Sekumpul Waterfall
2 images 1 contributors Shoot freely
Michael Breitung
About this spot
The Sekumpul Waterfall is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Bali and it's gaining more and more popularity. It's about a two-hour drive away from Canggu or Ubud in a car. With a scooter, it'll take longer.
The waterfall is easy to access via a short 20 - 30 minute hike from the official parking area. Typically, you must hire a guide to visit the waterfall. They wait at the parking area and you will be directly approached by them. There are different options. For about 8 USD per person you can do the medium hike to the Sekumpul and Hidden Waterfall with a guide.
If there are no guides at the parking area, don't hesitate to do the hike by yourself. It's easy and does not require a guide.
Also, make sure to avoid scams. On the road toward the waterfall, you'll encounter several "tour operators" who want to guide you to the waterfall. If you stop at such a place, you'll still be far away from the waterfall and you'll have to pay for a ride on a motorbike in addition to the actual hike.
Make sure to drive to the parking areas I marked on the map. If you have a driver and want to avoid a guide completely, have him drop you at the Sekumpul Restaurant (2nd parking area marker) and head down the path toward the waterfall from there. Your driver can then park the car at the offical parking area.
There's still a chance you'll be stopped along the way and have to hire a guide. But there are only a limited number of guides and if you arrive early / before sunrise you can likely avoid everybody.
That being said, paying a guide is actually not that expensive. With 8USD for the medium hike I'd say it's affordable. The guide I had was also very patient. I took my time to take the photos and he waited for hours. I even told him, he could go back and guide another visitor, but he insisted on staying.
The waterfall is easy to access via a short 20 - 30 minute hike from the official parking area. Typically, you must hire a guide to visit the waterfall. They wait at the parking area and you will be directly approached by them. There are different options. For about 8 USD per person you can do the medium hike to the Sekumpul and Hidden Waterfall with a guide.
If there are no guides at the parking area, don't hesitate to do the hike by yourself. It's easy and does not require a guide.
Also, make sure to avoid scams. On the road toward the waterfall, you'll encounter several "tour operators" who want to guide you to the waterfall. If you stop at such a place, you'll still be far away from the waterfall and you'll have to pay for a ride on a motorbike in addition to the actual hike.
Make sure to drive to the parking areas I marked on the map. If you have a driver and want to avoid a guide completely, have him drop you at the Sekumpul Restaurant (2nd parking area marker) and head down the path toward the waterfall from there. Your driver can then park the car at the offical parking area.
There's still a chance you'll be stopped along the way and have to hire a guide. But there are only a limited number of guides and if you arrive early / before sunrise you can likely avoid everybody.
That being said, paying a guide is actually not that expensive. With 8USD for the medium hike I'd say it's affordable. The guide I had was also very patient. I took my time to take the photos and he waited for hours. I even told him, he could go back and guide another visitor, but he insisted on staying.
Join PhotoHound to learn how, where and when to capture amazing photos here
- Know the best times, seasons & shooting conditions
- Detailed directions - maps, co-ordinates and directions
- Know how to get there - where to park or how to reach there using public transport
- Browse inspirational photos and learn how they were taken - see the EXIF details
- Bookmark your favourite spots for future reference
- Know exactly when to shoot for beautiful photographs - sunrise, sunset, blue hour and astrophotography
- Detailed, 7-day weather forecast at this location
- Share your images with like-minded travel photographers
Essential Information
Web links
https://www.mibreit-photo.com/blog/bali-waterfall-photography-sekumpul-guide/
