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In Brief
Banyumala Twin Waterfall is in Wanagiri village, in the Sukasada district of Buleleng, up in the north Bali highlands near Lake Buyan. Two tall streams, with a thinner third one beside them, fall down a green cliff into a natural pool about 15 metres across that is deep enough to swim in. You reach it on foot, down forest paths and steps from the village, and the climb back up is the real effort of the visit. A group from Wanagiri has managed it since it opened to visitors in July 2015 and collects the entry fee at the site. Go on a weekday morning in dry weather, wear shoes that grip, and fold it into a day with the twin lakes, the Handara Gate and Ulun Danu Beratan temple.
The two main streams of Banyumala, with the thinner third on the right. Photo: Chainwit. / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Banyumala at a Glance
- What it is: A twin waterfall over a swimmable natural pool, in forest below the Wanagiri ridge
- Where: Banjar Asah Panji, Wanagiri village, Sukasada district, Buleleng; about 27 km from Singaraja
- Getting down: A walk through forest and clove gardens, with steps on the steep parts
- Run by: The village tourism group for the waterfall, Kelompok Sadar Wisata Air Terjun Banyumala, listed on the Buleleng government's Visit North Bali directory
- Entry: A fee paid at the site, with one rate for Indonesians and another for foreign visitors
- Swimming: Yes, in the main pool
- Best time: A weekday morning in dry weather
- Open to visitors since: July 2015
What You Find at the Bottom
The cliff at Banyumala is almost entirely covered in creepers, so the water seems to come out of a green wall. The two main streams fall a short distance apart, which is where the "twin" in the name comes from. A third, thinner stream runs down the dark rock to their right. Ahmad Muzakky, a writer from Singaraja who described the site for Mongabay Indonesia, counted three falls: a main one with two smaller ones beside it.
All of them drain into one pool. By his account it is round, about 15 metres across, and clear enough to see the stones on the bottom. He also saw rainbows form in the spray at the foot of the falls at certain times of day.
The Buleleng tourism office's own listing puts it simply: a water curtain coming down from the cliffs, a clear pool below, and a calm, relatively quiet place where you can hear the water without the noise of crowds. That quiet is the reason to come.
The welcome sign at Banyumala. Photo: Chainwit. / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The Walk Down
You leave the car or scooter in the village at the top and go the rest of the way on foot. The path runs through forest and clove plantations, then drops down the cliffs on steps cut into the soil and edged with wood. The detikBali report describes dozens of steps held together by tree roots. Mongabay's writer put the walk at 15 to 30 minutes.
A garden path at Banyumala. Photo: Chainwit. / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Going down is easy on dry ground. Coming back up is a steady climb at altitude, and it takes longer than the descent, so leave yourself time and some water for it. Near the pool, a bamboo walkway and railings lead along the edge of the water.
If you already know the walks around Munduk, this is shorter than most of them. The Munduk waterfalls hiking guide covers the longer trails a few kilometres west.
Swimming at Banyumala
Swimming is the main event here, and the tourism office's listing mentions people swimming and soaking in the pool. Depth depends on how much water is coming down. Mongabay described it as chest-deep on an adult; detikBali put it at about two metres. Treat it as swimming depth and get in from the edge rather than jumping.
Swimmers in the pool below the falls. Photo: Chainwit. / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The water comes straight off the highlands, so expect it to be cold and bring something warm for afterwards. Keep out from directly under the falling water, where the force is strongest and loose material can come down with it.
When to Go
Time of day. Early. The walk is cooler, the pool is quieter, and the highlands tend to cloud over as the day goes on, which is described in more detail in the Bedugul guide. A morning at Banyumala leaves the afternoon free for the lakes.
Day of the week. Mongabay's writer advised avoiding weekends, when it is busier.
Season. The dry season, roughly April to October, gives firmer footing on the steps. In the wet season the falls carry more water and the path is harder going. In July and August, according to the same Mongabay report, the walk in smells of the coffee and clove harvest in the gardens along the way. For the wider picture, see the best time to visit north Bali.
Entry and Who Runs It
Banyumala opened as a place to visit in July 2015. Residents of Wanagiri who live near the waterfall opened it and run it, collecting the entry fee at the site. Today the Buleleng government's Visit North Bali directory lists the managing group, the Kelompok Sadar Wisata Air Terjun Banyumala (the village's tourism awareness group), with its chairman, Putu Sukadana, and a WhatsApp contact button.
The fee is paid in cash when you arrive, and foreign visitors pay a different rate from Indonesians. For the current fee or to ask about conditions before you drive up, use the contact on the directory page. An Instagram account for the waterfall shares photos from the site.
Banyumala Twin Waterfalls on Instagram
What to Wear and Bring
- Shoes that grip on wet ground. Strapped river sandals or trail shoes. Flip-flops on root steps are how people fall.
- Swimwear under your clothes, so you can change fast at the bottom.
- A towel and a warm layer. The air is cool at this height and the water colder.
