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April 28, 2024
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Munduk is a small mountain village in the north of Bali. If you want to experience real Balinese culture, away from the touristy southern regions of Bali, then you should definitely visit Munduk. And it’s a must-do if you’re a fan of secluded waterfalls! The area is home to many waterfalls, with some directly accessible on foot from the town center. Others take a short motorbike ride and more others will take a slightly longer drive by motorbike or taxi. In this post, I will highlight the Munduk Waterfalls that are easily accessible on foot from the village on a four to five-hour walk. At the end, I will comprise a list of other waterfalls in the area that will take a motorbike or taxi to reach.
Munduk Village, Bali, Indonesia
Munduk is a highland town in the north of Bali. As a conscious traveler, I fell in love with this place because it is still pure and authentic. There are a few resorts in the area but it mostly consists of locally owned homestays and local restaurants which allows you to experience the real Balinese culture. I strongly recommend staying and eating at these locally-owned businesses. This way you are supporting the Balinese economy and not some foreign resort.
Aside from the waterfalls, you can find some beautiful rice fields, lakes, temples, and walking trails in the area that are perfect for having a slow travel experience. The Munduk area may seem like a jungle but most of the land is used for agricultural activities. They cultivate clove, coffee and rice and you can also find some strawberry plantations of which they make delicious jam.
Sunsets in Munduk
Munduk has a strong sense of community and takes care of their village, the surroundings and each other. They have implemented local rules around their touristic activities. A taxi ride, for instance, should always have the same pricing, no matter where you ask.
Visiting the beautiful waterfalls in the area is one of the best things to do in Munduk!
The Munduk waterfalls, locally referred to as Air Terjun Munduk, are easily reachable from the center of Munduk. There is no need to take a taxi or hire a motorbike. There is some major confusion however on where the trail starts and how many waterfalls are on the trail. To be honest, I don’t think there is an exact way to visit these waterfalls.
Munduk waterfalls map
There are four waterfalls in the area that can easily be done on a Munduk waterfall hike. They are called Melanting Waterfall, Labuhan Kebo Waterfall, Red Coral Waterfall, and Golden Valley Waterfall. I decided to visit three of them using trails that I found on Maps.me. There is no official start of the Munduk waterfall trail and there aren’t any Munduk waterfall tours available so you have to map out the trail yourself.
A lot of homestays will probably have a map with the paths leading to each waterfall, at least my homestay did. You can ask them for help if you are insecure about what to do.
As there is some confusion about what the actual Munduk waterfall trek really is, in this post, I will map out the route I took and you should not have any trouble finding the waterfalls if you use Maps.me.
Best waterfalls in Munduk, Bali.
This trail takes you along three waterfalls which are easily accessible on foot from the village. The trail took me four to five hours to complete but it all depends on how much time you spend at each waterfall and if you make a stop for a lunch break. I spent 30 minutes to one hour at each waterfall and made a stop for lunch.
Regarding navigation, I strongly recommend using maps.me. Finding your way around the waterfalls can be quite confusing using Google Maps because of wrong location pins and misnames. Also, the small walking trails you need to use, are not indicated on Google Maps.
I noticed most people do this trail in reverse. I chose to do it the opposite way around hoping to escape tourists flocking together but I only saw a few other tourists on the trails so I don’t think it matters in which direction you start. I had each waterfall all to myself for most of the time.
That said, I must also mention that I visited Bali off-season, in January, hence maybe why there were so few tourists. But, when I read about Munduk on other blogs, I think you can expect to be able to visit Munduk year-round without a whole bunch of tourists around you.
So, after downloading Maps.me, zoom in on Munduk and look for the Red Coral waterfall to start your Munduk waterfall trekking adventure.
Munduk waterfalls: Red Coral waterfall Bali
Depending on where your staying, maps.me will suggest a trail. I stayed at Umah De Madya Homestay which is in the town center on the main road. From there, Maps.me, suggested walking along the main road for a while but you can see some walking trails on Maps.me also heading in the direction of the Red Coral Waterfall.
Upon arrival, you will see some toilets and a toll booth where you pay IDR 20 000 ($ 1.40 or € 1,15) to access the waterfall. A small bamboo bridge will take you to this beautiful single-stream fall surrounded by lush greenery.
Waterfalls Munduk: Red Coral waterfall Munduk
On your right hand looking at the waterfall, there are some improvised wooden stools. Since I was the only one there, I threw a towel on the ground and did a short meditation. Afterward, I did some reading on the area while listening to the beautiful sounds of mother nature. Does it get any better than this? I spend around one hour at this waterfall.
