Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu waterfalls in Lombok

Just an hour’s cruise from Kuta Lombok, you’ll find the Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu waterfalls. From the sunny and sometimes dry south, you drive into a green oasis in just an hour. Lombok may be small, but it offers incredibly diverse nature and landscapes. You’ll find these waterfalls in the village of Aik Berik. It’s a must visit when you travel to Lombok

The literal translation of the Benang Stokel waterfall is a ball of yarn. This name was given to the waterfall because the water descends like “smaller” white strands, resembling white yarn. On the other hand, the water of Benang Kelambu flows down like a blanket. According to the locals, this waterfall resembles a mosquito net, hence the name Kelambu.

In addition to these two waterfalls, there are a few small, hidden waterfalls, and the surroundings are truly beautiful. This spot in Lombok is visited by both foreign and local tourists.

DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE LOMBOK TRAVELGUIDE →

In this article:

stokel waterfalls
waterfall lombok
kelambu waterfall

How to reach Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu waterfalls:

You can visit these waterfalls in Lombok in various ways. The waterfalls are centrally located, making them easily accessible from any location:

  • Kuta Lombok: 1-hour drive
  • Mataram: 1-hour drive
  • Tetebatu: 45-minute drive
  • Bangsal (Gili’s): 1.5-hour drive

Once you arrive at the waterfalls, you’ll need about 30 minutes of walking to reach the first waterfall, or you can take a short scooter ride. However, the ride can be quite intense, so if you’re not comfortable on a scooter, it’s better to walk this stretch.

Various ways to visit the waterfalls:

Take a scooter and go on your own:

The easiest and cheapest way to visit the waterfalls is on your own. Renting a scooter costs around 3 – 6 euros per day. It’s a beautiful and enjoyable route to ride.

Book a private taxi:

Another option is to take a taxi. You’ll retain the freedom of your own transportation and have the comfort of a car. This is a more expensive option. For a trip to the waterfalls, you’ll pay about 500 – 700k for a round trip, which is approximately 30 euros.

Book a tour through your accommodation or at a counter:

On the street and at most accommodations, a tour is also offered. You often go with a group of people at a fixed time to the waterfalls. For this tour, you’ll pay about 200,000 – 300,000 per person. You have a bit less freedom, but everything is arranged for you. Plus, it’s always fun to go with a group.

stokel waterfalls

Costs to visit Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu:

Once you’re at the waterfall, there are two options: either go to the small booth and buy a ticket there, or go to the tourism office. The park staff will likely direct you to the office because they prefer you to book a tour. We ultimately chose this option and were very happy with it. Our tour guide also took us to hidden waterfalls that we would have never discovered otherwise.

  • Local tourists pay 3,000 IDR entrance fee.
  • Foreign tourists pay 10,000 IDR.
  • Waterfall tour: 75,000 – 100,000 IDR.
  • Tour through accommodation: 200,000 – 300,000 IDR.
stokel watervallen
stokel watervallen

Useful information when visiting the waterfalls:

  • You walk through water during the hike, so wear good flip-flops, sandals, or water-resistant shoes.
  • It can be somewhat steep and slippery.
  • You can bring your own food and drinks. Just make sure to clean up your mess!
  • There are small shops where you can buy drinks and food.
  • At Kelambu, there’s even a small restaurant.
  • Bring enough small change, as it’s not always possible to withdraw money.
  • There are various toilets available, but they are quite basic.
waterfall lombok
kelambu waterfall

Respect the local population

We visited the waterfalls during a holiday period, making it very crowded at Stokel and Kelambu. Our guide mentioned (which he found challenging) that if I, as a woman, wanted to swim, it would be best to do so at the hidden waterfalls because it’s not allowed/normally done to swim in my bikini at Kelambu or Stokel. The waterfalls are also frequently visited by local people. I eventually decided to just dive into the water fully clothed at a hidden waterfall, and it was truly delightful. It was so warm that everything was dry again within 15 minutes.

It was very crowded during our visit to the waterfalls, and I found it a small effort to take this into account. Our tour guide mentioned that a swimsuit and bikini were fine, but preferably not at the crowded spots. What I mainly took from this is that a bikini or swimsuit is not really acceptable when there are local people around, so why would I do it? A small effort to be considerate to the local tourists/population visiting the waterfalls. And no matter how attractive your buttocks are, a thong bikini is just not okay here.

waterval lombok
kelambu waterval

DO: Book a tour

We opted for the comprehensive tour: Stokel, Kelambu, and 2 hidden waterfalls. Together with our tour guide, we rode our scooters to the starting point of the waterfalls. Yes, you can also walk, but that’s really WEIRD here in Indonesia if you do that. We immediately entered the “jungle,” and it was much more off-track than we had thought. Our expectation was to simply visit two waterfalls. But our guide thought differently. We walked through the jungle, streams, and steep paths to the first waterfall, a “small” hidden waterfall almost entirely for ourselves.

After the first waterfall, we continued. Again, through all the greenery. What a beautiful environment. Definitely book that tour because otherwise, you might miss the most beautiful part of the waterfalls. The second waterfall was absolutely my favorite. This waterfall is already very intense and large, and the best part: you’re all alone.

waterfall lombok
kelambu waterfall

From the third waterfall, you continue to Kelambu. Suddenly, it was much busier, which is not surprising because the waterfall is truly a SIGHT! A gigantic curtain of water gracefully falling down.

And then on to Waterfall Stokel. A bit less impressive than Kelambu, but still an absolute beauty. We thought we’d quickly visit two waterfalls, but in the end, it turned into a whole day wandering around the waterfalls, and we only returned to Kuta Lombok at sunset.

A place I definitely wouldn’t want to miss. An absolute must-visit if you’re traveling through Lombok.

DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE LOMBOK TRAVELGUIDE →

Travel further to

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *