Abbey Falls drops about 70 feet through a notch in the hills, surrounded by spice and coffee plantations. A short concrete path from the gate leads down to a hanging bridge from which you can watch the cascade head-on — at the height of the monsoon the spray reaches you across the gorge.
The falls are about 8km from Madikeri on a narrow estate road; allow half an hour each way by car or tuk-tuk. Best from July to October when the river is full, though the surrounding forest is more pleasant outside the heaviest rains.