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Tukad Cepung Waterfall – Full Guide To Bali’s Magical Waterfall
Not far from the main inland tourist hub of Ubud, Tukad Cepung Waterfall is a hidden paradise that blew us completely away the first time we caught a glimpse.
As we ventured down the well kept path, the sound of cascading water grew louder and finally we were greeted by a sight straight out of a dream.
Sunlight streaming through the cave’s opening, creating a magical curtain of light. Labelled as Bali’s most magical waterfall, Tukad Cepung was an unforgettable highlight of our Bali trip.
To plan a successful journey to Tukad Cepung, it is very handy to have a few tips and tricks at hand.
Luckily, we did all the hard work for you and can’t wait to share all the info with you.
So let’s get started.
Table Of Contents
Where is Tukad Cepung Waterfall (Air Terjun Tukad Cepung)?
Tukad Cepung Waterfall, in Indonesian called “Air Terjun Tukad Cepung”, is a hidden gem located in the Bangli Regency of Bali, Indonesia, near the village of Tembuku.
It is approximately 30 kilometers (around 18.6 miles) from the spiritual tourist hub of Ubud, Bali.
It can easily be reached from the main towns in Bali and the roads leading to the waterfall are all paved making it a perfect day trip destination for vacationers.
How to get to Tukad Cepung Waterfall
We based ourselves in Ubud for over 2 weeks and this is also what we would suggest you to do.
Whether you stay in Ubud or the other tourist destinations such as Kuta or Seminyak, visiting Tukad Cepung Waterfall can be done via two modes of transport.
You can either choose to hire a private driver or rent a scooter and drive to the waterfall by yourself.
If you are on vacation and have the according budget, we would defintely recommend to hire a private driver.
Yes, you will not be as flexible but the drivers in Bali know every single road and bring you to the destination safely.
We unfortunately have seen far to many tourists with broken bones from a motorcycle injury and that’s the last thing you want on your 2 week vacation.
Hiring a private driver will cost you about USD 55$ per day and can be arranged through your hotel or travel agencies.
If you are adventurous like us, on a budget and have some motorcycle experience, we would defintely recommend to rent a scooter.
Scooters can be hired from any of the main tourist hubs on the island.
Rates always vary within the specific areas.
Generally speaking, a 125cc brand new Honda can be rented for 450k IDR per week (USD 28.14$) or 90000 IDR per day (USD 5.63$, higher rate for 1 day rental) as of June, 2023.
Text Gusti on Whatsapp +6282340186448 for the newest and cheapest bikes in Ubud.
We are not affiliated with him but got our vario scooter for only 400k IDR per week (USD 25.01$) with a full tank of fuel and phone holder + 2 helmets.
Now that we have covered on which options to choose, we will now guide you on how to get to Tukad Cepung waterfall from all the main tourist hubs:
Starting from Ubud (29km ≈ 45min):
- Head east on Jl. Raya Ubud
- Take the Jl. Raya Tegallalang and Jl. Raya Tampaksiring routes
- Continue on Jl. Raya Tampaksiring until you reach the town of Tembuku
- From there, follow local signs directing you to Tukad Cepung Waterfall.
Starting from Canggu, Seminyak or Kuta (50km ≈ 1h15mins):
From Kuta:
- Head northeast on Jl. Sunset Road,
- Take Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai and continue onto Jl. Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra
- Follow the signs to Jl. Raya Tembuku, leading you to the village of Tembuku.
- From there, follow local signs directing you to Tukad Cepung Waterfall.
From Seminyak:
- Start on Jl. Sunset Road towards Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai
- Continue onto Jl. Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra,
- Then follow the route towards Jl. Raya Tembuku
- Once in Tembuku, follow local signs directing you to Tukad Cepung Waterfall.
From Canggu:
- Head southeast on Jl. Raya Canggu
- take Jl. By Pass Tanah Lot to Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai
- Merge onto Jl. Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra, continue towards Jl. Raya Tembuku
- Once in Tembuku, follow local signs directing you to Tukad Cepung Waterfall.
From Denpasar (40km ≈ 1h30mins):
- Head east on Jl. Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra
- Continue on this main road
- Follow the signs for Jl. Raya Tembuku, which will guide you to the village of Tembuku
- Once in Tembuku, follow local signs directing you to Tukad Cepung Waterfall.
Tukad Cepung Waterfall Entrance Fee
Tukad Cepung Waterfall entrance fee is IDR 30,000 per person, which also includes free parking all day long.
This translates to roughly USD 1.84$.
Pay at the official booth right after the ticket station at the beginning of the trail.
Fees may vary slightly, so it’s a good idea to have some extra small denominations of Indonesian Rupiah on hand.
We found that waterfall entrance fees are increasing all over Bali but we find this one to still be good value for money.
Always remember, the fee also helps maintain the site such as a free restroom and a restaurant.
Tukad Cepung Waterfall Opening Hours
The official opening time of Tukad Cepung Waterfall is 7AM to 6PM.
Usually, we do recommend to visit waterfalls in Bali before the official opening hours to avoid the crowds but due to the special lighting conditions (more on that later), we recommend to stick to the mentioned hours.
Tukad Cepung Waterfall hike
Distance: 1.1km return
Footwear needed: can be done in flip flops
Difficulty: Easy – moderate
Bali waterfalls are reowned for having staircases with a steep descent and Tukad Cepung waterfall is no exception.
