Tunan Waterfall In Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

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Tunan waterfall is one of the nicer hidden falls in the Manado area of Indonesia, and it’s pretty easy to reach with a short drive and hike.

It’s a great idea to combine Tunan with a visit to Tangkoko National Park if you happen to be in the Manado area.

This travel guide will explain how to get there, and everything you need to know before you go!

Visiting Tunan Waterfall

The scenic drive to get to Tunan Talawaan waterfall is one of the best parts of the adventure.

The road winds through some lush green mountains with views of the jungle, palm forests, and Mount Klabat volcano in the distance.

It’s a bit of breathtaking, unspoiled nature, and even my driver was gasping in awe.

You could get here by scooter from Manado, or another option is to ask your driver to stop here on the way back from Tangkoko to Manado, which is what I did.

When I hired a driver to take me back to Manado from Tangkoko National Park, I offered to pay an extra 50k IDR ($3.50 USD) to stop here on the way back, and he was happy to oblige.

The hike to the waterfall is flat and pretty easy, with a good trail that was added recently. The falls are really nice, and there’s a pool you can swim in at the bottom.

I’ve heard the waterfall is 85 meters tall, and I don’t know if that’s accurate, but it’s definitely taller than it looks in photos!

There’s a rough path to climb up to the top of the waterfall, but it was getting dark so I was content to just take photos from the bottom this time.

I spent about 30 minutes at the falls and didn’t see any other people, not even locals!

Entrance Fees

The entry fee is only 20k IDR ($1.40 USD) as of 2019.

There was a booth at the parking lot manned by some little local kids collecting payment for the hike.

How To Get There

Tunan waterfall is in north Sulawesi, just a 45 minute drive from Manado.

The walk to the falls from the parking area is only about 10-15 minutes.

Our Manado Driver

Roy Paoki is a super experienced tour guide and his price for driving is around 700k Rupiah ($50 USD) for a full day trip (12 hours) in the Manado area.

I’ve done several trips with Roy over the years, and he’s an awesome guy. He’s probably my favorite guide I’ve had anywhere in Indonesia.

You can contact him via WhatsApp at ☎ +62 823-9351-6786 or on his Facebook page.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at Istanaku Guesthouse 2 in Manado city and paid $20 USD for a double room with cold A/C and a hot shower.

I’ve stayed here several times over the years, and always had a great experience. The staff here is very friendly, the rooms are clean, and the location is great.

It’s a 5 minute walk from a KFC restaurant, and a short drive to the Manado waterfront if you plan to visit Bunaken Marine Park for snorkeling.

Prices may fluctuate from time to time, so just keep an eye out for a good deal.