Best waterfalls to see when visiting Ubud in Bali

Top 3 waterfalls to see when visiting Ubud in Bali

I went to Bali with two friends in December 2017 and wow was there a lot to see. We moved around quite a bit staying in Kuta, Seminyak, Uluwatu, Ubud and Nusa Lembongan. Of all the places we saw, Ubud was probably the most interesting with tonnes of stuff to keep us occupied.
When you get to Ubud you will see lots of individual tourist companies all trying to get you on their tours. The prices are fairly consistent and activities can range from a hike up Mount Batur to see the sunrise (with the walk starting at 2am!!!!) to visiting the famous rice terraces.
One of the best tours we went on was the waterfall tour. Instead of booking onto a proper tour group we actually hired a private driver meaning we got to go exactly where we wanted. Wayan (admittedly this isn't the best identification as generally every first born child in Bali is called Wayan) from ........ tour was very nice to us, answering all our questions and he even gave us a discount on our boat tickets to Nusa Lembongan.

Tibumana 

So, the first waterfall Wayan drove us to see was Tibumana. We were told when we got there that recent heavy rainfall had caused a landslide and it was dangerous but we continued , led by Wayan, down the steps to see the waterfall was not badly affected and still the water ran beautifully clear. There is a small island in the middle you can wade to but the flow is a bit fast for swimming.

Kanto Lampo

Visiting this waterfall was one of my highlights for the entire trip, mostly down to some generous locals who made us look like the models we were born to be. We were greeted by two young guys who directed us where to walk as you couldn't see the rocks below (definitely not one to visit if you struggle walking). They then offered to take a photo for us and so we handed over an iphone whilst keeping a cautious eye but they were genuinely nice guys. They seemed to have a flair for photography and had clearly done this before, directing us how to pose, taking a mixture of boomerangs, slow-motion and aesthetic pics that later spammed our insta feeds (annajstephens go give me a follow). In this situation we were lucky but I imagine other people may have demanded money after leading such an extensive photo shoot. 

We were able to climb the rocks so the water was pouring hard on our backs, beautifully refreshing. One of my friends didn't bring her bikini but the water was so inviting she just stripped to her bra and pants! I believe this waterfall is one of the lesser known ones but should definitely not be missed as I'm sure it will grow in popularity and become increasingly busy. 

Tegenungan

This is probably the most touristy waterfall of them all but still is worth a visit. The path down to the falls is occupied by many stalls selling the generic Bali clothes, souvenirs and refreshments. I bought myself the best butter caramel ice cream of my life! After going down the steps you can see signs indicating how much it has rained and whether you are allowed to swim or not. Unfortunately the water was too dirty for us to swim in but it was still a gorgeous waterfall. There were make-shift bridges to walk across to the other bank and you could pay to get a photo on a big swing. I imagine if the water had been clearer this would have been a lovely big pool to swim and relax in. I guess I'll just have to go back another time... 

When in Ubud you should really not miss out on the falls and hiring a private driver can be a cheap, easy way to do it! Visiting the three falls only cost 300 000 rupiah. And Kanto Lampo was my favourite out of them all.