Bali locals built staircases with handrails for tourist which is really handy in the slippery parts of the hike.
The way down is very easy but getting back up can be exhausting.
The first time we visited Tukad Cepung, we were a little confused on where to start and pay so we will break the complete hike down for you.
The first step you are going to take, is to locate the ticketing station.
Funnily enough, you only receive your ticket here but this is not where you pay.
A little bit further down the path, you will find the offical Tukad cepung booth where you pay for your ticket.
From here, just follow the stairs down where you will pass plenty of warungs that sell cold coconuts.
Don’t stop yet, you will want to refresh yourself when coming back up.
After 150m of going down the stairs, you will then reach a flat part with small rice terraces and an irrigation channel.
After walking about 250m on this path, you will then make it to the last step of the hike, which is taking the stairs down into the canyon of Tukad Cepung waterfall.
The stairs can be very slippery due to the humidity down there but the locals have put handrails in place.
You now have the choice to turn right to a very small waterfall or continue left to Tukad Cepung waterfall.
We would recommend to check out tukad cepung first as it can get very crowded.
Now that you are at the bottom, prepare yourself to walk through the magnificent canyon by pulling up your pants (if you have long pants) and taking off your shoes (or leave them on if you like them wet).
The walk to the waterfall is only about 80m long but there is no point where you can escape the flowing water, making it almost impossible to keep ypur shoes dry.
You will walk along sand banks and rocks and the water level can get to about ankle deep.
PRO TIP: it is always best to enquire about the conditions in your hotel or travel agency first as flash floods can occur especially during wet season.
Now that you have entered the last and most stunning part of the canyon, you will follow along the river bank and finally squeeze through a tighter spot.
After this the canyon will open up and get wider.
The deeper you head into the canyon the more mesmerizing it gets.
And then you are there (almost!), you will hopefully catch your first glimpse of the mindblowing light rays shining through the canyon.
You will see some very large boulders scattered amongst the beautiful jungle and the waterfall right behind it.
But don’t rush to the waterfall yet, the large boulders are the perfect photo spot.
Tukad Cepung Waterfall Boulder Photo Spot
As you are standing in front of the large boulders, you might have noticed these beautiful light rays directly shining onto the top of the boulder.
The first time we arrived there, we immediately wondered: How can we get up there for a photo without injuring ourselves?
Good news for all tourists that the locals were kind enough to install a ladder at the backside of the boulder, making it super easy to climb up and get some epic photos.
Make sure to wear flip flops or shoes when going up the ladder as it is rusted out and the risk of getting an infection if you cut yourself is very high.
Once you are up there, you can then throw your shoes to your partner if you don’t want them in your photo.
Better safe than sorry.
The surface on top of the boulder is usually not slippery but please still keep caution.
You will get the best effects looking directly into the sunlight and even trying to touch it.
Tukad Cepung Waterfall Photo Spot
Now to the grande final, the actual waterfall photo spot.
We were completely mesmerized by the water spray particles dancing in the light rays, giving this waterfall a mystic feel.
You can actually walk into the little pond and under the waterfall, although we recommend not to get to close to the base as large rocks can fall down plus you are runing all photo ops for everyone.
For photos, its best to position yourself right where the sunlight hits the canyon.
Your photos will look like you are in a light portal to another world.
If you stay in the first part of the cave, your body will look too dark due to the missing amount of light.
The part before the pond stays dark almost the entire day due to the little gap at the top of the cave.
The sunlight only penetrates it about 3-4 hours of the day.
Tukad Cepung light rays
Seeing the tukad cepung waterfall light rays can be a little bit tricky if you have never been there before.
There is a certain time of the day when the sun hits the cave at the perfect angle so the light rays are visible.
Tour guides and blogs online recommend to visit around 9AM to 11AM.
For the most part this is true but depending on the season you can also see them around 8AM.
We visited around 9AM and received the full nature show, however the canyon was quite crowded.
It only lasted for about 20 minutes as the clouds blocked the sun afterwards.
Therefore, picking a clear and sunny day is key to see the light rays.
Best time to visit Tukad Cepung Waterfall
Tukad Cepung Waterfall is one of the only waterfalls in Bali where we would recommend not to visit for sunrise.
It’s beauty is truly the mesemerizing light rays you can experience.
These light rays are visible from 9AM – 11AM on a clear day, therefore, we’d recommend to visit no earlier than 8AM.
If you visit at 8AM you will avoid the crowds that gather to see the light rays.
The second time we visited, we were lucky enough to see them around 8:30AM.
Unfortunately, from 9AM to 11AM the waterfall is very crowded up to the point where you have to stand in a line to wait for photos.
Now that we have covered the time of the day it also important to know which days and months to visit.
We recommend to avoid visiting Tukad Cepung on weekends and balinese holidays.
Visiting on a weekday gives you the highest chance of having only foreign tourists to compete with you for a photo.
The best months to visit Tukad Cepung waterfall are April – June due to the fact that it can be dried out after June.
March is also a great month to visit with the chance of a sunny day and less crowds due to still being in the off season.
Tukad Cepung Waterfall can you swim?
The short answer is yes and no.
Technically, you could swim at Tukad Cepung in the little pond under the waterfall but you would hit your knees on the rocks every now and then.
The water level isn’t quite high enough and it is not pleasant for swimming.
Also you would be blocking the famous photo spot for everyone, most likely resulting in confrontations.
