1. ABOUT SEKUMPUL WATERFALL

Sekumpul Waterfall is one of the most beautiful and renowned waterfalls in Bali, Indonesia. It is located in the northern part of the island, in the village of Sekumpul, Buleleng Regency, not far from the town of Singaraja. This waterfall is often considered a must-visit natural attraction for travellers seeking to explore Bali’s lush and scenic landscapes.

It is a collection of 7 waterfalls in the area, and the name Sekumpul means “group” or “collection”. The tallest waterfall is 80 meters or 272 feet high.

Looks like a beautiful place right? It is. However, as we started to research it, we started to realise that there are some difficulties and things you should know before you go!

2. TIME!

Driving

Sekumpul Waterfall is located in northern central Bali. It will take you roughly 2-3 hours to travel one way to arrive here, depending on the time of day in traffic, and how far away you are coming from.

The right entry point

It is not just a matter of driving and arriving either. It is a mountainous area with winding, steep, and loose gravel roads in some parts. This takes time for your driver to navigate. There are multiple car park entries also. So your driver must know the correct entry point.

Plan your day

Sekumpul Waterfall is not an in-and-out affair if you want to see its beauty, have a swim and perhaps see the other waterfalls. Plan for around 3-4 hours or beyond. There are 400 stairs to navigate up and down, streams with ropes to cross, and rocks to walk on. Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy your day and look around.

Don’t rush through it. Sekumpul Waterfall opens at 8 a.m., so getting there early before lunch will reduce the tourist crowds.

Seasons

The time of year can also be relevant to your visit. The rainy season (usually between November and March) can be a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s the best time to visit Sekumpul Waterfall because it’s at its most spectacular due to the increased water flow.

However, the trail can be more challenging during this time due to muddy and slippery conditions.

We went in July, the dry season, and still found Sekumpul just as beautiful and powerful. Just be aware of what time of year you are visiting and prepare accordingly.

3. WHAT TO PACK?

Unlike high-traffic tourist areas, Sekumpul Waterfall is in a rural part of Bali that is a little quieter. While there are still shops scattered here and there, there isn’t a Circle K every 10 meters like in Kuta, Seminyak, or Ubud. Long story short, be sure to bring food and drink with you.

Food

We packed lightweight food, such as crisps some lollies, and things from Circle K that were sealed non-perishable. You will be climbing stairs and burning many calories in the heat.

Water

Pack light and use the weight you don’t mind carrying for water. 1.5L each at least. Leave another 500ml in the car for later. They do offer you an option for lunch at the entry fee car park. We opted out, as we already came prepared.

Shoes

Be sure you bring the right shoes! We saw so many people in the wrong shoes for this occasion. Can you believe one lady was wearing high heels? Oh my goodness! Honestly!

However, you will also be surprised sneakers/track shoes and cork Birkenstocks are not the right shoes either!

You will be wading through water and you need wet shoes to go into Sekumpul Waterfall for a swim. I used the Birkenstock plastic shoes.

Socks

I brought socks that I could take off at the water crossings. I always bring socks with plastic or rubber shoes as they reduce blisters in humidity and keep the feet away from bugs and dirt for as long as possible. They are easy enough to slip on and off.

Options

There are plenty of rubber or plastic shoe options in tourist areas to buy inexpensively, or if you want to splurge you can get a quality pair of wet shoes from the outdoor retailers before you leave for your trip.

Cash

Another key point is that you should bring cash in Indonesian Rupiah for entry fees. There is little to no signal in Sekumpul Waterfall so no card payment. The entry fee is in cash only.

Make sure you have cash for your driver and perhaps enough for food and drink on your trip back if you’ve booked a day tour. It’s a general rule of thumb as I’ve found that in Asian countries, cash is still king and you should always have enough on you for your day ahead, or to get yourself out of any trouble.

Photos & content

They encourage photos at Sekumpul Waterfall, just take care to protect your devices. A wet cover for your Phone or your GoPro might be a thought. Drones are allowed as far as we were aware in 2023.

Your guide will be amazing at taking photos. Enjoy it and don’t be shy to take lots yourself. It’s a hard slog getting there and some of the most amazing scenery you will see in your life. Create all those memories if you are so inclined!

4. HOW SEKUMPUL WATERFALL WORKS

The most surprising thing that we found out about Sekumpul Waterfall online is that it has FAKE REGISTRATION POINTS! There are multiple entry points from different directions to all sorts of car parks. You want to go to the main car park only.

Don’t fall for the scam

The road we used to enter had multiple fake entry payment stops on the way. Locals will man these stop stations and ask you for a registration fee. There is only ONE entry point to pay. Do not pay these fake fees.

Book a driver

While you can get a motorbike and try and go yourself, it is much harder to work out what is happening, which is the final stop. There is no signal so maps are hard to use.

I highly encourage you to get an experienced driver with a car that can tolerate the roads in Sekumpul Waterfall. Investigate that they have taken people before by the photos on their media and make sure to enquire if they will take you to the closest gate. Not kilometres away and drop you off to walk the dirt roads.

Pick your activities

When you get to the entry point you can pick your adventure and pay accordingly. You can also choose to visit other waterfalls such as Fuji Waterfall or Hidden Waterfall which are all in proximity to each other.

Local guide

You will be allocated a mandatory local guide. This guide will remain with you for the day. They will navigate you through your tour, take amazing photos, and make sure you stay safe throughout your journey.

They will also drive the motorbike part of the way. Sekumpul Waterfall has these guides to keep local people employed, and the natural area respected so it can remain open to the public. It works well for tourists because Sekumpul Waterfall can be tricky to navigate.

So now you know! I hope you get to Sekumpul Waterfall and completely enjoy your day! For more great blogs head over to our blog page to read and learn!