About eighty metres
A forest waterfall.
Jmhullot — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bidara26 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nekomong — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Triy Purnama — CC BY-SA 4.0
A waterfall in dense forest in the hill town of Tawangmangu at the foot of Mount Lawu, dropping about eighty metres into a small pool, and Solo's favourite hill escape since Dutch times for its cool air and green scenery. Its name means a thousand waterfalls in Javanese. Visitors reach it down a long stairway of hundreds of steps through forest home to monkeys, which approach people looking for food. At the bottom you can stand in the spray or swim in a small designated pool nearby, and stalls around the entrance sell satay and grilled corn. Tickets are modest and higher for foreigners. The climb back is tiring, so take your time, and guard your things from the monkeys, which snatch bags and glasses. Tawangmangu is a pleasant hill town to stay over; combine the falls with Cetho Temple and the tea farms. Avoid holidays, when the stairs get very crowded.
A forest waterfall.
Cool, fresh air.
All along the stairs.
Tawangmangu, Karanganyar, about 40 km east of Solo
Going down is easy, but climbing back up hundreds of steps in the humidity is tiring. Take breaks; older visitors can enjoy the view from the upper levels.