Most people fly into Labuan Bajo for the sea. The pinisi boats, the Komodo dragons, the islands that look airbrushed even before the filter. But turn inland and climb into the hills of Sano Nggoang, and you reach Cunca Plias (also called Cunca Wae Pilas), a waterfall the local Manggarai community treats as sacred ground. The name says it plainly: cunca means waterfall in Manggarai, and Plias is the place. This is not a quick roadside photo stop. It is a short trek into a village's living tradition, managed by the people who live there.
Cunca Plias sits inside Wae Lolos, a village nicknamed the "village of a thousand waterfalls." What most visitors actually walk is a cluster of four falls, ending at the one everyone comes for: an infinity pool perched on the edge of the hills, locally called Kolam di Atas Awan, the pool above the clouds. It is the kind of place that rewards the people willing to leave the harbour behind.
A note before the practicalities: the community asks visitors to treat this as a sacred site, dress modestly, and ask before photographing people in the village. That request is posted at the entrance, and it sets the tone for the whole visit.
At a Glance
Best time to visit: March to October, the dry season. Orientation: A four-waterfall trek in Wae Lolos village, Sano Nggoang, ending at an infinity pool overlooking the Flores hills. A guide is mandatory, and the trail is short but descends on the way in.
Where Cunca Plias Is, and What "Four Waterfalls" Really Means
Cunca Plias is in Desa Wae Lolos, Kecamatan Sano Nggoang, Kabupaten Manggarai Barat, in Nusa Tenggara Timur. By road it lies roughly 32 km east of Labuan Bajo, along the Labuan Bajo–Ruteng route, through the Mbeliling highlands.
The phrase "four waterfalls" confuses a lot of first-timers, so here is the honest version. The four falls are not spread across a long, exhausting trail. They sit close together, within about a hundred metres of one another. What makes the trek feel like a journey is the walk in from the registration post, not the distance between the falls themselves. Cunca Plias 1 is where you arrive; Cunca Plias 4, the infinity pool, is the finale.
The site is run by Pokdarwis Cunca Plias, the local tourism awareness group formed in 2023, with 35 trained guides who have completed first-aid and guiding courses. Wae Lolos is officially registered as a tourism village ("Desa Wisata") with Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism, listed on its Jadesta platform (jadesta.kemenpar.go.id/desa/wae_lolos). Toilets and the entrance gate were built in 2024 with support from Bank Indonesia and Burung Indonesia, which is why basic facilities exist where, a couple of years earlier, there were none.
If you are mapping the broader region first, our Labuan Bajo deep dive and our best Flores road trips give useful context before you commit to the drive inland.
The Trek: Short, Downhill In, Honest on the Way Back
This is the part to plan around. Vehicles, motorbike or car, can only reach the registration post. From there, everyone walks.
The trail to the falls runs about 800 metres and takes 15 to 20 minutes going down, a figure the Ministry of Tourism's own Jadesta listing confirms. It is considered relatively easy, on a path that descends most of the way. The catch is the return: what goes down must come back up, and the climb out takes 20 to 30 minutes. It is not brutal, but you will do it after swimming, possibly wet and tired, so pace yourself and do not underestimate the final stretch.
Wear proper shoes. The community recommends it, and a path that descends through forest is not the place for flip-flops.
There are changing rooms and toilets at Cunca Plias 1 and Cunca Plias 4, so the start and the end of the walk are covered. The two falls in between are not, which is worth knowing if you plan to swim and change.
For navigation, point your map app at the registration post, not the waterfall coordinates. The falls themselves sit where vehicles cannot go, so the post is your real arrival point and parking spot.
- Registration post (parking, trailhead): -8.60688795, 120.0216815
- Cunca Plias 1: -8.6128176, 120.0226884
- Cunca Plias 4 (infinity pool): -8.6133115, 120.0219772
A Site That Is Sacred, Not Just Scenic
What sets Cunca Plias apart from the dozens of other falls around Labuan Bajo is not the height of the drop. It is the meaning. In local Manggarai tradition, Cunca Plias is held to be a sacred site, and the entrance signage names it as such and asks visitors for respect. The visitor rules follow from that: dress modestly, keep noise down, and ask permission before photographing residents.
