Serpentine roads and lush greenery will guide you to the most beautiful Bali waterfall: Sekumpul Waterfall (Air Terjun Sekumpul). Tucked away in the north of Bali, the 80 meter tall streams of this fantastic twin waterfall serve as a statement to why it is a must-visit of the Island of Gods.
Sekumpul Waterfall Bali: Everything You Need Know
In this Bali travel guide, we have gathered all the information you need to know before visiting Sekumpul Waterfall, including how to get there, the ticket cost, a secret budget hack, and even how to avoid one of the most famous Bali scams. Get those water shoes ready - we are going in!
When to Visit Sekumpul Waterfall
Sekumpul Waterfall is accessible year-round, regardless of the season. As all Bali waterfalls, it is heavily affected by recent rainfall, with the volume of water flowing and its tone varying significantly. Nevertheless, it doesn’t dry up as much as others during the dry season.
For your reference, the photos in this travel guide were taken during the peak dry season in July, during which, still showcases a generous water flow.
Here is what you can expect from Sekumpul Waterfall on the two main seasons, to help you decide what suits your expectations the best:
Wet Season (November to March):
You will witness a stronger stream of water, with the waterfalls showing off all its power. Nevertheless, the water gets a murkier tone if the rains have been strong and recent. The path gets very slippery, and landslides are a possibility, so for long treks make sure you have an official Sekumpul Waterfall guide with you.
Dry Season (April to October):
The falls water stream is not as strong, but still as impressive! Expect clear skies, less rainfall and humidity, making the hike and jumping in the cold waterfall pools a pleasant experience.
For those seeking to witness the waterfall at its most powerful without encountering heavy rainfall, the best time to visit Sekumpul Waterfall is during the shoulder season, in March to April, right at the end of the monsoon season.
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Sekumpul Waterfall Opening Time
As you can imagine this natural beauty is a 24-hour spectacle. Nevertheless, the Sekumpul Waterfall ticket office is open from 7 am to 5 pm daily.
Take into consideration this is quite a popular tourist attraction, and if you visit during weekdays and early in the morning, there will be less visitors. Still, given the Sekumpul Waterfall location is so up north, it has a considerable distance from the main tourism hubs, making the crowds here to be nothing in comparison to the Ubud waterfalls.
If you wish to experience the best lighting, with the sun peeking through the valley, try to be at the waterfall between 10am and 2pm.
How to Get to Sekumpul Waterfall
Sekumpul Waterfall is located in northern Bali, specifically in the village of Sekumpul, in the Buleleng Regency. There are plenty of alternatives to get there, find the one that best suits your needs:
Scooter
Going to Sekumpul Waterfall by scooter gives you the freedom to set your own times, make as many stops as you wish, and enjoy the fantastic journey in the zig zag roads that circle around the mountains, covered in greenery and wildlife (you will encounter plenty of cheeky monkeys along the way).
The roads have some potholes and are not as wide as they should be, so drive carefully, but generally speaking, driving is doable and an enjoyable experience in this part of the island.
For your reference, the drive to Sekumpul Waterfall from Ubud will take around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
It is easier and cheaper to rent quality scooters in the south/center of Bali. If you stay in the north of the island, in areas such as Munduk, make sure your hotel has quality scooters for rent, or request a scooter in advance from a nearby rental shop. If you intend to have two people riding one single scooter, we recommend it has at least 155cc to minimize brake failures or motor heating up due to the high inclination of the area.
Taxi
The familiar taxi apps such as Grab and Gojek are not widely used in the north of Bali. So if you take a taxi to the waterfall, make sure you ask the driver to wait for you, or to come back to pick you up. You might be lucky and catch a Grab that just dropped someone at the waterfall, but it is a complete shot in the dark.
Local taxis will be available for negotiation, but get ready to pay double of what you paid to get here in the first place.
Tour
There is a wide variety of Bali waterfall tours available on the island, which you can pre-book online or negotiate upon arrival. Many of which are Sekumpul Waterfall tour packages, with private and group options.
While this is the most expensive choice, it allows you to simply relax and enjoy the experience, as everything is taken care of for you - from pickup to drop-off. Additionally, these often include extra stops at other waterfalls, temples, and coffee plantations. Here are some great packages for you to check out:
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Walk
No, we won’t tell you to walk for 19 hours to get to Sekumpul Waterfall from Seminyak. Well, you can, however we don’t advise it! But there are actually a few homestays within walking distance from the waterfall. They might not offer the most elevated luxury experience of your trip, but our experience was super positive. Waking up and strolling down to the waterfall is a lovely way to start your day.
Sekumpul Waterfall Scam
If you tried to search on google for something as straightforward as “Bali Waterfall Sekumpul” chances are you encountered some scary-looking experiences from other travelers on Google’s Sekumpul Waterfall reviews. While it is unfortunate that what is considered to be the most beautiful waterfall in Bali is often associated with scams, it is quite easy to avoid these, as long as you are aware of their existence.
Groups of locals have set several convincing (but fake) registration checkpoints, as far as 12km away from the actual waterfall, with flags and banners announcing the arrival at the Sekumpul Waterfall. They will often whistle and scream for you to park there as you drive by. The best recommendation we can give you is to keep driving.
If for whatever reason you slow down and they cross your way, or you stop, don’t panic. Tell them calmly you already pre-paid for a group tour, and you are on your way to the meeting point, or that you are staying at a homestay in the Sekumpul village and you are just driving there (in this case memorize the name of one of the homestays we suggest later in this guide). Thank them and get on your way.
In these fake entrances, you will be asked for exorbitant amounts of money to get to the waterfall (up to 600K IDR = €36, per person), under the pretext it is dangerous and an experienced guide is needed. They will even present you with a fake entrance ticket.
