The Island of Bali, Indonesia, is famous for the many waterfalls that dot the Island. Blessed with a tropical climate, the frequent summer deluges feed a truly amazing number of spectacular waterfalls. During their Balinese adventures, most visitors will want to head to the hills to savour the sights and sounds of these waterfalls. Tegenungan Waterfall is one of the better-known waterfalls and is very popular with visitors. Its location, close to the tourist centres of the south of Bali, makes it very accessible. It’s also one of Bali’s most spectacular waterfalls. The water flows from the highland jungles, plunging 15 metres into the pool below, before continuing on its journey towards the Indian Ocean. Tegenungan Waterfall deserves its spot on your list of places to visit next time you are in Bali.
Walking Down To Tegenungan Waterfall
The walk down to Tegenungan Waterfall affords some absolutely fantastic views for those visiting the area. Once you park your scooter or car, you head off past a number of warungs selling food and the ubiquitous Balinese souvenirs and clothing. Shortly after you will reach the start of the climb down. There are quite a few steps, 127 to be exact if the signs are to be believed. And they are quite steep in part. However sturdy handrails line the descent for those who welcome the additional assistance.
There are several viewpoints on your way down. The first, with a Welcome to Tegenungan Waterfall sign, is a great spot to take a picture of yourself. A short way further on is a couple of ‘Nests’. These make for great photo ops for the Instagrammers amongst us.
Continuing down you will come across a stream flowing from a small waterfall on your left side. A little further on again and you will get to a couple of signs at the juncture of the pathway, one pointing left to the ‘Waterfall’ and the second pointing right to ‘Beji’. It’s kind of irrelevant which way you go as they both lead to the same place!
The Waterfall
Once you reach the bottom of the steps, do yourself a favour and just stop and take a moment to take in the magical scene that confronts you. The waterfall itself would be at least 15 meters in height. And, it is a loud and powerful waterfall, with a tremendous amount of water cascading over the cliff face into the plunge pool below. From there the water flows into the rapidly moving river, past the stacks of stones, or cairns, before continuing on its way around the distant bend of the green Petanu River valley.
Trekking Across the Petanu River
Well, not exactly trekking, however the narrow bamboo bridges that take you across the river here, wouldn’t look out of place trekking through a thick tropical jungle. If you fancy an easy trek, visit the Campuhan Ridge Walk in nearby Ubud. Access to the plunge pool is easy here, with a pebble shoreline leading into some shallower parts of the pool. There are some great photo opportunities here. A warung is open here for those who want a cold drink or something to eat. There is also access built up the side of the valley here providing additional viewpoints to the falls.
Crossing back over the river, you can access some covered shelter, which provides respite from the tropical sun, or rain, depending on what time of year you are visiting! This is also a great spot to view the cairns, or stone stacks, that visitors to the area have built. Exactly what the significance of these is, we can’t be sure. They do, however, look particularly mystical and provide some great photo opportunities.
Adjacent to these you will find a small Holy Spring pool with water flowing out of a number of fountains. These Holy Springs are for use, with people regularly bathing in the water. The amenities block is nearby here as well, with change areas and toilets provided.
Swimming in the Tegenungan Waterfall Plunge Pool
One of the highlights of any Balinese holiday is undoubtedly to enjoy a swim at one of her many wonderful waterfalls. And the plunge pool at the base of the falls can seem very inviting, particularly on a hot Balinese day. However, there are a number of signs warning of the dangers of swimming here. It’s not advisable to get too close to the waterfall itself as the water can be tremendously powerful, particularly after rain in the wet season. The shallower areas are a much safer option to cool down and to take some photos. Jumping from the cliffs is also not recommended as there are submerged rocks that are not visible above the surface of the water. If you want to visit another great waterfall with a calmer swimming area take a look at our visit to Taman Sari Waterfall and Natural Pool, north of Ubud.
The Omma Dayclub
On the walk down, you would likely have noticed the Omma Dayclub overlooking the Waterfalls. This is a reminder that these falls are by no means situated in a pristine, unspoilt environment. Having said that, this club would be a great spot for some afternoon cocktails and food. We saw several social media influencers there busily photographing one another, so I imagine that the photo opportunities and views from this club would be absolutely amazing. The club plays music from late morning onwards. You will hear it as you head up or down the steps. However once at the waterfalls at the bottom, the roar of the waterfall itself tends to drown out the music. If you would like to find out more about Omma Day Club, please follow the link. http://ommabali.com/
Photography Advice For Tegenungan Waterfall
This must be one of the most photographed waterfalls in Bali, and for good reason. I think some of the photos speak for themselves. But make sure you look after your expensive equipment here. A very handy travel tip for you; If you’re using your phone, make sure it’s at least splashproof. If you have a camera, keep a towel handy and regularly dry your camera off. The whole area closer to the waterfall is constantly wet with water mist soaking everything and everyone.
How to Get to Tegenungan Falls
Tegenungan Waterfall is located in Tegenungan Village, Kemenuh, Sukawati, in the Gianyar region of Bali. Driving there takes you through several small villages and past a number of rice fields. It’s actually one of the closest falls to the busy south of the Island, making it a popular spot for daytrippers. It’s about 17km and a 30-40 minutes drive from Sanur, depending on traffic. From the Kuta area, it’s about 27km, with a travel time of about 1 hour. Uluwatu is approximately 50 km and 80-90 minutes travel time. While Ubud is only 10 km and a 20-25 minutes drive.
Opening Hours And Facilities
Tegenungan Waterfall is open from 6.30 am to 6.30 pm 7 days per week. Admission is 20k rupiah per adult ($1.40USD or $2.00AUD). Parking is free for motorbikes and costs 5K rupiah for cars ($0.35USD or $0.50AUD). Facilities include warungs, toilets, change rooms and shelters for sitting out of the weather. Staff are on hand to provide assistance if required.
