Telaga Waja River

Most Telaga Waja tours leave from offices in Ubud, although it is easy to book Telaga Waja rafting packages that include door-to-door round-trip transfers from hotels in south Bali and beyond, as well as a buffet lunch, a shower, and a towel. No experience is necessary to raft the river—while there are enough bumps to keep the adrenaline flowing, Bali is not Colorado. A few Telaga Waja tours combine rafting with activities such as Jet Skiing, parasailing, or ATV riding.

• Rafting the Telaga Waja River is a must-do for adrenaline junkies when in Bali.

• Be sure to bring dry clothes to change into at the end of the rafting session.

• The Telaga Waja is a great adventure with teens and tweens but unsuitable for children younger than 7.

• Tour companies provide helmets, life jackets, and basic training. No experience is necessary.

The Telaga Waja River starts in Karangasem, east Bali, on the slopes of Mount Abang, and enters the sea at Klungkung. The rafting route starts around half an hour’s drive from Ubud, and there is no public transport. It would be unusual to drive to the Telaga Waja River; most either start from tour company offices in Ubud or book a tour that includes round-trip transfers.

The rainy season (roughly November to April) is the best time to raft the Telaga Waja River, when the water is at its highest and the rapids at their most dramatic. The river is still raftable during the dry season, but the rapids are lower and the ride slower.

Both of Ubud’s major rafting rivers have their own charms. The Telaga Waja offers a faster, bumpier ride with more continuous white water and a chance to shoot the dramatic dam. The Ayung River is a little more sedate—although it still has rapids—with spectacularly beautiful scenery courtesy of the jungled gorge it runs through.