Waterfalls and the North in Lombok and the Gili Islands

Part of the Lombok and the Gili Islands travel guide — see every topic in All Lombok and the Gili Islands Guides.

Lombok's north is the wet side: rainforest on Rinjani's lower slopes, rivers cutting down through the volcanic rock, and two waterfalls at Senaru that are among the best in Indonesia. The area was hit hard by the 2018 earthquakes — villages, the trails and the tourism infrastructure all suffered — and has largely rebuilt. The drive up from the west coast, past the Malimbu and Nipah viewpoints over the Gili Islands, is the most scenic road on Lombok.

Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep

Sendang Gile is the accessible one: a two-tier fall reached by a few hundred steps from the Senaru car park, about ten minutes down. Tiu Kelep, twenty to thirty minutes further on a rougher path that crosses the river several times and passes through a Dutch-era irrigation tunnel, is the better of the two — a wide curtain dropping into a broad pool inside a green amphitheatre, where you can swim. Local guides at the entrance are effectively compulsory and cost 50,000–100,000 rupiah, which is fair for the river crossings.

The other falls

Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu, on Rinjani's southern flank near Aik Berik, are quieter: Kelambu in particular is unusual, with water emerging from vegetation along a broad rock face like a curtain rather than dropping from a lip. Tiu Teja in the north-west is a tall, narrow single drop. Mangku Sakti, on the north-east, has striking blue-white water from volcanic minerals. All charge a small entrance and most involve a walk of ten to forty minutes on paths that are slippery after rain.

The north coast road

The road from Senggigi north through Malimbu and Nipah is the drive worth doing: it climbs and falls along a cliff coastline with the three Gili Islands laid out below and, on a clear morning, Bali's Mount Agung across the strait. There are marked viewpoints with warungs. Beyond it the road continues around the north through Bangsal — the harbour for the public boats to the Gilis — and on to Sire, which has calm reef-protected water, and eventually to Senaru.

Practicalities

Senaru is around two hours from Senggigi and three from Kuta Lombok; the falls are a full day from the south. Entrance fees are 10,000–30,000 rupiah plus parking and the guide. Wear shoes with grip and expect to get wet at Tiu Kelep — the river crossings are knee-deep and the spray reaches the whole amphitheatre. Flow is heaviest in and just after the wet season. The area still shows earthquake damage in places, and some minor trails remain closed.

Waterfalls and the North at a glance

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