Putting together an Indonesia waterfall guide is tough because there are so many great waterfalls in this country and it’s hard to pick the top ones.
A lot of the best waterfalls in Indonesia are located in Sumatra and Java, but even the smaller islands like Bali and Lombok have some great ones too.
Pretty much every island in this country has at least a few stunning waterfalls if you do a bit of exploring. You can click the links in this guide for more info and directions to some of them.
This is not a complete list of Indonesia’s top falls, but these are just a handful of the biggest and nicest ones we’ve seen so far in our many travels around this country!
Sumatra Waterfalls
1. Ponot Waterfall (North Sumatra)
This might be the biggest Indonesia waterfall of all, with a height of more than 250 meters (820 feet).
Pinot Waterfall is a giant 3-step waterfall near the famous Lake Toba in North Sumatra, and you can visit it on a day trip from east Toba with about 2 hours of driving.
You can see it from the parking lot, or hike to the base in about 10-15 minutes.
2. Sipiso Piso Waterfall (North Sumatra)
This is one of the nicest falls in Sumatra, and also one of the tallest waterfalls in Indonesia.
It’s a 120-meter giant that flows into the famous Lake Toba in North Sumatra, surrounded by farms and highland scenery. It belongs on any road trip itinerary for Lake Toba or Sumatra, or you can even visit it on a day trip from Medan.
The hike down to the bottom of the falls is also worthwhile if you have time. It takes about 30-40 minutes each way, and you can get some even better pictures at the bottom.
3. Mursala Waterfall (North Sumatra)
This one’s unique for being a waterfall that flows directly into the ocean! You don’t see that very often.
It’s nicknamed the King Kong waterfall since this island was supposedly featured in the movie King King (2005).
Marsala Island is a small, remote island off the west coast of Sumatra, and it’s not easy to get there. The only way to visit it is on a boat trip, and the seas can be rough!
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East Java Waterfalls
4. Tumpak Sewu Waterfall (East Java)
This may be the coolest waterfall on Java island, and you can visit it on a day trip from Malang city.
It’s called a waterfall, but it’s more like a thousand falls put together. The name loosely translated from Javanese means “many waterfalls.”
These waterfalls thunder down into a horseshoe-shaped jungle ravine that looks like something right out of Jurassic Park. The result is an unmissable natural wonder!
5. Kabut Pelangi Waterfall (East Java)
The hills and mountains in Java are full of amazing waterfalls, but Kabut Pelangi has to be one of the best.
This is a huge cascade in a green jungle amphitheatre. The name means ‘rainbow mist waterfall’ in Indonesian, and the size of this one is crazy awesome.
This waterfall is in the same area as Tumpak Sewu, but it’s harder to find and requires more hiking. The effort is worth it for this giant Indonesia waterfall.
6. Kapas Biru Waterfall (East Java)
This is another great waterfall in Lumajang, near Malang city. The hike is pretty straightforward and only takes about 30 minutes one way.
It’s a huge waterfall set against an orange rock wall, surrounded by prehistoric-looking jungles and giant bamboo trees.
The name means ‘blue cotton waterfall’ and probably comes from the hazy blue colour of the falls in the evening.
West Java Waterfalls
7. Curug Cikanteh Waterfall (West Java)
This is the main waterfall at the Ciletuh Geopark in West Java, and it’s truly a giant.
The geopark is a bit hard to reach since it’s a 4-6 hour drive from Jakarta or Bandung, but once you get there, you can reach this waterfall with 15 minutes of driving and then 15 minutes of hiking.
Curug Cikanteh might be my new favourite Indonesia waterfall. If you hike to the top in the late afternoon, you can even see a huge rainbow.
8. Curug Cimarinjung Waterfall (West Java)
This is another popular waterfall at the Ciletuh Geopark in West Java.
If you’re staying at accommodation in the geopark, you can reach this waterfall with a 10-minute drive and a 5-minute hike.
Curug Cimarinjung is a 2-step waterfall with a bunch of good viewpoints.
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9. Curug Cikaso Waterfall (West Java)
This is a unique looking limestone waterfall with a greenish turquoise pool.
Curug Cikaso is located in West Java near the Ciletuh Geopark. If you’re staying in the geopark, it’s a 1.5-hour drive and then a 5-minute hike to reach these unusual falls.
This waterfall is a stunner! The best time to visit is around March/April, at the end of the rainy season.
10. Curug Citambur Waterfall (West Java)
This is a big waterfall you can visit on a day trip from Bandung city.
The drive takes about 3 hours from town, but then you can walk straight to the waterfall in less than 3 minutes. Curug Citambur is a 2-step waterfall with several viewpoints for taking pics.
The best way to visit this waterfall is to combine it with the epic Kawah Putih crater lake since they’re both in the same direction from Bandung.
Flores Waterfalls
11. Cunca Rami Waterfall (Flores)
This is a big triple waterfall in west Flores, near the town of Labuan Bajo.
If you happen to be visiting the Komodo National Park, it’s easy to go see this waterfall from Labuan Bajo. It’s a 1.5-hour drive from town.
The hike down to the falls is moderate and takes about 1 hour in each direction. It can be a good idea to hire a local guide to show you the way.
Bali Waterfalls
12. Sekumpul Waterfall (Bali)
This is a huge twin waterfall in north Bali with two 80 meter tall streams pouring out of the jungle treetops.
If you’re looking for the biggest and best waterfall in Bali, this is probably it! To top it off, you get to see some of the most scenic jungles and rice terraces on the island.
This place is no longer a secret, but since it’s in the far northern part of the island and pretty far from town, the crowds are still not too bad.