Craving for a decent place with a mind-blowing view? Try coming to Curug Cimahi. Its location isn’t that far from downtown Bandung. Also known as the Rainbow Waterfall, the name isn’t given for no underlying reason. On a bright day, the rainbow ordinarily emerges. Adding a magnificent scene upfront the lush green trees and its strong water stream.
From the right angle, explorers will get to see an extraordinary phenomenon that decorates the waterfall. Although the waterfall views are strikingly clear as soon as entering the gate. That will be no fun if one doesn’t reach the spot. Here is where visitors should dare to climb down more than 500 stairs.
Don’t worry, on the way down, there are two decks provided for guests. Take a breath before trekking down and pausing in one of the viewings deck. Besides a highly strong stream, Curug Cimahi’s allurement lies in the existence of its wildlife. Oftentimes, visitors will get to see monkeys too.
Once reaching the waterfall, don’t resist the temptation to play a splash. Since the waterfall is located at 1.050 asl, the water is cool. And the wind created by the strong stream makes the temperature even cooler. Hankering for nature? then Curug Cimahi might just be perfect to be on the itinerary list.
Curug Cimahi Entrance Fee
The entrance fee for international visitors is Rp25,000. Kids under two years old don’t have to pay the entrance fee. As for the parking fee, scooter riders will have to pay Rp3,000 and Rp5,000 for the car.
| Curug Cimahi Entrance Fee | |
| Adult | Rp25,000 |
| Children <2 years old | Free |
Nearby: Dusun Bambu Leisure Park, Activities & Guide.
Curug Cimahi Opening Hours
Curug Cimahi opens every day from 7:30 AM – 5 PM. The light show doesn’t start until 5 PM. But the best time to visit the waterfall is at noon. The chance is higher to see the rainbow from around 1 PM.
| Curug Cimahi Opening Hours | |
| Every day | 07:30 – 17:00 |
See: Floating Market Lembang, Activities & Culinary Spot.
Upon Arrival in Curug Cimahi
Get down from the vehicle and one will easily spot the ticket counter. Buy the entrance ticket there, and start the adventure. First thing first, buy some snacks for a quick bite. Or pack some food for a lovely meal picnic. In front of the entrance gate, several food stalls are lining up.
Visitors will easily spot the monkeys playing around. Hanging on the trees or ‘perching’ on the ticket counter’s roof. Although there are many people around, the monkeys remain calm. There are no restrictions too on giving them food. Visitors are allowed to feed them. Except there’s no particular stall selling food for monkey feeding.
Trekking To The Waterfall
Right next to the ticket counter is where the trip starts. There are more than 500 concrete stairs to climb down. There’s a handrail for safety, but not all the way down. Also, the width of the stairs isn’t consistent. Some are wide, but some aren’t.
The waterfall is clearly visible even after a few climb-downs only. The trekking trail to get to the waterfall are pretty moderate. Besides conquering more than 500 stairs, some path is quite slippery. Even if the stairs are mostly concrete, some stairs are quite steep.
Make sure to wear appropriate footwear. Even if there are 2 spots to get rest. The steep stair and moderate walking level might not be suitable for seniors and little children.
Curug Cimahi Observatory Deck
Along the way down and up, visitors will find two decks to rest. The rest spot is built with three sides of metal railing. The railing is quite high, but not so safe for children. As there are quite big spaces between each railing bar. So, children who get to these decks should be supervised.
Several chairs made of wooden or modified rubber seems cozy after a tiring trip. On a busy day, usually, not all people get the chair. But people seem to be OK with that. As long as there’s a place to have some pause. The light blue rail square deck is not just some spot to take a break.
As an observatory deck, it’s the perfect spot to witness the beauty of Curug Cimahi. The deck is just as popular among guests that aren’t willing to go all the way down. The view from the deck is majestic. Wild plants and green tall trees along the upper side of the waterfall enhance the tropical sense.
Waterfall Shallow Pool
After more than 500 stairs, the silver lining starts to get more real. The thunderous sound of the waterfall and cooler temperature are the signs. Put off that bag and get into the pool under that huge waterfall. Wet wind gives visitors instant freshness. Cool water on one’s feet to compensate for the tiredness, who can resist that?
Try to have a dip in that natural pool. The pool isn’t that deep, only an adult person thigh-high. There’s a string of buoys to mark the off-zone. That means, don’t pass that line while having a splish splash. Visitors cannot stand directly beneath the waterfall too. As the waterfall is inside that buoy string area. Be careful while crossing the stream since the stones are slippery.
Either sitting on a huge wet rock or the wooden long stairs. There are plenty of spots to rest while listening to the sound of water rumbling. Bask in the cold greyish water and let the cold spread throughout the entire body.
Curug Cimahi Light Show
The place is known as the Rainbow Waterfall. But unfortunately, the ‘authentic’ rainbow doesn’t just show up all the time. When the sky is clear, this natural phenomenon appears during midday. So not all guests can witness the rainbow.
To come up with a solution, the management installed colorful LED lights. These lights illuminate the waterfall with automatic color changes. There are string lights too attached to the trees. Also with colorful features. However, the light is only on after the day gets dark. So, early comers coming before 5 PM cannot see the light show.
Eating and Drinking
The place isn’t prepared with decent restaurants. But, to recharge energy, guests can enjoy the famous Indonesian instant noodles Indomie. Get one portion of these instant noodles from a food stall near the waterfall site. Besides instant noodles, some vendors also sell refreshing iced young coconut drink.
For a quick bite try jasuke, steamed corn kernels with cheese and condensed milk, or grilled sausage. For more festive meals, there are some dining spots located just before the waterfall entrance gate. Some burst a traditional Sundanese concept. Besides the bamboo furniture and lots of Sundanese dishes. Try the uncommon dining experience by sitting on a mat or its popular word lesehan.
The prices aren’t expensive either. For a single dish or light snack, the price starts from Rp10.000. While for a full set menu with a drink, it cost around Rp55.000.
See: Guide To Explore Kawah Putih, White Crater & Top Things To Do.
Facilities
The facilities here are not that top-notch. But that suffices enough to accommodate visitors. The toilet is available, located down near the waterfall. To use the toilet, prepare Rp3.000. Located nearby are a modest warung selling snacks, food, and beverage.
No iced drinks and no heavy meals there, only instant noodles are available. No power supply here so charging a camera or cellphone is impossible here. For Muslim visitors, there’s a little, wooden, gazebo for praying.
The observatory decks have an amazing view. But there aren’t canopied. So, when it rains, there’ll be no shelter at all. Another drawback is the parking space. The parking space for scooters and cars isn’t wide. As a solution, park the car in the adjacent terminal. The parking fee is Rp3.000 for a scooter and Rp5.000 for a car.
See: Transportation Guide to Bandung from Jakarta.
How To Get To Curug Cimahi
To go there, the easiest access is by going through the Lembang-Parongpong route. However, if starting from downtown, the distance is around ±20 km. It will take around an hour to get to the waterfall. Ride-hail vehicles, especially car ones, are available as well.
However, getting the ride-hail back from the spot is hard. So this method isn’t much recommended. Renting a car with a driver is way more convenient. The cost of renting a car for a 12-hour duration starts from Rp350.000. It doesn’t include the driver’s tip, toll fee, and fuel.
Starting from Bandung City center, head to Taman Alun-Alun Cimahi (Cimahi city center). Many road signs in Bandung will point in the direction of Cimahi. Get to Cimahi city center and around 500 meters after Taman Alun-Alun, there’ll be a road divider with a pedestrian overpass. Take the left lane, then turn left shortly after that.
From that left turn, go straight and turn left after driving for 350 meters. Ride for another 400 meters then turn left once more. Go straight, then turn right at the end of the street. Make the way to Kolonel Masturi Street. This will be the last, connecting street to Curug Cimahi.
See: Indonesian SIM Card Guide & Price.
Address & Location
Curug Cimahi or the rainbow waterfall is located in Jl. Kolonel Masturi No.325, Kertawangi, Cisarua district, West Bandung Regency, West Java 40551.
