Sekumpul Waterfall Bali: Ultimate Guide
The Sekumpul Waterfall Bali is known as the best waterfall in Bali. I would absolutely agree with that statement. This group of waterfalls are a must-add to your Bali itinerary. There are actually 3 separate waterfalls here and I cover all of them in this article.
This area and waterfalls is easily in the top 10 locations I’ve ever been to in my life. I’ve prepared a complete guide that includes everything you need to know about visiting this amazing destination. After reading this post I guarantee you’ll be dreaming of this place!
Table of Contents
- Where is Sekumpul Waterfall
- Visiting from Ubud
- Visiting from Canggu / Kuta
- Visiting from Lovina
- How to Find the Sekumpul Waterfall
- Entrance Fee
- What To Expect
- Sekumpul Waterfall
- Hidden Waterfall
- Fiji Waterfall
- Nearby Sights & Tourist Spots
- Bali Packing List
- Tips & Suggestions
Where is Sekumpul Waterfall
The Sekumpul Waterfall (called Air Terjun Sekumpul Bali in Balinese) is located in the Northern region on the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia. This waterfall is hidden deep in the mountains in a town called Sekumpul. If you’re visiting to North Bali from South Bali this is an awesome place to take a pit stop. The Sekumpul Waterfall Bali is absolutely worth a journey on its own.
Sekumpul Waterfall Bali from Ubud
During my trip to Bali I departed from Ubud to visit the Sekumpul Waterfall. Similar to Canggu, the drive very scenic and you’ll be temped to stop for photos every 5-minutes. There are also a lot of tours available from Ubud but I would recommend you drive yourself or hire a private driver. If you hire a private driver they’ll even wait at the entrance until you’re done and drive you back.
Quickest Bus From Bali Airport to Ubud
Driving from Ubud takes 2-hours (42mi/67km) in each direction. If you’re driving from Ubud or South Bali there are a few other waterfalls and viewpoints to check out along the way to break up the drive. During my trip to the Sekumpul Waterfall Bali I stopped at the Banyu Wana Amertha Waterfalls, at the lake in Bedugul and at the NungNung Waterfall.
Best Hostels in Ubud
Best Waterfall in Ubud
Sekumpul Waterfall Bali from Canggu / Kuta
In the Canggu / Kuta area there are plenty of tours available to get to the Sekumpul Waterfalls Bali. If you’re into tours you can try to bundle a trip here with some other waterfalls and sites on the way – more on that later in this article.
It’s not necessary to take a tour to this amazing location, in fact I’d suggest against booking a waterfall tour and renting a motorbike. If you don’t have experience riding a motorbike then I suggest hiring a private driver to take you instead. This is because the roads in Bali are crazy and the drivers are even crazier.
Quickest Bus From Bali Airport to Canggu
Whichever option you choose, the drive will be an extremely scenic cruise through the Northern Bali mountains. You’ll have to pass over the central mountains and head back down towards the Northern coast. Driving from Canggu is 2h6min (46mi/74km) and from Kuta it’s 2h33min (50mi/81km).
This is a solid trek if you’re driving a motorbike so I’d suggest to stay in Sekumpul overnight. This way you can take your time and stop at all the amazing spots on the way.
Best Hostels in Canggu
Best Hostels in Kuta
Sekumpul Waterfall Bali from Lovina
Lovina is the closest tourist area to the Sekumpul Waterfalls Bali. If you’re traveling between South Bali and Lovina then I would highly recommending taking some extra time to visit Sekumpul, as it will likely be better than anything Lovina has to offer! It’s not too out of the wat either, and the detour is quite scenic.
From Lovina you can rent a motorbike and visit the Air Terjun Sekumpul on a day trip. There are also a few tours available and private drivers who are happy to help. Lovina isn’t as busy as Ubud or Canggu but You shouldn’t have a difficult time finding means of transport to visit the waterfall.
Quickest Bus From Ubud to Lovina
To get from Lovina to the Sekumpul Waterfall Bali it’s a 56-minute (16mi/27km) drive along the coast and then up through the mountains. The roads aren’t as aggressive when accessing Sekumpul from Lovina in comparison to the South of Bali. This is because the crazy, windy hills are further South. As you get closer to the waterfall it gets a little bit crazier but it’s not too wild.
