Suwat Waterfall is one of many waterfalls located in central Bali. Suwat Waterfall is located in Gianyar Regency, about 30 minutes from the bustling Balinese cultural capital of Ubud.
As Bali has increased in popularity over the last few years, so has Suwat Waterfall. Most of the other articles online describe Suwat Waterfall as a “hidden gem” or still “undiscovered” by tourists.
Well, we recently visited Suwat Waterfall in 2023 and it’s neither hidden nor undiscovered. In fact, Suwat Waterfall has become quite popular with tourists visiting from Ubud and it is not the idyllic watering hole as it’s typically described. But that’s not to say that it isn’t still beautiful and worth a visit, as long as you go into with the right expectations.
In this article, we’ve provided an honest and up-to-date guide with all the information you need to visit Suwat Waterfall in Ubud, Bali.
Article Contents (click to expand)
Suwat Waterfall in Ubud | At a Glance
- Why you’ll love it | A beautiful waterfall with chance to row a wooden float out onto the water or jump from a small cliff.
- Getting there | Suwat Waterfall is located in central Bali, about 30 minutes east of Ubud and 60-90 minutes from southern Bali (depending on traffic).
- Trail Conditions | The path down to Suwat Waterfall is easy, short, and paved. It should take you just 5 minutes to reach the waterfall from the parking lot.
- Road conditions | The road to Suwat Waterfall is in good condition. Like all of Bali, the road is narrow and winding but it’s pretty easy to reach the parking lot with a motorbike.
- Parking | Parking is free. There is a large parking lot.
- Fees | As of 2023, it costs 25,000 IDR per person to visit Suwat Waterfall
- Accommodations available | There is a bathroom and a small changing room near the waterfall.
- Refreshments | There are a few stands selling basic snacks and refreshments along the path to the waterfall.
- What to do nearby | Manuaba Waterfall, Sumampan Waterfall, Tibumana Waterfall, Goa Rang Reng Waterfall, Kanto Lampo Waterfall
Highlights
- Fun cliff jumping area behind waterfall
- Easy to access
- Not the most crowded waterfall in Ubud
Lowlights
- Entrance fee is slightly higher than almost all other waterfalls around Ubud
- Swimming hole is relatively small
- Although it isn’t super busy (see Kanto Lampo for the largest crowds), it still attracts plenty of visitors
- Not one of the prettiest waterfalls in the area, in our opinion
Suwat Waterfall | What to Expect
Suwat Squirrel Sanctuary
When you first pull into the parking lot for Suwat Waterfall, you’ll see a large statue of two squirrels. Yes, you read that correctly – a squirrel statue!
Across Bali, squirrels are considered a nuisance, especially for farmers, and are often killed. As a result, the squirrel population is rapidly dwindling. However, Suwat Waterfall and the surrounding area is a designated squirrel park, where they are breeding, raising, and protecting squirrels to help restore the population.
Pretty cool!
Once you make the short walk down to Suwat Waterfall, the first thing you’ll want to do is take in the views of the waterfall tumbling down over the cliff into the pool of water in front of you.
Swimming at Suwat Waterfall
Frankly, we didn’t think the waterfall itself or the area immediately around it were that spectacular, especially compared to other waterfalls in Ubud. Maybe we were unimpressed because we visited at the end of the dry season and much of the surrounding vegetation was dry and brown, but other waterfalls in the area were much more vibrant.
The swimming hole at the bottom of the Suwat Waterfall is a nice place to cool off, but it’s nothing too spectacular. The water is a dark brownish-green color, and the area around the swimming hole is small and rocky. As such, there isn’t much space to sit and relax.
Paddling the wooden raft
There are local guys who have a small bamboo float that you can rent for a few minutes to take some pictures for Instagram if that is your thing. As of 2023, it costs 20,000 IDR to take your picture on the raft.
