with this one, so be careful.
At the bottom you will find the glorious Sumampan Waterfall. It is a very powerful waterfall that shoots from a great height, seemingly coming out of the shadows of the jungle canopy in a single jet until it smashes into the rocks below. This is one of our favorite Bali Waterfalls, and it surprised us to find out that it is only a new waterfall. Sumampan was created by accident from the run off of all the rice paddies in the area!
Tip – Take a close look at the rocks surrounding the waterfall. They have been carved with the faces of Bali Gods by a local artist, and make fascinating options for your photos.
Uma Anyar Waterfall
Of all of our hidden Bali waterfalls that we have on this list, and others that will make future lists, Uma Anyar Waterfall is by far our favorite. Just down the road from Tegenungan Waterfall, we actually found it when searching for Sumampan.
These Falls only opened to the public in August 2020. We were among the first dozen visitors, and most of those ahead of us were media that had been invited for the grand opening. During Covid-19 the local villagers put their lock down time to good use and cleared the land, built stairs using stone from the local quarry, and revealed a real hidden gem.
Uma Anyar Waterfall is a multi level waterfall that is one of the most photogenic we have come across. Pose for photos sitting in the stream above the second level, or swim in the small pool there. You can even climb onto the first level and enjoy the rush of the Falls and the feeling of being so close to nature. If you like, there is even a swing on the other side of the falls and a small picnic area.
Uma Anyar is one waterfall you do NOT want to miss, and one that we will be bringing family and friends to for years to impress them.
Pengempu Waterfall
Pengempu Waterfall is a mysterious one for us. We found it on Google Maps whilst on the way home from Leke Leke Waterfall, and from the outset it began confusing us.
First of all we couldn’t find it, even though it is such an easy one to locate. Probably because we were talking and kept riding past it, and also because the entrance is in a small valley where the road dips and the jungle becomes thick and dark on either side.
The path into Pengempu Waterfall is a solid concrete path with good established stairs and even a handrail. There is only a donation box at the entrance, but even so it appeared to us that this waterfall gets quite a few visitors. The pathway winds down, deeper into the trees, and we found that the jungle here was thicker and denser than most that we had seen elsewhere on the island. This in itself seemed strange to us as we were not exactly in the middle of nowhere, and we knew the village was very close by.
The waterfall, when it appears, is across a small stream and is nothing much to look at. It is just a couple of small steams of water falling down a cliff. If you are into mysterious locations, however, check it out. One side of the waterfall appeared to be crying water as it seeped out of the very rock, and there is a lot of offerings around the base of the waterfall. Something that we havn’t really seen at others.
Maybe it was just us, but we both got cold shivers, took photos and left quickly!
One last note. If you are looking for Pengempu Waterfall on Google Maps you will find it. However as you zoom in it will change name to Cau Blayu Waterfall. We have no idea why, (even though locals have so many different names for waterfalls in Bali) but we think it just adds to the mysteriousness.
Campuhan Antapan Waterfall
Last but certainly not least on our list of hidden Bali waterfalls, is Campuhan Antapan Waterfall. This is not a big waterfall, and isn’t even spectacular, however every time we talk about it our eyes light up. We even follow it on Instagram!
This waterfall can be found just up the road from Leke Leke Waterfall. It’s only an extra few minutes ride or drive and worth stopping in to look at it. The land that the waterfall is located on is private, and owned by the man who runs the small Warung near the entrance where you will pay your fees. He retired only recently and bought the land that had the waterfall on it.
Campuhan Antapan Waterfall is fed by a natural spring at the top of the falls. The water flows down the rock in three seperate streams feeding into a pool at the base. You can swim in the pool and it is seperated from the adjoining stream by a rock wall. The stream itself is also beautiful and clear, and in our opinion only adds to the beauty of the location.
One more bonus for this little gem is that it is right near the road. The walk in is literally 100m!
So that’s it for this list. 7 Bali Waterfalls that we have just stumbled upon in our travels. We hope you find some of them and enjoy them as much as we did!
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