Best Hostels in Lovina
Sekumpul Waterfall Bali from Bedugul
While I wouldn’t necessarily call Bedugul a major tourist area in Bali, it’s definitely the closest major town to Sekumpul. From Bedugul it’s a 47-minute (14mi/22km) drive. Head North on the main highway and then after the mountain pass you’ll make a right. I am not aware of any motorbike rentals in Bedugul so you may need to hire a private driver to bring you to the Sekumpul Waterfalls Bali.
Best Hostel in Bedugul
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How to Get to Sekumpul Waterfall
Getting to the Sekumpul Waterfall Bali in trickier than it may seem. Once in the town of Sekumpul you’ll see that on Google maps there are many different places claiming to be the Sekumpul Waterfall, even showing a picture of it. The correct way to find the trailhead is to locate the hotel called Sekumpul BNB and head down the road directly next to it, it is to the West of the hotel.
From this point it’s a 0.3-mile / 500-meter drive until the parking area. It looks like you can keep driving but the road gets pretty gnarly and is not recommended just to save you an extra 5-minutes of walking. If you’re still lost you can go to the Sekumpul BNB listed above and ask for assistance. They are the owners of the property that Air Terjun Sekumpul is situated on.
The map below outlines exactly where this waterfall is located. The trailhead & parking are directly to the North.
Sekumpul Waterfall Entrance Fee
As with many waterfalls in Bali, you’ll be required to pay a small entrance fee of IDR 20k ($1USD) per person. This waterfall is on private property and is open from 8am to 5pm daily. When I visited this waterfall I spent the night at the Sekumpul BNB and as aforementioned in this article they own the property.
I spent a lot of time chatting with the owner and agreed to hire his as a guide to take me around the falls. A guide is not necessary at all but he was very passionate and informative. He told me all of the history of the waterfall and surrounding area and it made my experience significantly better. I’m not one to hire guides but int his case I’d highly recommend it.
Because he owned the place, we were able to set out on this waterfall hike earlier than the opening hours at 6am and I was the only person at this waterfall for over 2 hours. That alone was worth the IDR 125k / $8USD fee I paid for the guide, this included my entrance as well.
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What to Expect at the Sekumpul Waterfall Bali
All in all, it expect to spend a few hours doing the Sekumpul Waterfall hike. If you’re in a rush it can be done quickly but you’ll want some time to enjoy it. I could’ve easily spent all day there. Below I’ve listed the viewpoints & waterfalls that you’ll come across.
Sekumpul Waterfalls Viewpoint
After paying your entrance fee it’s an easy 10-minute walk to the first viewpoint at the top of the mountain. From here you can see the beautiful Sekumpul Waterfall and also the Fiji Waterfall in the distance. This is a good photo opportunity for sure. The trail to the waterfalls isn’t a loop trail so you’ll be returning this way.
Sekumpul Waterfall Bali
After taking in the epic views from the top of the cliff it’s time to head down to the river. The trail down the cliff is made of cement stairs, like most places in Bali. You’ll walk down the steep stairs for less than 10 minutes and you’ll arrive at the river. From this point head to your left towards the massive waterfall and cross the small river.
Be prepared to get soaked if you want to get close to the Sekumpul Waterfall Bali as the spray from this is pretty intense. You can take plenty of photos here and also climb up the big rock at the base for better angles. This is the best waterfall Sekumpul has to offer.
How Tall is Sekumpul Waterfall?
The Sekumpul Waterfall is 328 feet / 100-meters tall. This is an amazing sight to behold and is definitely worth the journey to get here. Even in the dry season it still flows nicely because it’s spring fed.
Can You Swim at Sekumpul Waterfall?
Air Terjun Sekumpul Bali isn’t optimal for swimming as the pool below is not deep enough. You can certainly walk up to and under the falls but be careful. I’d suggest swimming at the next waterfall on the property called the Hidden Waterfall.
Hidden Waterfall in Sekumpul
When you finish admiring the Sekumpul Waterfalls, head back to the river you crossed and turn right (if you’re facing away from the Sekumpul Waterfall) and follow the river for less than 5-minutes. You’ll quickly arrive at what is known as “The Hidden Waterfall”.
This is another epic waterfall and the best thing about it is that the pool below is perfect for swimming! It’s deep enough that you can swim all the way up to the waterfall. Be careful here as it’s quite slippery.
