Navigating Nusa Penida
When you hear the name ‘Nusa Penida’, I bet you picture the famous idyllic spot on the cliff that overlooks a spectacular dinosaur-shaped rock and beach. Something a bit like the one below?
Me sitting on the cliff face above Kelingking Beach.
It seems that every traveller who has ever been to Bali and Indonesia has a picture of this idyllic viewpoint, and it’s worth the hype, but, where is it?
To the beach!
The notorious viewpoint shown above can be found on the southwestern coast of Nusa Penida in the small village of Bunga Mekar. The beach and viewpoint are collectively known as Kelingking Beach, and they are truly as heavenly as they look, with clear blue waters and a picture-perfect beach.
Google Maps View of Nusa Penida. Circled in Red is the Kelingking Viewpoint
Some Home Truths…
Whilst Kelingking Beach is breathtaking, the hard truth is that it is nowhere near as peaceful and isolated as it may appear. The place is swarming with tourists trying to get their Instaworthy pictures.
While you dodge the cameras, another thing to consider is the treacherous journey to the beach. Although it appears as though it would be a gradual and easy descent, it is far from it. Having spoken to my tour guide (who advised against it) I decided that I would rather see other parts of the island than spend a gruelling hour scrambling down the cliff face – yes an hour!
The very questionable-looking path down to the beach!
Tips!
In light of the above, some words of wisdom when visiting this gorgeous viewpoint.
First, depending on where you are staying make sure you get there early! I stayed on Nusa Lembongan at Bong Hostel – a hidden gem of a hostel that was recommended to me by a family friend. Lembongan itself was far less touristy and the hostel was as clean and impressive as a 5 star resort.
To get to the island early from Lembongan, the hostel manager (kindly!) drove me down to the ferry port at 8 AM to get the boat to Penida. The boat journey took about 20 minutes. As I got there early I had no issues waiting in line for pictures or being able to see views unobstructed.
View From My Hostel Bed.
Leading on to my second tip! Get a motorbike tour. Once I got on the island, I had plenty of time (as a solo traveller) to grab a motorbike tour and head straight to the viewpoint. My guide was lovely and took me to many places that people who weren’t riding motorbikes couldn’t access. He took all my pictures and took me to a little traditional tea house owned by his friend (he even paid for my tea!). While he initially offered to charge me around £15 for the whole day, I ended up paying him around £25 because he was so kind and took me to some incredible places I wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
My third and final tip is to try to visit other places in Penida. The entire island is breathtaking and offers much more than the typical tourist spots. Sadly, very few people venture outside of these areas.
Tembeling Beach
If you are looking for a non-touristy spot, Tembeling Beach is the real star of Penida. Unfortunately, not many people are aware of it or visit here; however, this is the beauty of it. The beach is located on an off-beaten path, and you either have to hike down or get a very experienced motorcyclist to take you down. As I did not have much time, I chose the latter. My guide drove me down here, and whilst it was terrifying (we saw a few stranded tourists who attempted the descent on our way down!), it was one of the highlights of my time in Penida.
At Tembeling Beach, I got to swim in natural rock pools and sit on a beach that had only about five other people on it. My guide also took me down to a beach swing with the most amazing scenery, where I sat for about 20 minutes taking in the views.
Therefore, if you are looking for a spot that is as isolated and beautiful as Kelingking Beach, Tembeling is your best bet. Do not let the tourists deter you from Penida and its viewpoints, however, as they are still very much worth it, and there is so much to see on this mind-blowing island.