It is difficult to make a waterfall guide in Indonesia because there are so many great waterfalls in this country and it is difficult to choose the best ones.
Many of the best waterfalls in Indonesia are located on Sumatra and Java, but smaller islands such as Bali and Lombok also have some great ones.
In fact, pretty much every island in this country has at least a couple of stunning waterfalls if you explore a little. You can click on the links in this guide for more information and instructions on some of them.
This is not a complete list of the best waterfalls in Indonesia, but these are just some of the largest and most beautiful that we have seen so far on our many trips around this country!
Sumatra Waterfalls
1. Ponot Waterfall (North Sumatra)
It is perhaps the largest waterfall in Indonesia of all, with a height of over 250 meters.
Ponot Waterfall is a huge 3-step waterfall near the famous Toba Lake in North Sumatra, which you can visit on a day trip from east Toba with an approximately 2-hour drive.
You can see it from the parking lot or walk to the foot of the waterfalls in about 10-15 minutes.
2. Sipiso Piso Waterfall (North Sumatra)
Sipiso Piso is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Sumatra and also one of the highest waterfalls in Indonesia.
It is a 120-meter giant that flows into the famous Toba Lake in northern Sumatra, surrounded by farms and mountain landscapes. It definitely belongs to any road trip route to Lake Toba or Sumatra, or you can even visit it on a day trip from Medan.
The hike to the bottom of the waterfalls is also worth it if you have time. It takes about 30-40 minutes each way, and you can take even better photos below.
This is often confused with the highest waterfall in Indonesia, but it is actually not correct. The Ponot waterfall, also near Lake Toba, is much higher. However, Sipiso is still beautiful and worth a visit!
3. Mursala Waterfall (North Sumatra)
The Mursala waterfall is unique for flowing directly into the sea! You don’t see that very often.
This one is called the King Kong Stunt because of its resemblance to a waterfall on “Skull Island” in the movie King King (2005), although I think that you will only see it in the Extended Edition.
Mursala Island is a small, remote island off the west coast of Sumatra, and getting there is not easy. The only way to visit it is by boat, and the sea can be rough!
Waterfalls of Sulawesi
4. Piala Waterfall (Central Sulawesi)
The Piala Waterfall is a large turquoise waterfall with several waterfalls in the Banggai region in the center of Sulawesi near the city of Luwuk.
This one reminded me a little of the famous Kuang Si falls in Laos, which also have turquoise waters and many separate waterfalls and natural pools where you can swim.
It is easy to visit the Piala Waterfall from Luwuk, as it is located just outside the city, and the trip takes only about 15 minutes.
This waterfall is still mostly not-known to international tourists, but many locals go there, so if you want to beat the crowd, you need to go there in the morning, preferably on a weekday!
East Java Waterfalls
5. Tumpak Sewu Waterfall (East Java)
It is perhaps the coolest waterfall on the island of Java, and you can visit it on a day trip from the city of Malang, along with several other waterfalls nearby.
Tumpak Sewu is called a waterfall,but there are rather a thousand waterfalls together. The loosely translated name from Javanese means ” many waterfalls.”
These waterfalls rush into a horseshoe-shaped jungle canyon that looks like something straight out of Jurassic Park. The end result is a natural wonder that you should not miss!
People often visit this waterfall on a road trip and combine it with other awesome sights in East Java, such as Mount Bromo and Kawah Ijen Volcano craters.