Fiji Waterfall Bali
Last but certainly not least if the Fiji Waterfall Bali. To get here from the Hidden Waterfall or the Sekumpul Waterfall head downstream on the river back to towards the stairs. From that point you’ll cross a large bridge and continue towards the Fiji Waterfall Bali, you can see it from the bridge.
Less than 10-minutes later you’ll be greeted with 3 more amazing waterfalls all side-by-side. This is what is known as the Fiji Waterfall Bali. You will have to pay another small entrance fee to access this location, but it’s totally worth it.
As with the Sekumpul Waterfall, you cannot swim in the Fiji Waterfall Bali. The pools below these three waterfalls are not deep enough. However you can easily walk under the waterfalls for some epic photos!
After you’re all done enjoying the sights here be prepared for the walk back up the stairs so make sure you save some water. To get back to the parking lot from here just head back the way you came, this is not a loop trail.
Best Time To Visit Air Terjun Sekumpul Bali
The best time to visit Air Terjun Sekumpul Bali and the other waterfalls is during Bali’s dry season. Like most tropical countries, Indonesia has two seasons – the rainy season and the dry season. Bali’s dry season typically runs from April to October and the rainy season is from November to March. Check the weather forecast here.
The best time of day to visit the Sekumpul Waterfalls Bali is as early in the morning as possible. This place is open from 8am-5pm but if you hire the owner of the property as a guide you’ll be able to get in earlier. If you don’t mind sharing this waterfall with a few other people than you can go anytime you want.
Nearby Sights & Tourist Spots
There are plenty of nearby spots to check on near the Sekumpul Waterfall Bali. Some notable waterfalls that I personally visited and can recommend you visit are the Banyu Wana Amertha Waterfalls, The Aling Aling Waterfall, The Banyumala Twin Waterfalls, and the NungNung Waterfall.
The main nearby town is Bedugul, home of the famous floating temple (Pura Ulun Danu Bratan Temple). Also in this area there are a couple of lakes with some epic viewpoints to visit. I stayed the night in Bedugul because an intense thunderstorm hit and I couldn’t make it back to Ubud.
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If you want to visit the beach then head over to Lovina and soak up the sun! You can go dolphin watching here. There are a few other beaches around Lovina worth exploring too!
Bali Packing List
- Osprey Porter 46 Travel Backpack
- Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic Rain Jacket
- Universal Travel Adapter
- Portable Luggage Scale
- Salomon X Ultra Hiking Boots
- Premium Packing Cubes
Tips & Suggestions for the Sekumpul Waterfall Bali
- Go Early: If you want solitude and less tourists, definitely go early and you won’t regret it! It’s always a far more enjoyable experience when you’re not in a crowd of people.
- Pack Accordingly: Even in the dry season Bali’s weather is very unpredictable. It can and will quickly change from clear skies to pouring rain so definitely pack a rain jacket and a change of clothes. I would suggest bring some warm clothes too as this waterfall is located at a higher elevation in the mountains, so it wont be overly hot.
- Rent a motorbike: The absolute best way to travel around Bali is by motorbike. Doing so allows you to take your time and visit many more sights than you would be able to on a tour. Renting a motorbike in Bali costs around IDR 50k ($3.28 USD) per day so it’s quite affordable.
- Bring food: I personally always have a few snacks on hand. There has been too many times where I get lost or food is not readily available. So pack some nuts or other hearty snacks just in case!
- Ask for assistance: The Balinese locals are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. If you need help they’ll gladly assist you so don’t be shy.
- Get a sim card: The value of having online maps and an internet connection is priceless. Sim cards are especially cheap in Bali and I’d recommend Telksomel as the provider.
- Use Maps.Me: This is an offline maps app for iPhone/Android that has saved me on countless occasions. If there’s no cell service on your adventures you’ll still always have access to these maps and pins.
Final Thoughts on the Sekumpul Waterfall Bali
I hope you enjoyed this travel guide on the Sekumpul Waterfalls! Visiting this location was truly on of the best experiences of my life. This is an amazing area and if you’re in Bali it’s a must-see!
If you have any questions about the Sekumpul Waterfall or Bali in general drop me a comment below. Check out my latest posts here. If you found value in this post please share it!
