On this page
- In Brief
- Wanagiri Hidden Hills at a Glance
- The View: Two Crater Lakes from One Ridge
- The Photo Spots: Swings, Nests and Gates, Each Priced on Its Own
- Is It Worth It? Yes for the View, Your Call on the Props
- When to Go: Dawn, Before the Cloud Builds and the Vans Arrive
- How to Get There: the Main Road Between Munduk and Bedugul
- How to Fit It In: One Stop on a Highland Morning
- Practical Notes
- FAQ
- Sources
In Brief
Wanagiri Hidden Hills is a set of viewpoints and photo platforms on the ridge above the twin lakes, in Wanagiri village, Sukasada district. It sits on the main road between Munduk and Bedugul, a short drive from either. You pay to enter, then pay again at each swing, nest or gate you want to be photographed on.
The view is worth the stop. You can take it in from the open edge of the ridge for the cost of entry alone. Go at dawn, before the cloud builds and the tour vans arrive. Thirty to forty-five minutes is usually enough, and the shore of Lake Tamblingan is the natural next stop.
Wanagiri Hidden Hills at a Glance
- What it is: viewpoints and staged photo platforms strung along a ridge
- Where: Wanagiri village, Sukasada district, on the main road between Munduk and Bedugul
- The view: Lakes Buyan and Tamblingan, side by side in the valley below
- Photo spots: swings, nests, boat-shaped platforms, gates, hearts and cage frames
- How paying works: an entry or parking fee on arrival, then a separate fee at each prop, in cash
- Best time: dawn, with the clearest dawns in the dry season
- How long: 30 to 45 minutes
- Pair with: the shore of Lake Tamblingan and Munduk
The View: Two Crater Lakes from One Ridge
The view is the reason the place exists.
The land drops away from the ridge, and the two crater lakes sit side by side in the valley below. You look down over both through the tree canopy, with the forest running unbroken from the water up the far slopes.
At dawn, before the cloud builds, the light across the valley is the kind of thing people remember from a trip. You can take that in from the open edge of the ridge without paying for a single prop.
The regency's culture and tourism office dates the ridge's fame to the photos and videos that first spread on social media in 2017.
The view that built the ridge: Buyan and Tamblingan from Wanagiri. Photo: Stefan Fussan / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
The Photo Spots: Swings, Nests and Gates, Each Priced on Its Own
The photo spots are the business built on top of the view.
Several staged installations are spread along the ridge, all positioned so the lakes fill the background of the shot:
- Swings hung out over the slope, so the lakes sit behind you as you swing toward the drop.
- Nests and boat-shaped platforms, the bird's-nest and boat decks the regency's tourism site describes. The nests are woven from branches and perched on the edge for the same framed background.
- Gates, hearts and cage frames, the standard Bali photo-stop props, set up to catch the view.
You pay to enter, then pay again at each prop you want to be photographed on. A staff member takes the photo on your phone. Fees change constantly and vary from spot to spot, so ask at the gate and bring cash.
The installations are sturdy and staffed, and the higher swings usually have safety harnesses. It is still worth checking the clip yourself before you trust it over a long drop.
Is It Worth It? Yes for the View, Your Call on the Props
For the view, yes. The ridge over Buyan and Tamblingan is one of the better highland outlooks in north Bali, and at dawn it is special.
For the photo platforms, it depends on what you want from the morning. If a swing-over-the-lakes shot is on your list, this is the place built to deliver it, and it does the job. The props are fun if they are what you came for, and forgettable if not.
If you would rather just stand and look, you can do that for the cost of entry and skip every prop. Plenty of visitors do exactly that.
Wanagiri disappoints people who arrive late expecting the postcard. They find cloud across the valley, a queue at the swings and a string of paid installations between them and the open view. The scenery is real, and the experience around it is a managed attraction. It rewards arriving early far more than arriving on time.
When to Go: Dawn, Before the Cloud Builds and the Vans Arrive
Go at dawn, the one piece of advice that changes a visit to Wanagiri.
Before about 7am, the cloud usually still sits low in the valley or has not yet built. The light is soft across both lakes, and the props are quiet.
By mid-morning three things have stacked against you. The haze has thickened over the valley, the tour vans have arrived, and there is a wait at every swing. The view that looked extraordinary in the early photographs now looks flat and crowded.
