Posted by “They say ‘don’t go chasing waterfalls,’ we both disagree.”
That was my Facebook caption the day of the secret waterfall tour, and it is still the truest thing I have posted from a trip. We learned a few things that day. Our guide’s interpretation of flat was not what ours was. I regret every leg day I have ever skipped. Take tons of photos, because you will want them.
The tour was a private, all-inclusive waterfall run on June 17, 2025, two adults, me and Devon, just us and a driver who knew where the good water was. The location tag on my Instagram post says Banyumala Twin Waterfalls, and my caption that day was simpler: “Surrounded by lush greenery, the sound of rushing water, and nothing but serenity… this is Bali’s best-kept secret.” The “secret” spots are not exactly secret anymore, but standing in front of them, you stop caring about that.
The walks down are the real story. These are not roadside pull-offs. You hike down through the jungle, steps and roots and the kind of slope that makes you grateful for real shoes, and then the falls open up in front of you: jungle walls, mist in the air, water you can hear before you see. Some of the water was chilly, the kind that wakes you up fast, and then there was the iconic moment, the one where you stop taking photos and just stand there.
[NIKO: which waterfalls did you visit besides Banyumala? Names and a line on each.]
Our guide knew photo stops we would never have found on our own, little angles and ledges off the main path. That is the quiet argument for the private tour: you linger where you want, you skip what does not move you, and nobody is checking a watch. The pace was ours, and we used it.
Practical notes: wear real shoes with grip, not sandals. Bring a dry bag for the phone and camera, because the mist gets everywhere and you will want the photos. Go ready to climb, because the “flat” parts of Bali are a local interpretation.
I say this in my work all the time: the quiet part is the best part. Everyone books the waterfall for the photo, but what you carry home is the walk down, the mist, the moment the falls come into view and the whole group goes quiet at once. A private tour buys you that moment without a stranger’s elbow in the frame. That is the real upgrade, not the car, the control of your own time.
Practical info: Tour: Secret waterfall tour, private all-inclusive (Viator). Date: June 17, 2025. Party: 2 adults, Niko and Devon. Booking ref: 1621939809. Book it: [AFFILIATE LINK TO BE INSERTED]
