SUWAT WATERFALL
SUWAT WATERFALL IS HIDDEN GEMS OF WATERFALL AND INCOMPARABLE VIEWS SURROUND THE WATERFALL
Suwat Waterfall which has just been introduced, has become a favorite among tourists for its stunning natural beauty and breathtaking surrounding scenery, thus becoming popular among both domestic and foreign tourists quickly. With the possibility of producing iconic and Instagrammable photos, it is no wonder that Suwat Waterfall has become the target of photography lovers. Although it is not yet so crowded with visitors due to its new status as a Gianyar places of interest that offers waterfall tourism in Gianyar Regency, it is starting to gain interest from waterfall enthusiasts. If you love exploring the beauty of waterfalls, don’t miss out on visiting Suwat Waterfall. It’s beautiful scenery and interesting photo potential will give you a meaningful experience on your trip to Bali Island.
If you visit Suwat Waterfall, here’s what you need to know:
- Location of Suwat Waterfall
- History of Suwat Waterfall
- Height of Suwat Waterfall
- Unique Suwat Waterfall
- Pathway to Suwat Waterfall
- What can you do at Suwat Waterfall?
- Water War at Suwat Waterfall
- Cleansing with Holy Water at Suwat Village
- Facilities Suwat Waterfall
Location of Suwat Waterfall
Suwat Waterfall is located at Pura Dalem Street, Suwat Village, Gianyar Regency, Bali, with the postcode 80511. The journey from Kuta to Seminyak takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes by car or motorcycle. Although it is quite far, this place is very famous and iconic in Gianyar Regency. For those who want to drive themselves, Google Maps can be a useful tool to find this location, and the signs at the crossroads will help you find the direction to this waterfall. If you want to avoid any confusion in finding the location, the Hire Car and Driver service that we offer at Bali Driver Hire can be a solution. The price is affordable, and a comfortable car with good air conditioning will make the journey to Suwat Waterfall even more enjoyable.
History of Suwat Waterfall
Suwat Waterfall has a complete history. The waterfall, which has existed since ancient times, is considered sacred by the local community. This is where the Yeh Siat (Water War) Festival is often held, a tradition from Suwat Village that takes place every year at the turn of the year. The traditional village head of Suwat Village decided to open Suwat Waterfall to the public in the hope of improving the economy of the village. Infrastructure development around the waterfall began, including improving road access to the waterfall to make it easier for tourists to visit. Suwat Waterfall was opened to the public in 2019, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the waterfall was closed for several years. Now, after the situation has improved, Suwat Waterfall has reopened for tourists who want to enjoy its phenomenal scenic beauty. For those who are in Gianyar Regency, it is recommended to visit this Suwat Waterfall. Its Instagram-worthy beauty and mesmerizing views will make your day.
Height of Suwat Waterfall
Suwat Waterfall is not too high, about 15 meters from the rocky cliff. The water flow is not very fast, but it is very stable, and during the rainy season, the water flow increases rapidly, resulting in a very beautiful scenery. Around the waterfall, there are green plants that add to the beauty of the water view. The water is very clear as it comes from a spring in the hills, making it very clean and natural. There is also a pond below the waterfall that is not too deep, perfect for taking a dip and feeling the freshness of Suwat waterfall. For those who prefer to enjoy the scenery, the unspoilt surroundings of the waterfall with the cool air will make your visit very enjoyable. You can also take pictures in front of the waterfall. With a little bit of lighting, your photos will be very iconic.
Unique Suwat Waterfall
Suwat Waterfall, apart from featuring breathtaking scenery, also has unique characteristics and is different from other waterfalls, making it a highly desirable tourist destination for waterfall lovers. This uniqueness is the main attraction for tourists who are looking for a different experience when visiting a waterfall, where they can enjoy the beauty of nature while seeing the uniqueness of Suwat Waterfall. Here are some of the things that make Suwat Waterfall different and interesting:
- Turtle Gate: One of the uniqueness of Suwat Waterfall is its entrance, called the Turtle Gate, which is shaped like a turtle. According to the story from the Suwat traditional village, the shape of this gate was inspired by the many turtles that used to be found around Suwat waterfall. Although turtles are rarely seen there now, the Turtle Gate remains an icon that reflects the history and uniqueness of Suwat Waterfall. If you’re lucky, you might be able to spot rare turtles around Suwat Waterfall.
- Cave Basin: Another unique feature of Suwat Waterfall is the cave-like basin behind the waterfall. You can walk from the side to reach the basin and feel the beautiful sensation inside. The atmosphere in this basin is similar to being in a cave, with the waterfall falling in front of you, creating a very beautiful scene that is perfect for capturing in photos. The sensation is like that created in movies where you are behind a waterfall. If you are at Suwat Waterfall, don’t miss out on visiting this basin and taking stunning photos.
- Raft: Another uniqueness of Suwat Falls is the availability of raft rental facilities. You can rent a raft to enjoy the sensation of riding a raft in the phenomenal and beautiful Suwat Waterfall. Photos taken while on the raft with a bit of the right lighting will produce spectacular results and are perfect for uploading on Instagram. So, for those who want to get great photos, you can rent a raft here and take interesting photos on the raft.
Pathway to Suwat Waterfall
Many waterfall tourist destinations are located inland and away from the highway. The same goes for Suwat Waterfall, which is somewhat remote from the highway. However, for nature lovers, the walk is not a big obstacle. From Penyu Gate, you need to walk for about 20 minutes to reach the location of this waterfall. During the journey, you will be treated to a very alluring natural scenery, with green trees that give the impression of being in the forest. It’s no surprise that Suwat Waterfall is referred to as the “Hidden Gem”, as its hidden location brings out the charm of the waterfall. While walking along the paths and stairs to the waterfall, you can enjoy the natural beauty of the surroundings. When you arrive near the waterfall, a stunning view will greet you, inviting you to splash around in the water. The hard work of walking pays off with the beauty of this view.
