Bali: Handara Gate, Banyumala Waterfall & Ulun Danu Temple Tour

4.97

(146 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I saw was the mist curling around Handara Gate. Our driver Ketut grinned as he handed me a bottle of water — “You’ll need this.” He wasn’t kidding. The air felt cool but heavy with that sweet, earthy smell you only get in Bali’s mountains. There were a few other travelers waiting for their turn at the gate (it’s a thing, apparently), but nobody seemed rushed. I tried to mimic the pose everyone does here — hands pressed together — but my friend started laughing and honestly, I looked like I was about to apologize to the whole island. Still, the backdrop with those smoky hills is something else.

After that, we bumped along winding roads toward Banyumala waterfall. The path down is kind of slippery — not dangerous if you’re steady on your feet, just watch out for mossy stones (I nearly lost a flip-flop). The sound of water gets louder as you go; it’s almost like static in your ears until suddenly you’re there and it’s this wild rush pouring into a pool so clear you can see every pebble. Some people swam; I just sat on a rock with my feet dangling in and let the spray hit my face. It smelled green — if that makes sense? Like wet leaves and river stones.

Wanagiri Hidden Hills was next — swings over the lake, those giant bird nests everyone posts on Instagram. I thought it’d be cheesy but actually…it was fun. Locals showed us how to get the best angle (“Smile but don’t look down!”). There was a breeze off the lake and someone selling tiny fried bananas wrapped in newspaper — still warm when we ate them. Oh, and there are dogs everywhere here, just kind of napping under benches or trotting after tourists hoping for snacks.

The last stop was Ulun Danu Beratan Temple floating on its own little patch of lake. It felt quieter than I expected — maybe because clouds were rolling in and everything looked softer somehow. Our guide told us it’s dedicated to Dewi Danu, goddess of water; he lit some incense and let us wander around while he chatted with one of the gardeners about tomorrow’s weather (rain again). I took too many photos but honestly none really caught how peaceful it felt standing there watching ripples move out from the temple steps.