Waterfalls in Bali: Where to Go and How Hard Each Is to Reach

The easiest waterfalls in Bali are Kanto Lampo, Tibumana and Gitgit, each a walk of roughly 5 to 20 minutes from the car park. The hardest are Sekumpul, which adds a long walk, steps and a river crossing, and Nungnung, which is about 500 steps each way. Bali has dozens of waterfalls across four regions (the Ubud area, the north, the east and central highlands, and Nusa Penida), and ones that look alike in photos differ a lot in effort. This guide sorts them by how hard each is to reach instead of ranking them. Fees and trail details are as of October 2026 and come from several travel guides that often disagree, so every number below is a range to confirm at the gate.

Which Waterfall in Bali Suits Your Trip

• One morning from Ubud. Tegenungan, Kanto Lampo and Tibumana make an easy loop, all within about 30 to 40 minutes of town.
• Short, easy walks. Kanto Lampo, Tibumana and Gitgit. Each is about 5 to 20 minutes on a short trail or concrete path.
• A swim. Banyumala Twin Waterfall has a deep plunge pool, and the shallow pools at Kanto Lampo and Tibumana suit a dip. Currents are strong directly under some falls, so read the safety section first.
• A proper hike. Sekumpul in the north is the big effort: a long walk, steps and a stream crossing. Nungnung is the steepest staircase.
• Photos. Tukad Cepung, a slot canyon where sunny days are reported to bring beams of light. Tegenungan and Tibumana reward an early start.
• A wet-season trip. Choose falls with paved or short approaches and skip canyon falls and river crossings after rain.

How Hard Each Bali Waterfall Is to Reach

The effort label is our summary of what several guides report, not an official grade. Walk times are one way from the car park, and the climb back is usually the harder half. Fees are listed as ranges because guides quote different amounts (as of October 2026), and the north charges more for guides and activities.

Waterfalls Near Ubud: Tegenungan, Kanto Lampo and Tibumana

These three are the reason Ubud works as a waterfall base. They sit in Gianyar and Bangli regencies, roughly 30 to 60 minutes from the centre depending on traffic, and the walks are short enough that a full loop fits before lunch. The rest of the Ubud sights are covered separately.

Tegenungan Waterfall

Sukawati, Gianyar, 20 to 30 min south of Ubud  ·  IDR 15,000 to 30,000 (~USD 1 to 2)

The closest big waterfall to Ubud, with a wide drop into a pool. Guides describe the approach differently, from a two-minute walk to a viewpoint to a steep descent of concrete steps taking 10 to 20 minutes, and they agree on the same thing: the climb back up in humidity is the effort. Tour buses arrive by mid-morning, and one guide advises being there by 7am. The base has a strong current, so most guides suggest looking rather than swimming right under the fall.

Kanto Lampo Waterfall

Beng, Gianyar, about 40 min east of Ubud  ·  IDR 10,000 to 25,000 (~USD 0.60 to 1.50)

A sheet of water sliding down layered volcanic rock, reached by a short walk and a few stone steps. The pool is shallow near the edge and you can wade to stand under the flow. Photographers queue for the same rock, so expect waits by mid-morning. The rocks are slippery and the fall is lower than Tegenungan, which makes it one of the more manageable stops with children.

Tibumana Waterfall

Apuan, Bangli, 30 to 40 min from Ubud  ·  IDR 10,000 to 30,000 (~USD 0.60 to 1.85)

The path runs through palms and over bamboo bridges for about 5 to 15 minutes, and the fall drops into a swimmable pool. One guide notes a strong current directly under the water, so stay at the edge of the pool. Tibumana is reported to be quieter on weekdays and in the first hour after opening.

Two quieter Gianyar falls, Goa Rang Reng (a slippery slope down to a cluster of cascades) and Suwat (an easy bamboo-forest path to a pool), appear in several guides for people who want fewer tour groups. A practical order is Tegenungan first, then Kanto Lampo, then Tibumana on the way back, which is how the Ubud loop works on a driver day.

