A Guide to Bali's Tukad Cepung Waterfall -

While “Tukad Cepung” can be loosely translated as “hidden river,” there’s nothing hidden or secret about this beautiful site on Bali.

It’s a well-known destination for tourists visiting the island, so you can expect to encounter a pretty large crowd.

Tukad Cepung is famous for a reason: the waterfall is uniquely tucked behind towering rock walls, which surround the cascade almost like a natural curtain.

Key Info on Visiting Tukad Cepung

Cost: 30,000 IDR (about $1.50)
Hike: Relatively short, through shallow water in a rock canyon
Open: Daily, from 7:00am to 6:00pm
Wear water shoes, or be prepared to go barefoot.

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

Directions to Tukad Cepung

The Tukad Cepung waterfall is on the central-eastern part of the island of Bali.

It’s easy to find, along a rural road. The time to get there will vary, based on traffic congestion on Bali’s notoriously crowded and winding roadways.

Here are a few estimates:

DPS Airport: 35 miles / 1.75 hour
Seminyak: 30 miles / 1.75 hour
Kuta: 32 miles / 1.75 hour
Ubud: 17 miles / 1 hour

The Entrance & Fees at Tukad Cepung

There’s plenty of parking at the entrance of Tukad Cepung, and the entry fee is 30,000 IDR. That’s between $1.50 and $2.00, so really nominal.

As you walk down to the waterfall, you’ll pass a few stores and restaurants to check out or relax in on your hike back up.

The Hike to the Waterfall

You’ll get wet on this hike!

The trail to Tukad Cepung is a mixture of steep steps and a dirt path. It’s manageable for people of most ages and abilities.

There are snack and drink stands along the way, so you’ll have places to rest if you get winded.

There’s a final steep staircase down into the gorge.

Once you reach the bottom of the gorge, you’ll be in the water. The stream isn’t too deep (maybe up to your knees) and the current isn’t anything to be concerned about.

You’ll have to climb over a few boulders in spots, as you make your way through a narrow rock gorge to the waterfall.

What to Expect at Tukad Cepung

For one thing, expect a crowd at the waterfall.

It’s an impressive site, with the waterfall itself tucked back behind towering rocks. The sun overhead will illuminate the cave differently through the day, at times creating beams shining down through the mist.

In our experience, the crowd forms a semi-organized line, since most people want the same photo of themselves solo inside.

I’ve seen the system breakdown, too. It only takes one confused, clueless, impatient, or just rude patient to ignore the line and bust right through into the waterfall.

While it can create a temporary “free for all,” if you give it some time, the people get wet and chilly and walk out, leaving the polite line to form again.

Aside from the main waterfall, after you walk back down to the trailhead in the gorge, you’ll see another set of cascades coming down the hillside. It’s worth walking down farther through the stream to check them out, too.

What to Bring

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. The rocks in the stream are pretty uncomfortable for bare feet.
SPF, even if it’s cloudy
If you’re concerned about your camera or phone in the mist, bring some protection.

Photography Advice at the Waterfall

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

Try to visit early in the morning if you want to avoid the crowd.
If you’re looking for light beams in the mist, visit midday, when the sun is higher in the sky.
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.

Jared Dillingham in the Tukad Cepung waterfall

Food Options

As I mentioned, you’ll have your choice of different snack stands and restaurants along the route to Tukad Cepung.

We enjoyed a couple of cokes for $1.50 on the way out, as we plotted our course for other nearby waterfalls to explore in this part of Bali.

Other Waterfalls Nearby

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

Goa Raja is a favorite spot to visit, and right down the street from Tukad Cepung. It’s a pretty hike, which leads to both a swimming hole and another tall waterfall, hidden behind a rock wall. (It’s sometimes spelled Goa “Rajo”).
Kanto Lampo (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.

The Best Time to Visit Bali

Bali is a beautiful place year-round, but seasonal weather variations will have an impact on your visit.

If weather was the main factor for me, I’d choose late April or May.

The crowds are too big during the dry summer months (June, July, and August).

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.

FAQs on the Tukad Cepung Waterfall

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

What does Tukad Cepung mean in English?

“Tukad Cepung” is a combination of two Balinese words. In English, “Tukad” means “river” and “Cepung” doesn’t have a direct translation but is often associated with something hidden or secluded. Therefore, “Tukad Cepung” can be loosely translated to “Cepung River” or “Hidden River.”

How much time do you need at Tukad Cepung

Depending on how much time you spend waiting in line for photos at the waterfall, you can generally budget about an hour to 90 minutes to spend visiting Tukad Cepung.

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.

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

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:

Wrap: Is Tukad Cepung Worth It?

People seeking serenity and relaxation in Bali won’t enjoy a visit to Tukad Cepung. It’s going to be full of people taking photos for social media.

If you can set that aside, then yes – it’s worth a visit. I even really enjoyed walking down through the cavernous river gorge on the way to the waterfall. As I said earlier – if you liked Tukad Cepung, definitely go check out Goa Raja nearby!