This Sekumpul Waterfall scam, like many Bali scams, takes place in poor and remote areas where locals have limited legitimate alternatives to earn an income. It doesn’t make this right, but it is good to understand why these exist, and nobody seems to do anything about it.
Avoid this scam by driving to the coordinates of the Sekumpul Waterfall official parking and entrance: https://goo.gl/maps/SX3zNnEyHyTbP7Zr8
Sekumpul Waterfall Entrance Fee
There used to be a few ways to visit the Sekumpul Waterfall for free, but local groups have blocked all those paths with the fake registration checkpoints (as of 2023). Nowadays, there are three prices to visit the waterfall, as per the hiking option of your choice.
Some of these fake checkpoints have nobody guarding them during important public holidays, mainly early in the morning. While you can get in for free in those instances, we don’t recommend you venture out the long and non-official hiking routes alone.
The hiking options, due to new regulations, require hiring a guide for the duration of the visit, for safety, maintenance and support of the local economy. They vary in length and natural attractions you get to experience. These are the different Sekumpul Waterfall prices and ticket names:
View Point Access: 20,000 IDR (€1,20)
Medium Trek: 150,000 IDR (€9)
Long Trek: 250,000 IDR (€15)
The Viewpoint Access is exactly what the name entails, and is the perfect option if hiking is not your cup of tea. The view is stunning! Nevertheless, the “medium trekking” is in our opinion the best quality/value option. But, do you know what? We found even a cheaper option to do it!
Budget Hack
Does €9 still sound like a lot to visit a waterfall? We have an alternative for you!
Consider spending at least one night in the Sekumpul village instead of doing a day trip. The homestays within walking distance from the waterfall allow you to visit Sekumpul Waterfall without a guide and at a discounted rate. The path to the waterfall is paved, well-maintained, and very straightforward, which eliminates the need for a local guide.
The best Sekumpul Waterfall entry free we found was 30,000 IDR (€1,80) by spending the night at the lovely homestay we stayed at on our last visit: Sugi Gede Homestay*. Quite a discount, right?
Sekumpul Waterfall Trekking Difficulty Level
The Sekumpul Waterfall hike is a bit of a workout, but completely worth it for such stunning views. We consider its overall difficulty moderate, but that will also be influenced by which of the hiking options you choose.
This is basically a steep hike down into a ravine in the jungle, but the amount of photo opportunities will allow you to stop every 2 minutes with the excuse you need to take a photo.
As the difficulty level perception can change from person to person, here are some things to take into account when deciding if this is the waterfall for you:
Path: Mostly paved and well maintained, several flights of stairs, crossing of at least two water streams (water level can be above knee height), or a few more if you also visit the Hidden Waterfall while at it (you will see the arrows pointing its location). The long trek has areas which are in the wilderness, with no pavement.
Inclination: The inclination is quite steep, which is a bigger problem when coming back up, than when going down. Get ready to test that cardio! Be extra careful if it rained recently.
What to Bring
Camera or Phone - you will probably take your best Bali photos in this waterfall. There is not an inch of the path down and of the waterfall itself that is not picture perfect.
Insulated bottle - fill it up with cold water, you will need it!
Waterproof bag - the power of the falling water creates an intense spray mist that will not leave one inch of you or your belongings dry.
Proper footwear - boots or shoes with a good grip are advised, and if possible flip flops or water shoes for the stream crossing.
Mosquito repellent - you can spray yourself before leaving the accommodation to avoid carrying this around. Depending on the time of the day mosquitos might be a persistent undesired company.
As little as possible - If you have intentions of jumping in the water and having a good time, take as little as possible, as there is no space at sight from the waterfall where to leave your personal belongings.
Meaning of the Sekumpul Name
“Sekumpul” in Indonesian means “group” or “collection”. This waterfall, comprising the convergence of multiple streams, is, in reality, a collection of several cascades. The highest one is a mesmerizing 80 meters, and along with the surrounding smaller ones, create a stunning visual effect.
If you get lost and need directions, remember that its name in Indonesian is Air Terjun Sekumpul. “Air Terjun” means waterfall.
Sekumpul Waterfall Nearby Attractions
North Bali has many hidden gems and endless locations worth exploring. Considering you came all this way, here are a few for you to add to your Bali itinerary:
Waterfalls: Fiji Waterfall is a cool triple waterfall located in the same canyon as Sekumpul Waterfall. Usually in the long trekking option you get to visit both. Lemukih Waterfall and Aling Aling Waterfall are quite close to this area. Further away but of easy access and surrounded by fantasting greenery: Gitgit Waterfall and Banyumala Twin Waterfalls.
Lakes: Buyan and Tamblingan are twin lakes located in a nearby caldera. The scenery around the lakes is serene and picturesque, with many people choosing the area for wedding photoshoots, and to camp.
Munduk Village: Did you ever wonder what it would be like driving among clouds? That is Munduk early in the morning! Be captivated by its hills, cool climate, trekking trails and lush coffee plantations.
Bali Handara Gate: This Instagram-worthy spot is in reality the entrance to a golf resort. If you wish to recreate the famous photos you have seen, be prepared to face long queues and pay the photography fee (extra if you wish to fly a drone). Ensure you have your poses ready, as they will be timing you.
Ulun Danu Beratan Temple: Visit the temple printed in the 50,000 IDR bill. This iconic temple, with its magical backdrop of cloudy mountains and serene lake, is a must-visit in Bali.
Lovina beach: Fancy a quick swim? Lovina Beach is known for its black sand and calm waters. At certain times of the year, this is the perfect place to spot dolphins.
Planning Time
If you are ready to start planning your next trip, here you have all the usefull links you need to make it happen! By using them you are supporting our work as we might get a small fee from it. But hey! You pay the same (or might even get a discount), so is a win-win situation!
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