The dry season, roughly April to October (Bali provincial government), gives the clearest dawns, with June through September the most reliable window.
In the wet season the valley can fill with cloud at dawn, the lakes vanishing under a white floor. That is its own kind of beautiful, though the same weather can also close the view in entirely. In either season, early is better than late.
How to Get There: the Main Road Between Munduk and Bedugul
Wanagiri sits on the main road above the twin lakes, a short drive from Munduk village on one side and Bedugul on the other.
The viewpoints are signposted along the ridge, and the parking areas sit right off the road.
From Wanagiri the forested slopes fall away toward the north coast and the sea. Photo: F-GSPY / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
From Munduk it is a short uphill drive and the easiest add-on in the highlands. From the south, most people reach it on the Bedugul road, the same climb that passes Danau Beratan before cresting the ridge.
A private driver is the practical way to do it. The mountain road is narrow and winds through bends that leave little room to overtake. Stringing Wanagiri together with the lakes and Munduk in one morning also works far better with someone who knows the road. A scooter is fine for confident riders in dry conditions.
The complete north Bali guide shows how the highlands connect to the rest of the region. For arrival logistics, see getting to north Bali.
How to Fit It In: One Stop on a Highland Morning
Treat Wanagiri as one stop on a highland morning. Thirty to forty-five minutes on the ridge is usually enough.
The natural pairing is the lakes themselves. After the viewpoint, the road drops you toward the shore of Tamblingan, the quieter of the two. A dugout canoe crossing there is the unhurried opposite of the swings up on the ridge. The twin lakes guide covers the shore access and the canoe operators in full.
A clean morning loop from Munduk runs like this:
- dawn at Wanagiri
- down to Tamblingan for the canoe
- back up for coffee
- the rest of the day free for the waterfalls
Staying in Munduk, more than a day trip up from the coast, is what makes the dawn start realistic. It is the difference between catching the ridge at first light and arriving with the vans. The Munduk guide lays out the wider highland itinerary.
Practical Notes
The details below change constantly. Confirm rates and conditions locally before you go.
- Entry: a ridge or parking fee applies on arrival, paid in cash.
- Photo-prop fees: each swing, nest and gate is charged separately, on top of entry.
- Payment: bring cash in small notes. Card payment is not reliable on the ridge.
- Best arrival: first light, for the soft light, the low cloud and no queues.
- Safety: check the harness clip yourself on the higher swings before trusting it over the drop.
- Time needed: 30 to 45 minutes covers the view and a couple of props.
- Footwear: the ridge edges are uneven and can be muddy after rain, so closed shoes help.
- Connectivity: mobile data works on the ridge but can be patchy down toward the lakes.
FAQ
What is Wanagiri Hidden Hills? A set of viewpoints and staged photo platforms on the ridge above the twin lakes, Buyan and Tamblingan, near Munduk and Bedugul in north Bali. The draw is the view over both lakes, with swings, nests and gates built along the edge as paid photo spots. It is a built attraction over beautiful scenery.
Is Wanagiri Hidden Hills worth it? For the view, yes, especially at dawn. For the photo platforms, only if a swing-over-the-lakes shot is something you want. You can take in the view for the entry fee and skip every prop, which is what many visitors do.
How much does Wanagiri Hidden Hills cost? There is an entry or parking fee on arrival, and each photo prop is charged separately on top of that. Rates change often and vary between spots, so confirm them at the gate and bring cash.
How do you get to Wanagiri Hidden Hills? It sits on the main road above the twin lakes, between Munduk village and Bedugul, a short drive from either. A private driver is the easiest option on the narrow mountain road. A scooter works for confident riders in dry weather.
When is the best time to visit Wanagiri? At dawn. The light is soft, the cloud sits low in the valley, and the swings are quiet. By mid-morning the haze thickens and the tour groups arrive, and the same view looks flat and crowded.
Sources
- Buleleng Culture and Tourism Office, Wanagiri Hidden Hill, read September 2026 (in Indonesian)
- Visit North Bali (Buleleng Regency), Wanagiri Hidden Hill, read September 2026
- Bali Provincial Government, Tarubali, Iklim tropis laut di Bali, read October 2026 (in Indonesian)
Next: the twin lakes, Buyan and Tamblingan for the water below the ridge, the Munduk guide for the base to do it from, and north Bali waterfalls for the rest of the morning.
