The little known Mamabu Waterfall (also called Jambuara Waterfall) is located in Aek Komangin village, Hatonduhan district, Simalungun province about 4 hours south of Medan. The second highest falls in Sumatra behind Sipisopiso Waterfall, the sight and sound of the Mamabu cascade thundering down the sheer sided canyon walls is spectacular. It’s only the off the beaten track location that has kept these falls off the tourist radar to date but the advantage is you could well have these falls to yourself, especially if you visit during the week when local villagers are busy at work and school.
To reach the falls from Medan, catch a public bus to Pematang Siantar city (approximately 3 hours) in the heart of Simalungun province. From there, you’ll need to engage a local driver/guide or ojek to take you the remaining 1-1.5 hours south to Aek Komangin village. The falls are located in the vicinity of PTPN oil palm plantation just outside the village. There are good views from the car park before embarking on the 20 min trek down to the base of the falls. The track is steep, a little slippery and requires some scrambling in places so sturdy footwear is essential. The force of the cascades makes swimming at the base of the falls difficult but you can splash around in some clean, shallow pools 50-100m further downstream. An admission fee of 4.000Rp is payable at the car park.