We thought the people lining up to take a picture on the raft were pretty annoying, as they had no idea how to steer the raft and were constantly getting in the way of everyone trying to swim. But hey, I’m sure you’ll get a few extra likes on your Instagram post…
Cliff jumping
One of the best parts of Suwat Waterfall is the large rock behind the falls, which you can climb up and jump off into the water. Naturally, it’s a bit slick climbing up the rock, but it’s a good cliffing jumping spot (maybe 2-3 meters high).
The swimming hole is quite deep but always be sure to check the area where you plan to jump, as rocks can move under the water.
Suwat Waterfall | FAQs
How do I get to Suwat Waterfall?
Suwat Waterfall is located about 30 minutes east of Ubud, which is the cultural capital of Bali. From towns in the south of Bali, such as Canggu, Kuta, or Seminyak, expect a 60-90 minute drive, depending on infamous Bali traffic.
Most people reach Suwat Waterfall by renting a motorbike and driving it out to the waterfall.
There are countless places to rent a motorbike in Ubud (or anywhere in Bali for that matter). You should be able to rent a bike for about 80,000 IDR for 24 hours. Many rental shops even offer free delivery directly to your hotel if you’re staying within the main area of Ubud.
We were definitely a bit nervous about zipping around Bali on a motorbike but it’s actually a ton of fun! Now don’t get me wrong, the roads are pure chaos and you definitely need to be careful while driving, but we quickly came to enjoy our road trips across the Balinese countryside.
Oh, and don’t forget to drive on the left side of the road!
How are the road conditions?
Despite being winding, hilly, and chaotic, the roads leading to Suwat Waterfall are actually in good condition. Obviously, keep an eye out for potholes and large trucks barreling at you in the opposite direction, but all the roads are paved.
Once you arrive at the parking lot, there is a small ticket booth and you’ll easily see the entrance to the falls, marked by a large wicker arch.
The path down to Suwat Waterfall takes maybe 5 minutes and is made of sturdy concrete.
How much does it cost to visit Suwat Waterfall?
As of 2023, it costs 25,000 IDR (approximately $1.60 USD) per person to visit Suwat Waterfall. This is obviously pretty cheap by any standards.
However, almost every other waterfall around Ubud is just 20,000 IDR to enter and we don’t understand why Suwat Waterfall costs an extra 5,000 IDR.
If you want to paddle on the wooden float, there is an additional 20,000 IDR fee.
When is the best time to visit Suwat Waterfall?
- Rainy season | November to March
- Dry season | April to October
Bali has two distinct seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. Dry season is the most popular time to visit for obvious reasons, so if you want to avoid the crowds you may actually prefer to visit during the rainy season. Just be prepared to plan your day around the weather if you do visit during the rainy season.
We always recommend visiting popular tourist attractions as early in the morning as possible to avoid crowds.
Because we visited Suwat Waterfall as part of a larger waterfall road trip, we arrived at Suwat Waterfall around 1:00pm and there were a good number of people already there.
It would have been a much nicer experience to be there with fewer people, as the area around the waterfall is quite small and it felt pretty cramped.
How long do I need to visit Suwat Waterfall?
Because it’s so easy to access and the area around it isn’t large, you probably only need about 30-60 minutes to visit Suwat Waterfall.
There isn’t really an area to rest so you won’t be lounging around for too long at the swimming hole.
When we visited, we took a few pictures, swam around for a few minutes, and then dried off before heading to our next destination.
Is Suwat Waterfall worth visiting?
Honestly, it depends. If you are doing a waterfall-focused road trip through the Balinese countryside and you’re going to be in the area, Suwat Waterfall is a quick and easy addition to your itinerary.
However, it definitely is not the best waterfall near Ubud and its days of being a “hidden gem” are long gone.
Let me put it this way, I would not recommend going out of your way to visit Suwat Waterfall but if you happen to be close by, it’s worth a quick stop.
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Questions about visiting the Suwat Waterfall? What did you think of the waterfall? Let us know in the comments below!
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