Embark on an adventure to discover the hidden gem of Bali's Natural Pools at Taman Sari. Getting here is easy, although it is quite possible to pass the parking area before noticing. After a hard right and a hard left, there will be a large parking lot ahead of you. The best way to notice it is by the locals sitting out front of the ticket office. If you do get lost, this Google Maps link guides you directly to the parking lot. After you get there, the friendly locals will point you in the right direction.
The trek down is steep but short, and there is a small warung on the way down serving refreshing beverages and small bites. Trekking down, there are two areas to explore. Before going about your exploration, however, I recommend you make it to the bottom and place your stuff down. There are plenty of areas to safely put your stuff and take off your shoes, freeing you up to explore as you wish.
The main pool, the one right in front of you as you place your stuff down, is quite deceivingly shallow. You can practically stand in the entire pool, going no deeper than your waist. That being said, do be careful when you get closer to the falls. While the majority of the pool has a sand bottom, the flowing water under the falls pushes all the sand out, leaving bare rocks under the water’s surface. With murky waters, it's very difficult to make out where to step. Some areas become quite deep just because of the space between rocks. It's not terribly dangerous, but it will definitely take you by surprise.
The second place to check out is the top pool. If you go back to the pool’s entrance, there will be a small stair set with some handrails set into the stone. Take that route up, and you will find yourself looking over the main pool. At the top, there is a significantly taller waterfall, and yet another pool to lounge in. The pools up at the top level are significantly smaller, but much cleaner as the water rushes through them. Be careful as you explore the rest of the top level as the rocks are adorned with slippery moss and residual moisture from the falls.
There are a few different picture opportunities at this spot. It must be noted first though, that pictures here are heavily reliant on a limited crowd. While I try to recommend taking in the moment first, there is a case to be made about taking photos first here. If when you arrive there are few to no people, take photos then. If there is a crowd, take your time and relax. You can take photos from the stair set in the back of the falls. If you climb up the stairs a bit, you can get a good view of both the pools, adding a layer of height and depth at the same time. If you are taking photos of a subject, have them sit up at the top falls near the main falls. There is a rock formation perfect for sitting up there or you can chill out in a circular pool near the edge.