North Bali Waterfalls: Sekumpul, Banyumala, Munduk and Gitgit

The north holds the biggest falls and the longest drives. Allow about 2 to 2.5 hours from Ubud to Sekumpul, a little less to the highland falls around Lake Buyan and Munduk, and plan the north as its own day rather than adding it to an Ubud loop. The highlands are cooler and wetter than the south even in the dry season, as the month-by-month weather guide explains, so bring a layer.

Sekumpul Waterfall

Sawan, Buleleng, north Bali  ·  Entry IDR 20,000 (~USD 1.20) plus guide IDR 125,000 to 200,000 (~USD 8 to 12)

Several streams drop through a jungle gorge, and reaching them is the effort. Expect a walk from the car park of about 15 to 40 minutes depending on the source, then steep, slippery stone steps and a stream crossing. Reports say a local guide is effectively required beyond the first viewpoint, which is why the fee is quoted as entry plus guide. Allow roughly 2 to 4 hours in total, wear shoes with grip, and go early for light. A neighbouring waterfall, Fiji, is often paired with it.

Banyumala Twin Waterfall

Wanagiri, Buleleng, near Lake Buyan  ·  IDR 15,000 to 50,000 (~USD 1 to 3)

Two streams fall into one deep pool, and swimming is possible in the calm water away from the cascades. The path is about 15 to 20 minutes down a steep, sandy slope with small stream crossings and slippery steps. The last stretch of road is rough, and one guide says scooters are only for confident riders, so a driver is simpler. The walk back up is the hard part.

Munduk Waterfall

Munduk, Buleleng highlands  ·  IDR 20,000 to 45,000 (~USD 1.20 to 2.75)

A 15 to 30 minute walk on a winding forest path in coffee and clove country. There is no swimming spot, so this is a viewing stop that pairs with Banyumala and the Lake Tamblingan area. Pretty when the sun does not hit the fall directly.

Gitgit Waterfall

Sukasada, Buleleng, on the road toward the north coast  ·  IDR 10,000 to 45,000 (~USD 0.60 to 2.75)

One of the gentlest north Bali walks, about 15 to 20 minutes on a mostly paved path. Guides disagree about swimming, so treat it as a look at a well-shaped fall, not a swim.

Aling-Aling, also in Sukasada, is the adventure option: a viewing fee is small, while guided cliff jumps and a natural slide start from about IDR 125,000 (~USD 8) per person according to several guides, with the guide required for the jumps. It involves many steps and rice-field paths, so it sits at the hard end of moderate.

East and Central Bali Waterfalls: Tukad Cepung, Nungnung and Leke Leke

These sit between Ubud and the highlands, and each has a trap for the unprepared: a canyon, a long staircase or a steep dirt trail.

Tukad Cepung Waterfall

Tembuku, Bangli, about an hour east of Ubud  ·  IDR 10,000 to 30,000 (~USD 0.60 to 1.85)

A fall inside a narrow cave-like canyon, reached by stairs and a stretch of knee-high stream wading, about 15 to 20 minutes in. On sunny days, beams of light reach the water, which is why it fills with photographers. Wear shoes that can get wet. Because it is a canyon with water underfoot, two guides advise skipping it during or just after heavy rain.

Nungnung Waterfall

Pelaga, Badung, about an hour from Ubud  ·  IDR 10,000 to 20,000 (~USD 0.60 to 1.20)

A powerful fall in the highlands with heavy mist. Guides count about 500 steps down, taking 15 to 20 minutes, and the return is a slow climb. Swimming is not recommended in the spray and flow. This is the one for people who want the steps rather than a stroll, and an early start avoids both the heat and the crowds.

Leke Leke Waterfall

Mekarsari, Tabanan, near Bedugul  ·  IDR 20,000 to 50,000 (~USD 1.20 to 3)

A walk of about 15 minutes through rice fields and vegetation, ending with a steep dirt descent and a bamboo bridge. The pool is small. Fewer visitors than at the Ubud trio, but the track is slippery after rain.

