Tukad Cepung Waterfall is one of our favorite spots to photograph in Bali. It’s a pretty painless skirmish from Ubud and you won’t need to leave at the crack of dawn to beat the crowds.
We visited the area and arrived at the top of the pathway that leads down towards Tukad Cepung around 9:30 am. We think this is the best time to arrive as it will give you plenty of time to set up your shot and get into a good position as the sun moves over the top of the cave.
If you’re lucky and it’s not too cloudy then you’ll get to see the cave in all its glory as rays of light beam down into the cavern and light up the waterfall and cave below – it’s a pretty impressive sight!
After purchasing two entrance tickets from the small kiosk at the top we made our way down through the lush, forested-pathways and towards the cave. It only takes around 15 minutes to get from the kiosk to the cave and it’s a gentle decent for the most part, with just a few stairs along the way.
We made our way down and past some warungs, and were greeted with warm smiles as the locals beckoned us in for breakfast. We were almost tempted when we could smell the freshly-fried banana, but we knew we had to time it right to see the beams of light illuminate the cave, so reluctantly continued along the path.
The path for the most part is pleasant and both sides are surrounded by tropical plant-life, and lush greens – the colour palette of Bali. As you reach the bottom of the pathway there is a small descent down some stairs taking you into the void of a dark canyon, before splitting-off in two directions.
The path on the right leads out into the bright side of the canyon, which is covered with lush green foliage and the other towards the cave and into a darker area that looks devoid of life. We had to wade through shallow water at this point before coming to the entrance of the cave, which was a lot smaller than we’d imagined!
After clambering underneath some precariously-stacked boulders we passing into a cavern which was filled with light and dripping with moisture, this then opened out into another entrance where the cave and waterfall was located.
A queue had started to form at the entrance as people waited patiently for a photograph. I guess you can’t expect to have these places all to yourself, but it was good to see everyone waiting patiently and this way we all got to capture a great image.
We only needed to wait for around ten minutes before the beams of light started to pass through the cave. It was a fantastic sight and we took plenty of photos before venturing into the cave and cooling off under the refreshing waters.
Photographing Tukad Cepung Waterfall
The low-lighting conditions in the cave aren’t the best for photography, there isn’t really much room for a tripod, you’ll also struggle with a smartphone so bring your camera if you have one. We also recommend packing your gear into a dry bag as there was a lot of water dripping from the roof of the cave, and a fair bit of spray coming off the waterfall.
For photography I’d recommend standing a little out of the cave and photographing your subject somewhere inside the cave and near the falls, this way you won’t have to bump up the ISO too much. You’ll also be able to capture the curvy structure of the cave and you can use it to frame your shot.
For the pictures we took inside the cave I shot on manual with an ISO of about 800, used a wide aperture of F2.8 and shutter speed of 1/100.
On the way out of the cave there are some large boulders and this is another great place for a picture. If you time it right you’ll be able to capture the rays of light passing through the foliage at the top. Once we’d took it all in and drained the camera battery from over-use we headed back up and enjoyed some of that delicious fried-banana!
Best Time Of Day To Visit Tukad Cepung Waterfall
For most places in Bali we recommend a really early start to avoid the crowds, but if you want to see the best lighting at Tukad Cepung Waterfall your start doesn’t need to be quite so early, especially if you’re coming from Ubud. The best time to get there is around 9:30 am. This gives you time to get down to the waterfall in enough time before the light rays shine into the cave.
It was still relativity quiet when we arrived with a small queue for photos so everyone took their turn. The light rays start to shine into the cave just before 10:00 am and then as it gets a little later the light shines down onto the water. We left around 10:30 am and by that point it had started to get a lot busier.
If you have a bit more time in the morning and fancy a relaxing breakfast then arrive even earlier and head to one of the local warungs on the way down to the waterfall. It’s a gorgeous, peaceful setting and very quiet at that time in the morning making it a great spot to enjoy a coffee and breakfast.
How To Get To Tukad Cepung Waterfall
To get to Tukad Cepung Waterfall you will need to hire a driver for a day or half a day or drive a scooter there yourself. A driver for the day will be around 500-600,000 IDR. Scooter rental is around 50-70,000 IDR a day.
From Ubud it is just a short hour’s drive to Tukud Cepung Waterfall and around 28 km.
From Canggu or Seminyak it takes around 1.5-2 hours’ to get there depending on traffic and is about 48-53 km.
There is a free car park for bikes and cars next to the waterfall entrance.
Entrance Fee
The entrance fee to Tukad Cepung Waterfall is 15,000 IDR per person and the ticket booth is at the top of the steps that lead down to the waterfall.
What To Pack
- Drybag – there can be heavy drips of water as you move through the cave to enter the waterfall area so use a drybag to protect any electronics.
- Camera – due to the low lighting conditions inside the cave we recommend taking a camera as you should be able to capture a more detailed image on a camera rather than a smartphone.
- Swimwear – it is possible to visit the cave without getting wet from your mid-calves up so swimwear is only really required if you want go under the waterfall.
- Flip flops/easy to remove shoes – you will need to walk through a small area of water to get to the waterfall that is no higher than mid-calves, but you will want to remove your shoes so wear something that is easy to remove and bring a bag to put them in while you’re not wearing them so they are easier to carry.
Looking for other waterfalls to visit in Bali? We definitely recommend visiting the incredible Sekumpul Waterfall in north Bali!
