Guide to the Leke Leke Waterfall: Know Before You Go

Bali may be known for its beaches and resorts, but it’s worth spending time inland exploring the beautiful waterfalls like Leke Leke.

Key Info on Visiting Leke Leke:

• Cost: 50,000 IDK / $3 USD
• 15-minute walk from the lot to the waterfalls
• 800 steps each way (less than half a mile)
• Open 7:00am – 6:00pm daily

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.  We’ve had excellent drivers from the Hire Bali Cab Company.

🚙 CLICK to BOOK a DRIVER

For the entire day, or 10-hours, it’s usually about $50. The drivers are flexible and can either follow your preferred list of destinations or come up with their own suggestions.

You’ll follow rural roads through villages, rice terraces, and forests.

Here are some of the travel times and distances from around Bali:

• DPS Airport: 30 miles / 2 hours
• Ubud: 20 miles / 1 hour
• Seminyak: 25 miles / 1.5 hour
• Kuta: 30 miles / 1.75 hour
• Buleleng: 45 miles / 1.5 hour

While you’ll take a narrow, rural road to Leke Leke, the entrance area is built up and seems to appear out of nowhere.

The parking lot is large, with room for bikes and tourist vans.

You’ll see the ticket office off to the side, which is staffed all day, from 7:00am – 6:00pm.

The cost of an entry ticket is 50,000 IDR, which is about $3 USD.

My pedometer tracked 800 steps in each direction, which comes out to less than half a mile from the ticket office to the waterfall.

The hiking trail itself is a mix of concrete steps and a dirt path, which is often muddy in spots after the frequent rain showers.

You’ll be passing through a lush, dense forest, so it’s a very nice hike.

The Crowd at Leke Leke

In our experience, Leke Leke isn’t one of the most crowded waterfalls on Bali.  Tukad Cepung or Kanto Lampo are among the other waterfalls where you’re likely to find far more people.

Still, you’ll be lucky if you find yourself alone on this hike.

The crowd runs the gamut, from seniors to children, and of course models looking for photos in dresses.

From our experience at the Leke Leke Waterfall, people tend to only spend a few minutes there before turning back.  We were there for about an hour, and watched groups of people rotate in and out.  Most spent about 15 minutes taking photos and admiring their surroundings.  A few who chose to take a dip in the pool spent a bit longer before drying off and hiking out.

You won’t get wet at Leke Leke, unless you go swimming … or … it starts raining.  Still, the trail is muddy and steep, so a few things to bring:

• Good footwear that’s likely to get muddy
• Bathing suit & towel (if you plan to swim)
• SPF, even if it’s cloudy
• Insect repellent (while mosquitoes aren’t always bad, I always recommend carrying it)
• Water for the hike

Photographers, both professionals and amateurs, will love the Leke Leke Waterfall.  The tall cascade is surrounded by rocks and lush green landscaping.

If you’re serious about getting quality shots, try to: 

• Visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid harsh overhead sunlight and crowds.
• On the platform above the waterfall, you’ll have a row of large-leaved shrubs, which you can use to block people on the rocks below.
• Consider using a tripod to capture long exposure shots of the waterfall, creating a dreamy, ethereal effect with the flowing water.  If there’s a person in a long exposure shot, make sure they’re as still as possible!
• Iphones can take a long exposure (if you didn’t already know) by using the “live picture” feature.  After taking the photo, open the image in your photo library, and on the top left corner, change “live” to “long exposure” in the dropdown menu.

If Leke Leke is one of many stops on your itinerary, you can consider taking a rest and eating at the restaurant on-site.

It’s just down a ways from the parking lot and ticket office.

They serve full meals, or just cocktails, in an open-air environment.  

There’s also a separate bar down a bit farther, near the swings.

You might want to make a day of waterfall stops in this part of Bali.  In addition to Leke Leke, I’d suggest:

• Banyumala Waterfall: While it’s another 45 minutes north of Leke Leke, locals consider it one of Bali’s most beautiful waterfalls.
• Campuhan Antapan Waterfall: A few minutes up the road from Leke Leke.
• Tukad Cepung Waterfall: Nestled within a cave gorge, Tukad Cepung is a photography hot spot.  Just be prepared for a crowd.

I think it’s hard to nail down the best time to visit Bali.  

While July and August are the dry months, they’re also the most crowded.   For me personally, I’d sacrifice the weather if it meant smaller crowds at the waterfalls and on the beaches.

Remember: the monsoon season on Bali typically runs from October through April.

So my advice on the best time to visit, based on what we’ve experienced, is: late April and 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 the Leke Leke Waterfall, some of which were answered above.

What is the Leke Leke Waterfall entrance fee/cost for tickets?

The entry cost is 50,000 IDR, which converts to about $3 USD.  Parking is free.

What hours can you hike to Leke Leke?

The schedule here is consistent.  The waterfall hike is open from 7:00am to 6:00pm.

How far is Leke Leke from Ubud?

In terms of distance, Leke Leke is about 20 miles.  With traffic, the driving time can vary, but expect it to take almost an hour from Ubud.

How long is the hike to Leke Leke?

It’s about half a mile from the parking lot down to the waterfall.  The hike down will take about 15 minutes.  The hike up will take longer, since parts of the trail are steep.

Can you swim at Leke Leke?

Yes, Leke Leke is one of Bali’s beautiful waterfalls which has a natural pool at the base which is nice to swim in.

Does Leke Leke have any of the famous Bali swings?

Yes, there are two to choose from near the top of the hiking trail.  

They’ll cost an extra 200,000 IDR, or about $12.  That’s quite a bit more than the trail to the waterfall itself!

Is there food at Leke Leke?

Yes, there’s a large, open-air restaurant at the top of the waterfall, near the ticket office.  They’ll serve drinks and full meals with a pretty view.

There’s also a bar, down a bit closer to where the big swings are setup.

How much time do you need for Leke Leke?

I’d say commit to at least a full hour at the waterfall.   From the parking lot, it’s likely to take you 15 minutes to hike down to the waterfall.  Take some time to relax and enjoy the waterfall and swimming hole, and wait for people to move so you can take a few pretty pictures to remember it by. 

The hike out (all uphill) will take a bit longer, maybe 20 minutes or so (unless you stop to rest).

What Resorts are 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:

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.

• 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!