- Cash in small notes for the entry fee.
- Drinking water for the climb out.
- A dry bag or a plastic bag for a phone, since the spray carries.
After Rain
Both Indonesian reports warn that the steps turn slippery in the rain. They are soil held by roots and wood, and after a downpour they turn to mud quickly.
If it has rained hard, go slowly, hold the railings where they exist, and expect the climb back to take longer. When the pool water is running brown or much faster than usual, stay on the bank and look. In the wet season, plan to be walking out before the afternoon, when rain is most likely to come in.
The bamboo walkway along the pool. Photo: Chainwit. / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How to Fit It Into a Munduk or Bedugul Day
Banyumala sits in the middle of the highland circuit, so it combines easily with the rest of it. The Visit North Bali directory places Banyuwana Amertha waterfall about 2.3 km away and the Wanagiri Hidden Hill viewpoints about 2.6 km away.
A simple order for the day:
- Banyumala first thing, while the path is dry and the pool is quiet.
- The Wanagiri ridge for the view down over the lakes. The Wanagiri Hidden Hills guide is honest about which platforms are worth stopping for.
- Lakes Buyan and Tamblingan below, for a walk or a canoe on the water; see the twin lakes guide.
- The Handara Gate at Pancasari, the split gateway at the entrance to the Handara golf resort.
- Pura Ulun Danu Beratan on Lake Beratan, just over the regency line in Tabanan. The temple's own site dates it to around 1634, built by the King of Mengwi, and counts it among Bali's most important temples.
If you are staying in Munduk, swap the order and walk the village falls another day; the Munduk guide and the page on Munduk's coffee plantations fill the rest of that trip. For the wider set of falls across the north, start with the north Bali waterfalls guide.
Getting There
From Singaraja, detikBali gives about 27 km and an hour's ride by motorbike on the mountain road. Lovina is a little further west, so allow a little over an hour from there. From the south, Mongabay gives about 65 km and two and a half hours from Denpasar.
A driver who knows the highlands saves you the search for the turn and the parking. The guide to private drivers in north Bali explains how day hire works, and getting to north Bali covers the routes over the mountains.
Practical Notes
- Cash for the entry fee; there is no card machine to count on.
- Morning, weekday, dry weather is the combination that works best.
- Allow about two hours for the walk down, a swim and the climb back.
- Carry out your rubbish. The sign at the entrance asks visitors to protect the forest.
- Staying nearby: Palm Living's villas for rent are on the coast around Lovina, a little over an hour's drive below Banyumala, and a good base for highland day trips.
FAQ
Can you swim at Banyumala Twin Waterfall? Yes. The falls drop into a round natural pool about 15 metres across, deep enough to swim in, and swimming there is normal. Expect the water to be cold.
How long is the walk to Banyumala waterfall? About 15 to 30 minutes down, through forest and clove gardens and then on steps down the cliff. The climb back up takes longer. Allow about two hours for the whole visit.
Where is Banyumala Twin Waterfall? In Wanagiri village, Sukasada district, Buleleng, in the north Bali highlands near Lake Buyan. It is about 27 km from Singaraja and a little over an hour by road from Lovina.
Is Banyumala waterfall safe after rain? The steps get slippery in the rain, so a dry morning is the better time to go. Wear shoes with grip, go slowly on the root steps, and stay out of the pool if the water is running brown or fast.
Is there an entrance fee at Banyumala? Yes. A small fee is paid in cash at the site to the village group that runs it, with a separate rate for foreign visitors. The current fee is best checked through the contact on the Buleleng tourism directory page.
Can you combine Banyumala with Ulun Danu Beratan and the Handara Gate? Easily. They are all on the same highland circuit. Do Banyumala in the morning, then the Wanagiri viewpoints, the twin lakes, the Handara Gate at Pancasari and the temple on Lake Beratan.
Sources
- Buleleng Tourism Office, Visit North Bali: Banyumala Waterfall, listing dated 5 February 2024, read September 2026 (in English; managing group and contact)
- Buleleng Tourism Office, Visit North Bali: Banyuwana Amertha Waterfall, read September 2026
- Ahmad Muzakky, Menengok segarnya Air Terjun Banyumala Bali, Mongabay Indonesia, 12 August 2018 (in Indonesian; opening, the walk, the pool, seasons)
- Made Wijaya Kusuma, Megahnya Air Terjun Kembar Banyumala, sepotong surga di Bali Utara, detikBali, 22 November 2022 (in Indonesian; distance, steps, pool, manager); republished by the Buleleng Culture and Tourism Office
- Wikipedia (Indonesian), Air Terjun Banyumala, citing Radar Bali, 3 September 2017 (banjar and opening date)
- DTW Ulun Danu Beratan, official site, read September 2026 (the temple's location and history)
- Photographs: Chainwit., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, taken October 2022
More in the highlands: Gitgit waterfall on the road up from the coast, Sekumpul to the east, and the best waterfalls in Bali island-wide.
