Munduk and the Highlands in Bali
Part of the Bali travel guide — see every topic in All Bali Guides.
Munduk is a ridge village in Bali's central highlands, sitting around 800 metres up between the crater lakes and the north coast. The Dutch planted coffee, clove and vanilla here in the colonial period and much of it is still growing; the air is fifteen degrees cooler than the coast, mist moves through the valleys most afternoons, and there are more waterfalls within walking distance than anywhere else on the island. It is the best walking country on Bali and one of the few places where you will want a jumper.
The waterfalls
Munduk, Melanting, Golden Valley and Red Coral falls all sit within a few kilometres and can be walked as a loop of two to three hours from the village, on paths through coffee and clove plantations. Banyumala Twin Waterfall, twenty minutes away, is the prettiest — two parallel curtains into a clear pool you can swim in — and requires a steep descent. Sekumpul, the biggest on the island, is forty minutes east and needs a guide and a river crossing. Entrance fees are 20,000–50,000 rupiah each, cash only, and the paths are slippery after rain.
The lakes
Three crater lakes sit just above Munduk. Bratan is the famous one, with the Ulun Danu temple appearing to float on the water — the most reproduced image in Bali after Tanah Lot, and busy. Buyan and Tamblingan, the twin lakes, are quieter: no development on the shores of Tamblingan, canoes for hire, and a forest walk between them. The Wanagiri viewpoint above them has a row of photo platforms and swings over the valley. The whole area sits at 1,200 metres and is genuinely cold at dawn.
Coffee, clove and vanilla
Munduk's hillsides are a working agricultural landscape rather than scenery. Arabica coffee grows here alongside clove trees — the smell of drying cloves is everywhere in season — and vanilla vines trained up shade trees. Several smallholdings run genuine farm tours with processing on site, which is a different thing from the tasting-flight plantations on the Ubud road. Buy coffee and vanilla directly; Indonesian vanilla is excellent and a fraction of European prices. Ask before wandering into a plantation, since almost all of it is somebody's land.
Practicalities
Munduk is two and a half hours from the airport and two from Ubud, on a winding climb. Accommodation is guesthouses and small lodges at 300,000–900,000 rupiah, many with valley views and none with air conditioning, which is unnecessary. Nights drop to eighteen or nineteen degrees. It rains more here than anywhere else on the island and afternoon mist is normal, so walk in the morning. There is very little in the way of restaurants beyond the guesthouses. Bring cash, walking shoes and a warm layer.
Munduk and the Highlands at a glance
| Altitude | ~800 m; lakes above at ~1,200 m |
|---|---|
| Night temperature | 18–19°C — bring a layer |
| Waterfall loop | Munduk, Melanting, Golden Valley — 2–3 h on foot |
| Best swim | Banyumala Twin Waterfall |
| Crops | Arabica coffee, clove, vanilla |
| Distance | ~2 h from Ubud, 2.5 h from the airport |