Indonesia Waterfall Guide 17 Best Waterfalls 2023
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.
In fact, 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).
Ponot 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 of the falls in about 10-15 minutes.
The magnificent Ponot Waterfall in Sumatra
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 definitely 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.
This is commonly mistaken for being the tallest waterfall in Indonesia, but that’s actually not correct. The Ponot Waterfall, also near Lake Toba, is much taller. However, Sipiso is still stunning and well worth a visit!
Read More: Sipiso Piso Waterfall
Sipiso Piso Waterfall in North Sumatra
Drone pic of Sipiso
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).
Mursala 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!
The King Kong waterfall on Mursala island
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, along with a few other nearby waterfalls.
Tumpak Sewu is 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 end result is an unmissable natural wonder!
People often visit this waterfall on a road trip and combine it with other amazing sights in East Java, such as the Mount Bromo and Kawah Ijen volcano craters.
Read More: Tumpak Sewu Waterfall
Tumpak Sewu Waterfall in East Java
Below the waterfall
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 amphitheater. 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.
Read More: Kabut Pelangi Waterfall
The impressive Kabut Pelangi Waterfall in 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 color of the falls in the evening.
Read More: Kapas Biru Waterfall
Jurassic Park scenery at Kapas Bir
West Java Waterfalls
7. Curug Cikanteh Waterfall (West Java)
Curug Cikanteh is one of the biggest waterfalls at the Ciletuh Geopark in West Java, and it’s truly a giant.
This is part of a UNESCO-designated geopark loaded with nice waterfalls in Indonesia. It’s reachable by driving a half day from Jakarta, and there are some nice places to stay near the waterfalls.
The geopark takes a bit of effort to reach since it’s a 4-6 hour drive from Jakarta or Bandung, but once you get to there, you can reach this waterfall with 15 minutes of driving and then 15 minutes of hiking. There’s also a steep mini path to climb up to the base of the falls and see them up close, which takes an extra 5-10 minutes of hiking.
Curug Cikanteh might be my new favorite Indonesia waterfall. If you hike to the top in the late afternoon, you can even stand under a big rainbow!
Drone pic of Cikanteh
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.
2-step waterfall at Curug Cimarinjung
Drone pic of Cimarinjung
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 April, at the end of the rainy season, when the water has such a nice color.
The unique looking green waterfall at Curug Cikaso
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.
Curug Citambur Waterfall in West Java
11. Tiu Kelep Waterfall (Lombok)
This is the most famous waterfall in Lombok, and rightly so. It’s a very beautiful and unique cascade with a bunch of waterfalls joined together.
Hiking to the waterfall is pretty easy and only takes less than 30 minutes. Along the way, you can see troops of wild monkeys and another nice waterfall called Sendang Gile.
The locals at Tiu Kelep will try to make you hire an expensive guide for this hike, but it’s not really necessary unless you want someone to take pictures for you. The path to the falls is in good condition and easy to follow without any guide.
The Tiu Kelep Waterfall is located in north Lombok, on the slopes of Mount Rinjani. It’s a 2 hour drive from the tourist areas of Senggigi or Mataram. This is undoubtedly one of the best waterfalls in Indonesia!
Book Now: Tiu Kelep Waterfall Tour