What can you do at Suwat Waterfall?
As one of the new waterfall tourist destinations in Gianyar, Suwat Waterfall has become very famous among foreign tourists for its beauty and uniqueness. If you are on vacation in Bali and want to visit a waterfall that is still new and not too crowded, then Suwat Waterfall is the perfect choice. Here, you can witness the phenomenal and fantastic beauty of nature, with all the natural beauty that surrounds this waterfall. There are some interesting activities that you can do at Suwat Waterfall.
- Bathing: The crystal-clear water in Suwat Waterfall makes this place suitable for bathing while enjoying the natural beauty of the surroundings. The clear waterfall gives a great sense of freshness to the body. There is also a changing room for those of you who want to change after you finish soaking in this stunning Suwat waterfall.
- Playing Raft: If you love playing with rafts made of bamboo, Suwat Waterfall is the place to be. Here, raft rentals are available for you to use. It will take you back to your childhood memories of playing in the water, and the photos taken while you’re on the raft are perfect for Instagram because of their beauty.
- Playing with Buoys: Apart from rafts, there are also rentals of floats made of inner tubes. This is an experience that you will probably never forget, as you can swim in the waterfall while using the tire floats. In addition, you can also get iconic photos while on these floats. This experience will be a very beautiful moment when visiting the mesmerizing Suwat Waterfall.
- Taking pictures: Apart from taking pictures at Suwat Waterfall, there are also special places for photo spots that offer unspoiled views of the forest. This will add to the beauty of your photos and is perfect for those who want to capture the moment while visiting the iconic Suwat Waterfall. In the future, more photo spots will be added here, hopefully making tourists feel more at home.
Water War at Suwat Waterfall
This unique tradition in Suwat Village, the “Yeh Siat” or “Water War” festival, is an attraction that you might find very interesting. This tradition only exists in Suwat Village, which makes it very unique. The water war is performed in the courtyard near the waterfall by Suwat villagers and is a hereditary legacy from their ancestors. Before the Yeh Siat event begins, Suwat villagers pray for holy water that will be used in the water war. This holy water is then mixed with ordinary water to be used in the water war. The young men of the village then take bowls of holy water and pour it over each other, creating a very unique scene. The purpose of Yeh Siat is to purify the village of any negative influences, so this tradition is held every year on January 1. If you want to see this unique scene, you can visit Suwat Village on that date. It is a beautiful sight where you can see how the youth of the village preserve the traditions of their ancestors to purify the village from negativity that can damage the people of Suwat Village.
The water war tradition in Suwat Village is indeed one of the things that makes this village very unique, and many tourists are interested in seeing or even participating in this Yeh Siat activity. This experience is very valuable because you can see a very unique and distinctive tradition in Suwat Village. Besides enjoying the beauty of Suwat Waterfall, you can also see the uniqueness of the Yeh Siat tradition in this village. This becomes one of the interesting tourist attractions apart from a visit to Suwat waterfall. However, keep in mind that this water war only happens once a year, right at the turn of the year at the beginning of the month, on January 1st. So, if you are visiting on that date, it is highly recommended to also visit Suwat Village, which is not far from the waterfall, to witness the unique tradition of the Water War, which is part of a hereditary procession to purify the village with holy water.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Cleansing with Holy Water at Suwat Village
Penglukatan Siwa Melah Angge, located close to Suwat Falls, offers a more interesting experience. If you have already visited Suwat Waterfall, you can continue your journey to this holy water located in Suwat Village. This penglukatan dates back to ancient times and is used by the local community to perform self-purification using the water that comes from the springs here. The main function of Penglukatan Siwa Melah Angge is to cleanse oneself spiritually by using holy water that has been blessed. Through this ritual, it is hoped that the negative energy in the body will disappear, and it is believed that performing worship at this place can help cure diseases in the body. This place is perfect for those who want to experience purification rituals like those performed at Tirta Empul Temple. You can find a similar experience at Penglukatan Siwa Melah Angge.
In Penglukatan Siwa Melah Angge, there is a large statue of Lord Shiva, which is considered sacred by the local community in Suwat Village. This statue is believed to bless everyone who comes to worship, both as an effort to cleanse themselves and as a form of respect to Lord Shiva as a repellent to bad and negative things in the universe. There are 9 main showers used for cleansing and 36 other supporting showers. These main showers have a deep meaning, symbolizing Lord Shiva, Goddess Durga, and 7 angels who flow water into the world. Penglukatan Siwa Melah Angge is accessible to all people in Bali, as well as foreign and domestic tourists who want to do physical and spiritual cleansing in this place. The area of the shrine is quite large, so it can accommodate many people who want to carry out the self-cleansing procession in Suwat Village. It is a very memorable experience for those who visit Suwat Waterfall and perform self-purification rituals in the Holy Water at Penglukatan Siwa Melah Angge.
Facilities Suwat Waterfall
Facilities at Suwat Waterfall are very complete, despite their recent introduction. Suwat Village, as the manager of the waterfall, has provided complete facilities to meet the needs of tourists who come to visit. There is a large parking area, so you don’t have to worry about finding a place to park your vehicle. There is also a ticket counter with a unique turtle gate at the entrance to the waterfall. At the waterfall site, there are changing rooms for those who want to swim or play in the water, so you can change your clothes comfortably. There are also toilets available for use, as well as a small stall serving cold drinks to quench your thirst. In the future, more facilities will be added to further pamper guests visiting Suwat Waterfall. With these complete supporting facilities, tourists can feel very comfortable and well-served while at Suwat Waterfall.