If a cave waterfall without the crowds sounds right up your street, then a visit to Goa Raja Waterfall is a must. As you head along the trail it doesn’t feel like you’re suddenly going to arrive at a huge cave, and your first sight of the falls is a definite wow moment.
The track is more on the rustic side, with plenty of walking through the creek - which is nice and shallow in the dry season - but it’s fun and definitely worth the small amount of extra effort.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Goa Raja Waterfall.
Goa Raja Waterfall
The walk to get there
Distance: 1.5km return
Elevation: 55m
Difficulty: Easy but rustic and you will get wet feet
If you haven’t come by scooter, you might want to walk the last 260m along the road, as it’s a bit narrow and though perfectly fine for cars to use, it would be very hard to pass anyone. Scooters will have plenty of room.
It’s easy enough to go on foot though, so it’s not really an issue.
It’s flat at first, and then a little downhill before you’ll see a sign on your left which marks the start of the official trail.
The first little bit of the paved path is very slippery when wet, so go carefully. You’ll then reach a series of steps, which are quite easy to descend and much less slick.
It does feel less maintained than some other waterfall trails, but it’s still straightforward enough if you come knowing it’s rustic.
You’ll soon cross a rickety bridge and then arrive at a temple. The trail continues along the right hand side of the temple.
You’ll soon begin following the creek. For the most part there are paths or rocks on either side of the water, but sometimes it’s easier just to walk straight through the creek.
You’ll have to do it at some point anyway and there’s no chance of keeping your shoes dry, so you may as well just get right in there!
Roughly 180m beyond the temple there is one section of the creek which has quite a bit of debris (at least on our visit, though it may get cleared), so you’ll want to use the overgrown path on the left (through the greenery).
The final part of the walk involves walking up through the creek and there’s no paths to avoid it.
In the dry season the water is really low - less than ankle height - and it’s not slippery, so it’s very easy to walk through.
It only takes a few minutes before you’ll see a small waterfall ahead of you and an opening in the tall cliff walls on the right. You’ll round the corner and get your first glimpse of Goa Raja Waterfall which is an incredible sight.
The cliff wall that it cascades over is pretty much vertical, so it feels really dramatic, especially with the cave setting.
Exploring the falls
You can walk over to the little sandy bank and see the waterfall head on, as well as have a look in the cave (which is more of a giant overhang).
There is a pool at the base of the falls which is not big or deep enough to swim, but is good for a cool plunge.
We visited just before midday and there were also a few light rays shining through, which added a bit of magic.
They’re not on the scale of nearby Tukad Cepung, but very pretty nonetheless.
It’s a great spot to enjoy a cave waterfall without having to worry about the crowds.
The downside is that on our visit at least, the river had not been cleaned like it normally would be due to the lack of visitors over the last couple of years.
There was some litter around which did detract a bit from the experience, but will hopefully not be an issue as it becomes more popular (the owner said it will be cleaned as visitor numbers increase).
Overall though, despite this, it’s a stunning waterfall and we loved visiting, especially as we got it to ourselves which made it all the more atmospheric.
Goa Raja Waterfall entry fee
At time of writing entrance to the falls is free. When tourism picks up it is likely to have an entry fee. If you visit and have to buy a ticket, please let us know so we can update the price in this guide.
The best time to visit
Whilst it remains a hidden gem, you don’t have to worry about when to visit in terms of crowds. In terms of photography, it’s also pretty easy because the cliff walls are so high that they block out harsh light which would cause difficult shadows.
We saw some light rays a little before midday - which was very cool - but it’s not on the scale of Tukad Cepung, so I wouldn’t say it’s worth planning your trip around them - although there’s always a chance there are more of them earlier in the day like at Tukad Cepung.
There was plenty of water in the falls during our visit in late May, it would no doubt have an even bigger flow in the rainy season.
Getting to Goa Raja Waterfall
Goa Raja Waterfall is located just under a 10 minute drive from Tukad Cepung, so it makes sense to do them both together if you have time. It’s just under an hour’s drive from Ubud, 45 minutes from Sidemen and just under 1.5 hours from Kuta.
The road is sealed all the way and good for cars and scooters up until that very last 260m, which is narrow for cars (only an issue if passing other cars but you can’t guarantee you won’t need to).
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