Sekumpul Waterfall in Bali

​Sekumpul is the tallest waterfall in Bali and has one of the clearest waters on the island. I hiked down to the base of the waterfall, navigated through shallow streams and got up close that I was completely soaked by the mist. It was a refreshing and thrilling experience and was one of the highlights of my 4 days on the island. 

​Sekumpul is actually part of what’s known as the Triple Falls: Sekumpul, Fiji and Hidden Waterfalls. All three falls are close to each other on the same hike but Sekumpul is the largest and the only one with clear water.
 
I visited Sekumpul Waterfall as part of my day trip from Ubud to see attractions in northern Bali. I left Ubud early in the morning to avoid the crowd and to see the waterfall with the best lighting in the morning. 

The road passed by small towns like this one.

Rice patties along the drive.

The drive to Sekumpul was a beautiful 2-hour drive that went through cascading rice patties, small towns and villages, and windy roads with stunning views of Bali’s greenery. I passed by a village known for wooden crafts and another known for massive stone carvings. At one point, I sent my drone up for some aerial shots of the rice patties and mountains in the background. 

On the way to Sekumpul there were lots of stands and people hailing us over to pay for a ‘registration’ fee. This is a scam; keep driving and don’t stop. I believe my guide brought me to the north entrance where there was a small parking lot and an official Sekumpul visitor table. Out of the three hiking options, I chose the longest one to see all 3 falls and paid a small fee to enter and for a required tour guide. 

Since it was just me, my tour guide took me on a moped and sped through the narrow, windy and steep path to the beginning of the hike. It was impressive the moped was able to climb those slopes.
 
The hike was a bunch of steps descending to the bottom of the mountain. It can be slippery at times but the hike itself wasn’t difficult. Throughout the hike I saw Sekumpul and bits of Fiji Waterfall in the background.

Fiji Waterfall

On the hike to Fiji.

My guide hiking in flip flops!

The 3 waterfalls at Fiji.

​Fiji was the first waterfall we visited and it’s actually three small waterfalls next to each other. There was a small bamboo bridge to get closer for a shot with all three falls.

Sekumpul Waterfall

So much mist in the area.

Aerial view of the waterfall.

From the drone you could even see the ocean.

​From Fiji, we traversed through streams to reach Sekumpul Waterfall. The waterfall was extremely tall with mist spraying everywhere! I climbed closer to the waterfall and was completely soaked, but it was so refreshing especially after sweating on the hike down.  

Hidden Waterfall

​This small waterfall is hidden at the end of a canyon and it splits the canyon wall into symmetrical halves. It felt very peaceful without the thunderous beating of the previous two falls. 

If you visit Bali and have a chance to explore the northern part of the island, I’d recommend a stop at Sekumpul. It’s a hidden beautiful gem in the Bali mountains and well worth a stop.