Munduk waterfalls: Labuan Kebo waterfall
The next waterfall on this trail is the Labuhan Kebo Waterfall. You should have no trouble finding it using Maps.me although it’s not clear where the ticket booth is. Just follow the trail and you will find it! You will pass by some warungs which are ideal for a toilet break or lunch. I had lunch at Saraswati Warung before continuing to the Labuhan Kebo Waterfall. The view at the small dining area is quite nice and the food is as fresh as can be.
Continue your way along the trail until you arrive at the Labuan Kebo ticket booth. The entrance fee for this waterfall is IDR 10 000 ($ 0,70 or € 0,60).
Waterfalls in Munduk: pathway to Labuhan Kebo waterfall
It’s a 10-minute walk down the path to the waterfall. This waterfall was my favorite. The greenery, sounds and serenity of the place are magical. I spend half an hour here taking pictures and taking in its beauty. This is also the best waterfall if you are up for a dip in the water.
Munduk waterfalls: Labuhan Kebo waterfall
Next up is Melanting waterfall. Make your way back up to the trail first and search for Melanting waterfall on Maps.me. It should take around 10 minutes to the ticket booth.
Munduk waterfalls Bali: Melanting waterfall
When you arrive at the waterfall entrance you need to pay IDR 10 000 ($ 0,70 or € 0.60) before descending the steep stairs leading to the waterfall. Watch out because it can get quite slippery. This waterfall is the most powerful of all three and was also the only one I didn’t have to myself for most of the time probably due to its proximity to the town center.
Munduk waterfalls: Langaan Melanting waterfall
The last thing I felt like doing, leaving this waterfall, was to climb up the staircase. On Maps.me, you can see there’s a trail on the other side of the river leading to the town center again. I got a little lost here, because of bad reception, but there aren’t so many intersections and I think, either way, you will get back to the center, maybe taking a little detour. Now it’s time for a Bintang or afternoon tea!
The Munduk waterfalls are open daily from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M. I am wondering though if it’s impossible to visit them outside of these opening hours. There are boots where you pay a fee during the day but it seems a bit hard to “close” Red Coral Waterfall for instance. I think most of them are also reachable outside these opening hours depending on the path you take.
The best time to visit the Munduk Waterfalls in Bali is generally during the dry season, which spans from April to September. During this period, the weather is more predictable with less rainfall, making it easier and safer to hike and explore the waterfalls.
However, if you prefer to see the waterfalls at their most powerful, visiting during the wet season, from October to March, might be more appealing. The waterfalls are fuller and more dramatic due to the heavier rainfall. But keep in mind that the paths can be slippery and more challenging to navigate during this time, and the chance of rain is significantly higher.
Do note that the rain mainly falls in the afternoon (starting around 2-3 PM). Regardless of the season, it’s best to visit early in the morning to avoid the crowds and to experience the waterfalls in the more tranquil atmosphere of the early day.
If you want to spend a little more time hiking, there is a fourth waterfall you can add to this Munduk Waterfalls itinerary. It is called “Golden Valley waterfall” and has a cute little Eco café next to it where you can have breakfast. Instead of starting the hike at Red Coral Waterfall you can opt to start the above route at the Eco Café instead.
Aling Aling and Sekumpul waterfall
There are much more waterfalls near Munduk that are all within easy reach by motorbike or taxi. Most of them are easy to find using Google Maps or Maps.me. I highly recommend visiting the Wanagiri Pucak Manik waterfall. These are actually three waterfalls in a beautiful setting. It is not well known among tourists and there were only two other locals there when I visited. Other waterfalls in the area include:
Some of these waterfalls are also frequently visited on a DIY waterfall trek starting from Ubud.
Here are some tips for your visit to Munduk:
View from Umah de Madya rooftop bar
ENJOY!
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Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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Cedric Noronha
Very good post. Highly informative for travellers who want to visit the Munduk waterfalls in Bali. Nicely written and keep up the good work.
annelies_degelas
Hi Cedric, the Munduk waterfalls are truly amazing and the peaceful location is magical. Thanks for your comment, I really appreciate it! 🙂
Hannah
Melanting Waterfall looks beautiful! I love exploring waterfalls in the UK, but they’re not quite as grand as these ones! I’d love to visit Munduk and see them in person one day! Thanks for the great guide!
Petsitter Barbara
Bali was my first ever international travel destination! It’s impossible to describe to anyone how mystical and magical it is. This was in the days before there was such a thing as a phone app (yes, it’s hard to imagine what that prehistoric world was like). It’s time to pet sit my way back there with my maps.me to assist me! Thanks for the inspiration!