The previous post about Munduk was about the people. But the biggest reason people come to munduk is for the nature that surrounds it. That is what this blog is about.
Waterfall 1: the hidden one
There are lots of waterfalls in the area. We love waterfalls. The sound, the fresh air, swimming in the cool water. And of course the nice walks you often have to do to reach them.
We visited a couple of waterfalls. One was close to our guesthouse and well off the beaten path. The only tourists that went there seem to be the ones staying in one of the few guesthouses of Banyuatis (the village near Munduk we were staying). When we visited we were the only people there. It was a pretty waterfall, and nice short walk (maybe 15 minutes) to get there. There was one steep section but overall it was an easy walk, even when carrying a baby.
Waterfall 2: Banyumala twin waterfall
Another waterfall we visited was a lot more popular. It was not overly crowded but there were plenty of people (all taking selfies on the same rock). They were there with good reason though, because the waterfall was very impressive. And the hike there was fun, and still easy with a baby. Part of it was a good paved path descending a bit. Lily could walk this section alone, and got pretty angry when we reached the steeper, unpaved section, and we started to carry her. She really wanted to walk there herself! After a short while she accepted the situation though, and enjoyed the nice views. I think the walk took us around half an hour. If you don’t notice a lot of people on the following photos it’s because Lidewij has a talent for making busy places seem deserted in her photography :p.
The last waterfall we visited was the backdrop for a lunch. We didn’t have the time and energy anymore to descent to the base of this waterfall, but having lunch with this view is pretty amazing. In the end I had to climb down a little towards the waterfall though, because…. you see that bottle Lily is drinking from? She has the tendency to sometimes throw things on the ground…. so….
Lily is really enjoying stairs. Here she’s climbing from the restaurant back to the car. Fun fact: the restaurant was actually employing someone to slow down oncoming traffic so customers could cross the busy road.
Rice fields
There are lots of rice fields around Munduk. We enjoyed a walk through them.
Parts we carried our daughter, but parts she explored herself.
These ricefields were maybe slightly less dramatic than the well known UNESCO Jatiluwih ricefields (which we will cover in a later post), but the lack of tourists meant walking here was just such a serene experience. And lots of fun with a small child that has just started walking! Highly recommended!
We can really recommend the Munduk area for nature. There are literally dozens of waterfalls, beautiful rice field, and you could do jungle trekking as well. And there’s lots of activities you can do here with a small child. Base yourself here for a couple of days and enjoy the serenity!
Nice