This is why a local guide is mandatory, not optional, for every visitor. Part of it is safety on a trail not everyone knows, and part of it is that you are walking through a community's land and traditions, not a fenced-off attraction.
Costs and Entry Fees (as of 2026)
All fees are collected at the registration post and set by Pokdarwis Cunca Plias. The guide fee is per group, which makes the falls cheap to visit in a small party and pricier solo.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Entrance, foreign visitor | Rp10,000 / person |
| Entrance, domestic visitor | Rp10,000 / person |
| Entrance, local visitor | Rp5,000 / person |
| Guide fee (mandatory) | Rp50,000 / group (1–5 people) |
| Parking, motorbike | Rp5,000 |
| Parking, car | Rp10,000 |
So the realistic minimum for two visitors arriving by car is two entrance tickets, one guide fee, and car parking. Budget accordingly, and bring cash; this is a village post, not a card terminal.
Getting There from Labuan Bajo
Cunca Plias is an inland, road-based trip. This is a car or motorbike journey through the hills, not a boat day, so it pairs naturally with other land destinations rather than island-hopping.
- By car: Labuan Bajo to the Wae Lolos registration post, about 32 km east along the Labuan Bajo–Ruteng road, around 45 to 60 minutes. Rental cars are available through the village.
- By motorbike: Same route, around 30 to 45 minutes. An ojek (motorbike taxi) can be arranged through the village. Motorbikes can reach the registration post but no further.
- By bemo (local minibus): Bemo service runs from Labuan Bajo toward the area, per the village's tourism listing, though schedules are informal; most visitors arrange a rental for convenience.
For a smoother day, many visitors combine Cunca Plias with the surrounding Sano Nggoang highlands. Our things to do around Labuan Bajo piece covers how to chain inland stops without backtracking.
When to Go and How Long to Stay
The registration post opens at 7 AM. An early start gives you the coolest part of the day for the walk in, and the most time at the pool before the climb back out.
The best months to visit are March through October, the dry season. Avoid the rainy season if you can: parts of the trail are rocky and turn slippery when wet, which makes both the descent in and the climb back out harder than the easy walk it is in dry conditions.
Plan for a half-day from Labuan Bajo once you account for the drive each way, the trek, and time to swim at the falls. The four falls sit close together, so once you reach Cunca Plias 1, exploring through to the infinity pool does not add a long second trek.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a guide for Cunca Plias?
Yes. A local guide is mandatory for every visitor, domestic and foreign. The guide fee is Rp50,000 per group of up to five people, paid at the registration post. The village has 35 trained guides, and the requirement is partly for safety on the trail and partly out of respect for a site the community considers sacred.
How much does it cost to visit Cunca Plias in 2026?
Entrance is Rp10,000 per person for both foreign and domestic visitors, and Rp5,000 for local visitors. Add the mandatory guide fee of Rp50,000 per group of up to five, plus parking of Rp5,000 for a motorbike or Rp10,000 for a car. Bring cash.
How hard is the trek to Cunca Plias?
It is considered relatively easy. The trail is about 800 metres and takes 15 to 20 minutes going down to the falls. The return climb takes 20 to 30 minutes, so the way back is the harder half. Wear proper shoes rather than sandals.
How far is Cunca Plias from Labuan Bajo?
Cunca Plias is roughly 32 km east of Labuan Bajo, in Desa Wae Lolos, Kecamatan Sano Nggoang. The drive takes around 45 to 60 minutes by car or 30 to 45 minutes by motorbike along the Labuan Bajo–Ruteng road, and vehicles can only go as far as the registration post before you walk in.
Is there anywhere to change or swim at Cunca Plias?
Yes. There are toilets and changing rooms at Cunca Plias 1 and Cunca Plias 4, the infinity pool. You can swim in the natural pools. These facilities were added in 2024 with support from Bank Indonesia and Burung Indonesia.
Related Reading
- Labuan Bajo deep dive: a curator's guide
- The best Flores road trips
- Top 10 things to do in Labuan Bajo
Written by the Indahnesia Team. 17,000 islands. Curated by local eyes.