Goa Raja: A Favorite Waterfall & Natural Pool on Bali

Of all the waterfall hikes on Bali, Goa Raja is one of my favorites.

The hike is enjoyable on its own, and both the pool and waterfall are beautiful.

There’s a discrepancy in the spelling of this site.  The signs in English in the parking lot spell it as “Rajo,” but everywhere else it appears as “Raja.”   

Raja translates to mean a king or ruler, so in this sense, Goa Raja would mean the “King’s Cave.” 

OK, with that out of the way, let’s get to why I think this is a stop worth making on Bali!

Key Info on Visiting Goa Raja

• Cost: 25,000 IDR ($1.50)
• Hike: Steep steps and a dirt trail over a couple of wooden bridges
• Open: Daily 8:00am – 6:00pm

For people unfamiliar with Bali’s traffic patterns and roadways, I always suggest hiring a driver.  We’ve had excellent success with this company:

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A private driver usually runs about $50 for the day (plus tip).  They can come up with an itinerary, or you can point out the sites you want to see.

Goa Raja is in central-eastern Bali, so it’ll likely be a bit of a drive from where most people stay in the touristy hubs.

Mileage-wise, it’s not far from Ubud, but between traffic congestion and the narrow, winding roads, it’ll likely take you an hour to get there.

• DPS Airport:  35 miles / 2 hours
• Seminyak:  30 miles / 2 hours
• Kuta:   30 miles / 1.75 hour
• Ubud:  17 miles / 1 hour

Goa Raja has a large parking lot at the entrance.  Parking is free, and there’s plenty of space.

You’ll pay the low 25,000 IDR entrance fee, which amounts to about $1.50 USD.

From the parking lot, you’ll follow a steep set of concrete steps down into the gorge.

The trail is clearly marked, so it’s impossible to get lost.

It’ll turn into dirt and mud, surrounded by the lush green forest.

You’ll use a couple of wooden bridges to cross the stream, as you follow the trail up to the waterfall.

It’s about half a mile long, and accessible for most ages and abilities.

There are two beautiful sites waiting for you at the end of the trail.

The first is a combination of a waterfall and a manmade pool.

The spring-fed pool is crystal clear, with a pretty emerald tint.  It’s surrounded by a lengthy waterfall, which continues flowing out the side of the pool into the adjacent stream.

Nearby, through a rock wall, you’ll find the main waterfall, falling from a cliff above.

You’re likely to get wet on this hike, but aside from being prepared for that, it doesn’t require anything special.  I’d suggest bringing:

• Water shoes or sneakers that can get wet
• Bathing suit & towel (if you swim in the pool)
• SPF, even if it’s cloudy 
• If you’re concerned about your camera or phone in the mist, bring some protection.

The advice is similar for all of the waterfalls on Bali.

• Try to visit early in the morning, so the sun isn’t directly overhead.
• Consider using a tripod to capture long exposure shots of the waterfall. Or, you can try the same effect with the “live picture” function on an iPhone.
• If you’re shooting inside the waterfall cave, bring something to wipe your lens, since it gets misty quickly.

Bali has countless waterfalls, but if you’re at Goa Raja, consider stopping by these, too:

• Grudugan is one of Bali’s waterfalls I haven’t been to, but it’s just a few miles from Goa Raja, so if you’re in the area it’s one to consider.
• Kanto Lampo (photo below) is a 30-minute drive south of Goa Raja.  It’s a beautiful, but crowded site, and honestly, I think it’s great people-watching!  People who are (overly?) serious about their photos bring photographers who cause quite a scene in front of a crowd.
• Tukad Cepung is only a couple miles away, and a short drive.  It’s one of the more well-known waterfalls on Bali, so it’ll be crowded.  It’s still worth a visit!

For me, my short answer is: April or May.

The dry months are June, July, and August, but all of the guides will tell you: it’s very crowded!

The shoulder months of September and early October are good options, too.

Bali’s monsoon season runs October through March (roughly) so those are the rainier (but less expensive and less crowded) months to visit.

Let’s go over a couple frequently-asked-questions.

What does Goa Raja mean in English?

In English, the word “raja” translates to “king.” It is derived from Sanskrit and is used in many South and Southeast Asian languages to refer to a monarch or ruler. In the context of “Goa Raja,” it means “King’s Cave.”

Are there food options?

There’s a large restaurant on site, built partially with reclaimed wood.

They have an open-air seating area which is covered, making it nice to visit even in the rain.

How much time do you need at Goa Raja?

The hike is pretty quick, and it’s really up to you, based on how much time you spend swimming and taking photos.  I’d budget 2 hours for Goa Raja.

What Other Waterfalls are Close?

Check out our posts on waterfalls on Bali. Many of them are in the same area, but with the roads and congestion it can take a while to drive between them.

• Leke Leke
• Kanto Lampo
• Goa Raja
• Taman Sari & Tibumana
• Tegalalang Rice Terraces
• Taman Beji Griya
• Tukad Cepung

I’d also suggest spending the morning at Cretya Ubud, a luxury day club. Great prices, beautiful pools, and a sprawling property to explore!

You can enter your dates for hotels and rentals available from Booking, Hotels.com, VRBO, and other trusted sites:

We may have just lucked out, but we found only a small crowd at Goa Raja.  For me, that’s highly valued in a destination. 

I also loved the combination of the waterfalls and the plunge pool.   While the pool is manmade, it was built to perfectly blend into the rainforest surroundings.

And the waterfall has an element of mystique or surprise, since it’s hidden behind two giant rock walls, which act almost like curtains.

We spent quite a bit of time here swimming, taking photos, and relaxing.  It’s definitely one to put on your list!