More than 500 steep steps lead from a car park into a forested gorge, where tropical vegetation rises taller and grows denser as the path descends. Hidden from view, the waterfall announces itself through a distant rumble that builds on the way down. Only when the final steps turn a corner does Nungnung reveal itself, a broad column of water dropping roughly 50 metres between walls of green.
Spray reaches beyond the basin, settling on rocks darkened by moisture and the shade of the surrounding forest. In the early morning, much of the gorge remains in shadow. When sunlight eventually finds a gap in the canopy, it catches the drifting mist. A visual that adds to the magic of Nungnung Waterfall.
Nungnung lies in Bali’s Petang district, in the uplands of Badung. Its force is the main attraction, though visitors tend to arrive in waves, stopping briefly only for enough time for a dip and a picture, before beginning the climb back. Reaching this waterfall from Canggu or Ubud isn’t hard, only just over an hour from either of the popular tourist hotspots, but takes a deliberate detour, which makes it an easy place to leave on the wish list in favour of visiting closer waterfalls.
Every step descended must be climbed again, but for those who make the journey, they are rewarded with standing in the midst of nature, and reminded of its raw power.
