A Guide to the Beautiful (and CROWDED) Bali Waterfall: Kanto Lampo

Kanto Lampo translates loosely to “flashing light” in English, referring to the beautiful way the light illuminates the water, cascading down the rocks.

Visitors need to know: this waterfall is one of the prime examples of an “Instagram vs. Reality” moment on Bali.

Kanto Lampo is a beautiful site, and made even more famous through social media.  It’s worth a visit, but beware: you’ll find the waterfall to be far different from the photos posted on Instagram.

Key Info on Visiting the Kanto Lampo Waterfall:

• Cost: 25k IDR / $1.50 USD
• You can pay extra to have the waterfall to yourself!
• The hike is along a paved path and down steps.
• Open: Daily 6:30am – 5:30pm
• Bring water shoes or go barefoot.
• Expect a crowd!

While many tourists opt to rent motorbikes on Bali, if you’re unfamiliar with the roads here, it can be frustrating to follow directions and drive at the same time.

It’s less of a hassle, and cost-effective, to hire a driver for the day, for about $50. They’re flexible and can either follow your itinerary, or help you plan one. The Hire Bali Cab Company gets all 5-star reviews.

Now, Let’s Check Out the Waterfall: Kanto Lampo

Here are some of the travel times and distances from around Bali to the waterfall at Kanto Lampo:

• DPS Airport:  25 miles / 1.5 hours
• Ubud:  7 miles / 30 minutes
• Seminyak:  25 miles / 1.5 hours
• Kuta:  25 miles / 80 minutes
• Buleleng:  60 miles / 3 hours

You’ll find free parking in a large lot at the entrance to Kanto Lampo.

The entry cost is only 25,000 IDR, which is less than $2 USD. The ticket office is easy to find near the lot.

You can also choose to rent out the entire waterfall for yourself and 9 friends. It’s available to book in advance, starting at slightly less than $100 for an hour.

The photo below shows the price list, for renting all of Kanto Lampo for a private event. The price list basically translates to:

• 6:00am – 7:00am: $95 USD for 1 hour
• 6:00am – 8:00am: $220 USD for 2 hours
• 6:00am – 9:00am: $405 USD for 3 hours

It’s not much of a hike to the waterfall at Kanto Lampo, so you’ll see people of all ages and abilities here.  

You’ll pass a couple of restaurants along a paved path down to the waterfall, and make a final descent down a set of steps.  

Actually, you’ll likely make it halfway down the steps, because the line of people waiting for their photos at the waterfalls usually extends all the way back to that point!

You’re going to get wet on this visit, and have to walk through the stream.  So wear water shoes, or be prepared to get your sneakers wet.  The rocks on the riverbed are kind of rough and slippery in spots.

Well, for one thing: expect a crowd!

If you can, go first thing in the morning when Kanto Lampo first opens.  Otherwise, you’ll be down there with 100 or more people.  

The final staircase splits.  One route goes right to the waterfall. The other goes around a back side to another part of the stream.  Either is fine to use.

The water isn’t deep.  In a few spots, it might get up to your waist, but it’s mostly knee-deep.

The waterfall itself is truly stunning, with water flowing over jagged black rocks, surrounded by the lush green forest.

At the base of the falls, you’ll find giant boulders to climb on.

Hired Photographers

On our visit, I enjoyed watching the local photographers (or drivers who do double-duty as photographers) bark orders at people who are at Kanto Lampo for photo shoots. 

Meanwhile, perched up on the rocks are drenched models from all over the world doing their best to follow the photographers’ commands, balance on the slippery rocks, and not appear to be overly waterlogged in their photos.

I mean, look at this poor woman… I hope she got the shots she wanted!

Even better, many couples attempt “romantic” photos, while getting pummeled by water on the rocks.  They did their best under the circumstances.  

I sat there for a while as people in the line snaking back through the stream waited and gawked at the people taking their turns on the rocks.

It’s quite a scene!

Nothing special is required for a visit to Kanto Lampo.  I’d suggest:

• Water shoes, or sneakers that can get wet
• Bathing suit & towel (you’ll get wet)
• SPF, even if it’s cloudy
• Insect repellent (while mosquitoes aren’t always bad, I always recommend carrying it)
• If you’re concerned about your camera or phone around the water, bring some protection.

For an extra 5,000 IDR (about a quarter) you can store your stuff in a locker. They also sell sandals, water shoes and towels.

 If you’re serious about getting quality images at Kanto Lampo, try to: 

• Visit early in the morning, right when the pathway to the waterfall opens.
• You’ll avoid the harsh overhead sunlight, but more importantly, you’ll avoid the crowd!
• Go past the main rocks where people are spending time posing. A shot from the side will be just as pretty, and you won’t have to wait in line for it!
• Consider using a tripod to capture long exposure shots of the waterfall.
• Use the “live picture” feature on an iPhone to create a long exposure image if you don’t have a bigger camera.
• With simple editing software, you can pretty easily turn people modeling on rocks into rocks themselves.
• Even if you go midday, the tree canopy will likely provide shade for nice, evenly-lit photos.

You might want to make a day of waterfall stops in this part of Bali.  

• Tibumana:  About 4 miles up the road from Kanto Lampo, you’ll find a different experience at Tibumana.  It’s usually less crowded, and has a big pool at the base of the waterfall to swim in.
• Goa Rajo:  Sometimes listed as “Goa Raja” on maps, this is a two-for-one spot. You’ll hike down to a spring-fed, manmade pool, and then a gorgeous waterfall tucked behind giant rock walls.  It’s about 30 minutes north of Kanto Lampo.
• Tukad Cepung: Nearby, Tukad Cepung is one of the more famous (or Insta-famous) waterfalls in the area.  It involves a bit of a hike through a rock gorge to a beautiful waterfall in a cave-like setting.

The answer to this is really up to each individual person’s preferences and priorities.

A few things to keep in mind to help you decide:

• July and August are the dry months, and also the most crowded.
• The monsoon season makes Bali rainy from October into April.

Based on those factors, my advice is to aim for a visit to Bali in late April or May.   You might still run into some evening or overnight showers, but for the most part, they won’t last long enough to impact your itinerary outside.

Let’s wrap up with a few final frequently-asked-questions about Kanto Lampo, some of which were answered above.

What is the waterfall entrance fee/cost for tickets?

Kanto Lampo is on the low end when it comes to fees. It’s 25,000 IDR, or about $1.50

What does Kanto Lampo mean?

“Kanto Lampo” translates to “flashing corner” or “flashing light” in English. This name likely refers to the way the sunlight catches and reflects off the waterfall’s cascading water, creating a sparkling effect like a flash of light.

How far is Kanto Lampo from Ubud?

It’s pretty close, at about 7 miles from parts of Ubud, but the drive on the narrow congested streets will likely take 30 minutes.

Hotels Nearby

There are a lot of hotels and resorts in the area, but for me Chapung Sebali, is the one I’ll return to. They have spacious rooms and suites, many of which have their own private pools.

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