Waterfalls on Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida has one waterfall that visitors actually plan around, and it is a pilgrimage route rather than a swim stop: Peguyangan, at the foot of the blue staircase, about 20 to 30 minutes down with some stretches without railings. Treat it as part of the island day, not a standalone waterfall trip. The walk, the spring and how to fit it into a west or east tour are covered in the Nusa Penida sights and tour planning guide. Some waterfalls and springs in Bali are places of worship, so follow the signs at the site.

Bali Waterfalls Month by Month

Waterfalls in Bali run fullest in the wet season, and the trade is slippery trails and stronger currents. Sources place the dry season anywhere from April to May through October, so treat the edges of each band as soft.

Time of day matters in any month. Guides repeatedly name the first hour or two after opening as the quiet window, and say the Ubud trio is crowded by mid-morning. The highland falls near Bedugul and Munduk are the ones most likely to be wet in any season.

Swimming and Safety at Bali Waterfalls

This is trail information from published guides, not medical or safety certification, and conditions change daily. Follow staff and posted signs over anything written here.

• Slippery rock and steps. Nearly every guide flags wet stone, so wear shoes with grip. Flip-flops are the common mistake.
• Currents under the fall. Strong flow right at the base is reported at Tegenungan and Tibumana. Stay at the edge of the pool and keep clear of cliff and fall edges.
• Flash floods and canyons. Water levels can rise quickly after heavy rain at canyon falls such as Tukad Cepung and at any fall with a river crossing. If it rained overnight or is raining upstream, choose a different fall.
• Guides. Sekumpul needs a local guide for most routes beyond the viewpoint, and Aling-Aling jumps and slide are guided. Bali’s visitor guidelines also tell tourists to use licensed guides at natural sites.
• Cash and phones. Entry fees are small notes paid at a ticket booth, and mobile signal can be weak in the gorges.

Getting to Waterfalls in Bali and Combining Them Into a Day

A car with a driver is the simplest way to link several falls. A full day typically costs IDR 600,000 to 1,100,000 (~USD 37 to 68), which the Bali budget guide prices for sharing among two to four people, and the guide to getting around Bali compares it with ride apps and shuttles. A scooter is workable for the short Ubud loop if you already ride, see the rules and rental checks first, but guides advise against it for the long north routes and in rain. Two or three falls per day is a realistic pace.

• Ubud loop (half day). Tegenungan, then Kanto Lampo, then Tibumana, finishing around 11am.
• East and central day. Tibumana and Tukad Cepung are both in Bangli, so they pair well, with Nungnung added if you want the stairs.
• North highlands day. Banyumala and Munduk together, with Gitgit on the road to or from the north coast.
• Sekumpul day. A long drive and a long walk, so keep the rest of the day light. Do not pair it with Mount Batur, which needs a 2am start; see the Batur sunrise trek guide if you want a volcano day on another morning.

For what to wear and carry, the Bali packing list covers grip, ponchos and a dry bag. If you are fitting waterfalls into a first trip, the 7-day first-timer itinerary shows where the Ubud days sit, and the etiquette guide covers sarongs and conduct at temples you pass on the way.

Where to Stay for Bali Waterfalls

Ubud is the easiest base: the Tegenungan, Kanto Lampo and Tibumana loop is 20 to 40 minutes away, and the east and central falls are about an hour. The north waterfalls are 2 to 2.5 hours from Ubud, so some visitors sleep in the highlands around Munduk to cut the drive. See where to stay in Ubud for areas, or hotels across Bali by area.

Getting to Bali

All international flights land at Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Denpasar, about 1.5 to 2 hours from Ubud. For airlines and fares, see flights to Bali, and for the landing process, the Bali airport arrivals guide.

More to Do Around Bali Waterfalls

Waterfalls pair well with rice terraces, temples and cycling in the Ubud area. For the wider list, see things to do in Bali, and for the island overview, the Bali destination guide.