One of Manado’s most popular attractions is the very pretty Kali Waterfall, a twin cascade plummeting 60m into a narrow river gorge. Even during the dry season, Kali roars powerfully over the sheer rock face with enough force to fill the air with a misty vapour that has created a lush, cool environment where a variety of moss, ferns and wild orchids thrive.
An arched bridge below the falls, heavily adorned with bearded moss, provides a perfect view of the cascades but you’ll have to take your photos quickly as you’ll very likely find yourself taking a invigorating natural shower.
Most organised tours from Manado or Tomohon come by Kali Waterfall but few tell their guests about two smaller cascades higher up the river gorge above Kali. Granted, they’re nowhere near as enchanting as Kali but hey, if you’re already there it’s worth venturing atop for a look.
The waterfall is located at Kali village, 13km south of Manado or 9km north of Tomohon and is accessible by mikrolet from either direction. The entrance is located just south of the village and is well signposted but if you’re not sure, just ask a local “Air Terjun Kali” and they’ll point you in the right direction. From the car park, there’s a formed path with about 200 stairs that leads right to the arched bridge at the base of the falls, about a 15-20min walk. The concrete path can get slippery so wear some good grippy shoes. An admission fee of 2,700Rp per person applies.