If you like Bali and you like getting off the beaten track, keep reading; in this post, we’ll share the story about one of our favorite hidden gems in Bali. Beji Guwang, also known as Hidden Canyon Bali is one of the most peaceful places on the island and once you learn about it, I’m sure you’ll want to add it to your Bali bucket list. The canyon consists of scenic ravines and tropical gorges stretching along the Oos River near Sukawati.
So, if you ever get tired of Bali’s beautiful beaches and want to go on an adventure, this is one of the best places to do this. In this post, we’ll cover everything you should know about this canyon, what to pack, when is the best time to visit, what to expect, and much more!
But let’s start from the beginning…
A Quick History Of Hidden Canyon Bali
The location of Beji Guwang is considered to be a sacred place for Hindus. Keeping this in mind, you should always be respectful, behave politely, and wear decent clothes when you visit. Hidden Canyon Bali is located near the village Pura Dalem Guwang, named after the religious guardian of the area. The water flowing into the canyon is considered to be holy and is used for the religious ceremony, Melukat, an interesting ritual in which Hindu pilgrims bathe in holy water.
Another interesting historical fact is that the rocks surrounding the gorges have been there for tens of thousands of years and the water from the river has deeply eroded the rocks and throughout the years, the erosion carved the earth. This created some of the most fascinating natural wonders of Bali consisting of rocks of different sizes engraved into spectacular shapes and patterns, including skulls tigers, monkey’s heads, etc.
How To Get There?
The canyon is located in the southeastern part of Bali down the road from Tegenungan Waterfall. It’s also roughly 1 hour driving away from Canggu and 30 minutes away from Ubud. Near the canyon, you can see road signs that will show you the way to the hidden canyon of Beji Guwang.
When in Bali, it’s always a great idea to rent a scooter because that way you can avoid the traffic, save money, and have the flexibility of visiting places at your own pace. Alternatively, you can also hire a driver but this will cost a lot more. Last but not least, there are also tours that can take you to the canyon but we’ll cover this part later in the article.
Is There An Entrance Fee?
Because the canyon is a holy place, there’s an entrance fee for visitors. The entrance fee during my last visit was 15,000 IDR (around $1 USD) and hiring a guide cost 120,000 IDR (around $10 USD). There are also a lot of guided tours out there offering a complete experience of the Hidden Canyon Bali. The prices they charge look roughly something like this:
200,000 Rp (14 USD) for one person;
300,000 Rp (21 USD) for couples;
400,000 Rp (28 USD) for groups of 3 or 4 people;
600,000 Rp (42 USD) for groups of 5-8 people;
900,000 Rp (63 USD) for groups of 9-12 people;
1,200,000 Rp (84 USD) for groups of 13-16 people;
1,500,000 Rp (106 USD) for groups of 17-20 people.
*Please keep in mind that these are estimates of the average, some operators might charge more, others might charge less. Most of these tours also provide free towels (for a shower if necessary), lockers for your belongings, and complimentary drinks.
What’s The Best Time To Visit?
Just like most other places in Bali that are surrounded by water, the monsoon season is probably not a good time to visit. The canyon might not even be accessible during heavy rainfall. When this happens, visitors are usually not even allowed to enter because it’s impossible to complete the route.
Having this in mind, I’d say that the best time to visit Bali is between April and October. Around this time of the year, the weather is not too hot and there isn’t a lot of rainfall.
Enjoying this post? Then you may also like our guide to floating breakfast in Bali.
What To Pack?
Firstly, I highly recommend taking a dry bag to help you keep your valuables safe from the water. If you want to take photos and videos, GoPro is a great choice for this endeavor. In fact, I think GoPro was made for places like this (it can take great photos even when moving and it’s waterproof). You could probably also use a quick-dry travel towel, soap, and shampoo (there are shower facilities for visitors), as well as some spare clothes in case you get wet.
Last but not least, if you’re visiting during one of the warmer months, it’s probably a good idea to pack some sunscreen.
If you’re planning a trip to Bali and are wondering what to pack, check out our complete Bali packing guide.
What To Wear?
There will be a lot of trekking until you reach the end of the trail, so you should wear some comfortable clothes. Just make sure the clothes you pick are decent and not too revealing; don’t forget that this is a holy place for Hindus, the religion that most residents of the island belong to.
