Mesusun Waterfall, also known as Air Terjun Mesesun, is one of the wildest and least-discovered places we visited during our stay in Bali. A hidden gem, rarely visited by tourists, it’s located in the Buleleng region in the north of the island, near the village of Munduk.

   Photo: Mesusun Waterfall

Reaching the waterfall involves a 30-minute walk through dense jungle, at times without a clear path. But before we set off on the trail, we had to drive to the starting point, which wasn’t straightforward. We followed Google Maps, driving along a very narrow road until it came to an end. We left the car in the yard of a local woman who kindly let us park on her property. She also offered to guide us to the waterfall. We didn’t encounter any other tourists along the way, and besides our “guide,” we were joined by two local boys.

The beginning of the walk was easy, along a path lined with banana palms and papaya trees. We managed to capture a photo of a giant papaya, almost the size of a large courgette.

Photo: Path to Mesusun Waterfall

Photo: Giant papaya with bananas in the background

Yummy snacks along the way

A bit further along, our guide found a yellow cacao fruit, the kind used to make chocolate. Cacao trees (Theobroma cacao) grow in tropical regions like Bali. The fruit contains seeds, known as cocoa beans, which are fermented, dried, roasted, and ground to produce cocoa powder and cocoa butter—the main ingredients in chocolate. Interestingly, in ancient Mesoamerican civilisations, cocoa beans were even used as currency.

Our guide cracked open the fruit by banging it on the concrete path, letting us taste the sweet, juicy, white pulp. We had tried cacao before during our stay in Fiji, but that fruit wasn’t as tasty—probably because it wasn’t ripe. Raw cocoa beans are quite bitter and aren’t eaten in their natural state.

Photo: Cacao fruit

Further on, we passed a few small homes with little farms, each with one or two cows or pigs. I was surprised to see that cows here are tethered by their noses. This is done for practical and traditional reasons, making it easier to control the animals, especially when moving them to pastures or while working with them. The nose is a sensitive area, so even a light tug is enough to steer the cow.

Photo: Cow tied by its nose and a black pig

A gorgeous swim and local refreshments

We reached the waterfall after about 30 minutes of walking. The path isn’t the easiest and becomes more rugged as you get closer, but thankfully our guide knew the area like the back of her hand. She often helped us, especially when carrying Aliya across the more difficult parts. The waterfall itself was absolutely stunning. At first, we hesitated to swim because we didn’t have swimsuits, but after seeing two local boys jumping into the water, Marianka and her mum decided to take a dip. After a while, I joined them, while our boys and Aliya stayed on the shore.

Photo: Marianka with her mum in front of Mesusun Waterfall

On our way back, the woman offered us coffee and traditional Balinese sweets. We were given a very warm welcome, spending about an hour sipping coffee and chatting. The coffee was served in the traditional Balinese style—half a cup and very sweet. The warmth and hospitality of our hosts made the language barrier disappear, and through gestures and a few words, we learned a bit about their lives and family.

Photo: Enjoying coffee

Photo: Marianka’s mum connecting with the hosts