Suwat, Taman Sari, Tibumana, Goa Rang Reng & Kanto Lampo
Bali, Indonesia is home to so many incredible natural sights including dozens of waterfalls of all sizes. The popular town of Ubud has many of these waterfalls clustered together, making the perfect day of waterfall touring available to you. We stayed overnight in the center of Ubud, rented a scooter and went to 3 waterfalls in one day. Within close distances, Suwat, Taman Sari, Tibumana, Goa Rang Reng and Kanto Lampo all range from 5 to 20 minutes away from one another; as shown below the perfect circular waterfall tour, beginning and ending in Ubud can be created. We decided to spend more time at each location, so we chose to only go to Suwat, Tibumana and Kanto Lampo, but all of these waterfalls could easily be visited in one day.
There is no shortage of scooter rentals throughout Ubud, all of which are affordable and easy to get. Simply walk up to a rental shop and tell them you'd like to rent a scooter for the day! We personally rented ours from a small shop we found while walking along Jl. Monkey Forest (a lively and popular street that leads to the monkey forest sanctuary). We paid 60,000 rupiah (around $4 USD) per 24 hours - you can try to negotiate the price a bit. If allowed, check which scooter has the most gas and choose that one. The owners of the scooters will sometimes rent one to you that is almost empty and your first stop will have to be a gas station. Pack a mini backpack full of water, snacks, a towel and change of clothes, and go have fun!! Make sure you bring cash with you - parking at these waterfalls is free but you are paying an entry fee once parked to get in.
Suwat Waterfall
Address: Jl. Pura Dalem No.Desa, Suwat, Kec. Gianyar, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80511, Indonesia
Suwat waterfall was our first stop of the day. The cost of this waterfall is 25,000 rupiah ($1.70 USD) per person. There is a very easy path through the jungle going down some steps and passing by beautiful greenery, coming to around a 6 minute walk to the waterfall. Along the way there are plenty of photographic signs, pictured below.
Throughout this area there are incredible engravings in the rocks that are covered in moss, giving the whole area an ancient-jungle vibe. Out of all the waterfalls we visited, this one was the least crowded and seemed to be the place that tourists spent the least amount of time at. We hung around for close to an hour, and watched many people come and go in that period of time.
Here, you are able to jump off of the large rock in front of the water! It is deep enough and there was a lifeguard/attendant who was very kind and offered to take photos of us. He also reassured us that it was indeed safe to jump - I was nervous despite there being a sign saying it is 7 meters deep. If you are feeling more adventurous, you can also swim right next to the waterfall, climb up on the rocks there and jump through the waterfall itself! The water feels amazing, just be careful not to accidentally swallow any since you can get really sick from the bacteria in the water. On the water there is an instagram-famous bamboo raft that you can use to take into the water and take pictures on. After swimming, taking pictures and jumping off the rocks you can grab some drinks and snacks at the little shop a few steps away, sitting at benches that overlook the water.
Tibumana Waterfall
Address: Jl. Setra Agung, Apuan, Kec. Susut, Kabupaten Bangli, Bali 80661, Indonesia
At a 20 minute drive from Suwat, our second stop of the day was Tibumana waterfall. If you'd like you can go to Taman Sari before heading to Tibumana, since it is along the way. The entry fee for Tibumana is 20,000 rupiah ($1.30 USD) per person. The walk to get down to this waterfall was my favorite - it was very quick at around 3-5 minutes and had some of my favorite plants growing including some variety of the philodendron (pictured below) and very large canna indica. You cross some bamboo bridges and pass by a smaller waterfall along the river before meeting Tibumana. Along the way there are stands selling fresh coconuts and snacks including fresh fruit.
This waterfall was not too crowded, ranking just behind Suwat. The pool beneath the waterfall is great for swimming - it's very easy to wade into the water and the current near the falling water isn't that strong, allowing you to get really close to it. There is a lot of room on the rocks to relax, and you can walk through the river to explore downstream.
Kanto Lampo Waterfall
Address: F89J+6W2, Jl. Kaliasem lingk.kelod kangin, Beng, Kec. Gianyar, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80513, Indonesia
15 minutes from Tibumana, the last stop along our waterfall tour was Kanto Lampo which cost 20,000 rupiah ($1.30 USD) per person. Before heading to Kanto Lampo you could stop at Goa Rang Reng along the way. Kanto Lampo waterfall was the most crowded; there were a lot of people and if you wanted photos in front of the falls you would have to wait for others ahead of you. Despite the crowds it is so worth it to go there, and it is super fun to go sit on the rocks and get splashed.
The waterfall is not the only attraction at this location - there are many swimming spots in the river and you pass a few natural pools on your way down the steps to the main waterfall. The water felt a lot warmer here than at the other waterfalls. If you've ever seen amazing pictures of people in front of this waterfall, they were more than likely professionally directed by balinese guides that stand by the falls and do photoshoots on your phone in exchange for some rupiah - they really, really direct you and show you how to pose and where! It is so much fun to watch them. Don't forget - naked photos are prohibited... sexy yes but not naked!! LOL!!
From Kanto Lampo it took around 25 minutes to get back to the center of Ubud. The total cost for admissions during the day was 65,000 rupiah ($4.30 USD) per person, and we only drove for around an hour and a half. It was such a beautiful day full of wonderful experiences, and I highly recommend including a tour of these waterfalls on your next trip to Ubud, Bali! Have fun!!