My recommendation is to take clothes that are light and that can dry quickly. You also might spend some time in the water (depending on the terrain), so it’s probably a good idea to bring your swimwear. Last but not least, it’s very crucial that you have some comfortable and non-slippery reef shoes. During the trek, you’ll come across many wet and slippery spots, and having non-slip shoes or sole boots is a must!
Mind The Weather
Another important thing to know before visiting Hidden Canyon Bali is to always keep an eye on the weather before visiting, especially during the rainy season. Heavy rainfall often floods the canyon and if this happens during your trip, you likely won’t be able to complete the trek because all activities are stopped once the canyon starts flooding. Moreover, if it rained before your visit, there will be parts of the canyon that will be wet and slippery and this is something you should be prepared for in advance.
What To Expect From Hidden Canyon Bali?
As you might expect from what you’ve read so far, this canyon has a lot to offer. Some of the canyon’s highlights feature fascinating rock formations, scenic forests, tropical vibes, cliffs up to 30 meters high that offer some spectacular views of the crystal-clear streams that flow into the canyon.
That being said, trekking this route is no walk in the park (literally). There are parts of the trek where there’s no choice to get wet and depending on the weather, you might even come across river crossings up to 150 cm high (so, getting wet is inevitable). But don’t worry- all visitors are accompanied by guides who know the terrain very well and will instruct you how to complete the trek in the safest way possible.
And if this ends up being too adventuristic for you, you can always end your adventure by exiting early through the surrounding rice paddy fields. Also, if you’re older or you think you can’t make this trek but still want to see the canyon, you can use the rice paddies as a shortcut.
Who Is This For?
If you like trekking, clambering, rock climbing, and don’t mind getting wet (I mean completely wet), you’ll love this trek. In other words, the primary target group for this tour are younger (although not necessarily) and adventuristic travelers looking for an adrenaline rush. In total, it will take you around 2-3 hours to complete the trek, depending on your speed and the weather conditions.
The guides that will accompany you know what they’re doing (most of them even walk bare feet) but you still need to practice caution around slippery spots and keep an eye for sharp rocks when you’re crossing the river. That being said, I hope you enjoy exploring the Hidden Canyon Bali. It truly is one of the most spectacular and underrated places on the island.
Should You Book A Tour?
Having a guide is mandatory for visitors, mainly because of their own safety. The guides that work there are very nice and make sure you have a great time and going with a guide you meet at the canyon is always a cheaper option than booking a tour in advance. However, the price difference isn’t that big having in mind that most tours include transportation and some of them take you to a few more places.
Here, I’ll list a few of the tours that I took and a few other ones that either people I know took or have very good ratings.
I took this amazing tour that featured a complete exploration of the canyon plus the neighboring waterfalls. It’s twice more expensive than taking a guide at the entrance but it includes pick-up and drop-off to your hotel in Bali and at least 3-4 hours of additional exploring. I just can’t recommend it enough. If you’re in a hurry, you can take this skip-the-line tour of the Hidden Canyon Bali. This adventure tour seems to be one of the most affordable and best-rated tours of the canyon while this other interesting tour adds a trip to the rice fields and local volcano to the itinerary.
If you’re looking to make your trip to Hidden Canyon Bali a bit more interesting, you can also go for a white river rafting tour or a quad bike tour. These tours cost a little bit more but will give you the adrenaline rush you’re looking for.
Lastly, If you would like to combine your trip to the canyon with some other activities and make it a full-day trip, you’ll be happy to hear that there are a handful of options. You can trek the canyon as a part of this waterfall chasing tour or as a part of this hidden gems tour. And last but not least, you can also consider this great tour that combines the best of Bali’s east coast in a day. It includes snorkeling, rafting, canoeing, waterfall chasing, and more.
Places To Stay Near The Canyon
If you’re looking for a nice, authentic, and affordable place to stay near the canyon, I warmly recommend Pura Astrani Villa or Kirani Joglo Villa. Both are located less than 3 miles away, are two of the most affordable accommodation options in the area (that by the way is famous for luxurious hotels and villas), and despite this, both have their own indoor pools.
If you’re looking to add some luxury to your vacation (I couldn’t blame you for this, after such an adrenaline rush, you should give yourself a treat), The Royal Purnama and Villa Samadhana are two of the most stunning luxury accommodation options not only in the area but on the entire island too.
Did you ever visit the hidden canyon of Beji Guwang? If yes, how was it? If not, would you like to visit based on what you read in our post? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!
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