Probably the most popular thing to do on Nusa Penida is to visit the famous Kelingking Beach. This view is one of the prettiest we have seen to date. Shades of electric blue and pacific blue water blend together perfectly before the waves come crashing down on the beach. It’s breathtaking!
Our Journey To Kelingking Beach
We woke up relatively early to begin our journey to Kelingking Beach. We had breakfast at around 7 am and set off shortly after that.
The roads were still quiet as many tourists come for one-day trips, which typically only leave the Sanur harbor in Bali at around 8:30 in the morning.
While driving, we felt as if we had the place to ourselves! Birds chirping, sunlight streaming through the trees, locals walking up and down the very narrow roads with baskets carefully balancing on their heads. Dodging chickens as they cross the road! It all seemed unreal, we couldn’t help but have huge smiles on our faces and eyes wide with wonder…
WARNING: The roads to all the attractions are very bumpy and are not regularly maintained. Be very careful when driving! Byron and I drove a bike in Thailand for 2 years and there were still times on the island where we almost slid out and we watched many young couples fall! Be careful!
If you’d like a little more clarity on driving in Nusa Penida, read this.
After a good 45 minute ride, we made it to Kelingking Beach; which was now beginning to get a little busy.
Where To Park
As you get closer to Kelingking Beach, there will be some locals sitting by a little hut, they will come up to you and ask you for a small parking fee. Then they will point you in the direction you need to drive. You will see the car and bike parking spaces. Just look for the other bikes and follow them. There are also guys further down, guiding you where to park if you’re unsure.
I Am Here, Now What?
You will have a very short walk on the road alongside the parking lot, past some new restaurants and then you will be there.
When you first see it, it will take you a while to realize what you are looking at. We had seen Kelingking all over Instagram, and we are fully aware of editing pictures and adding blue to ‘non-blue waters’, but this was real, unedited and unbelievably breathtaking!
On one side of us, we had the unbelievably blue waters and T-Rex Mountain (Can you see the T-Rex?) and on the other side, we watched little, mischievous monkeys stealing food from the Balinese altar.
The Walk Down To Kelingking Beach
There are steps and a pathway that lead down to the beach below. When we went, two local men were busy renovating the steps that lead down. We watched them go up and down carrying heavy cement bags over their shoulders, barefoot, staring and smiling at the tourists as we slowly made our way down in our awesome sneakers, holding on to the bamboo railing with our cameras in hand. We have so much respect for them! What a thankless job!
Now, I (Tammy) am not too excited about heights. So we only got a little way down before I decided I wasn’t able to go further. However, you are able to go all the way down to the bottom and we believe it takes a good 45 minutes, down and up.
That fear of heights of mine came back into play at Peguyangan Waterfall too and you can read that little story right here.
A Different Perspective – The Secret Viewpoint Of Kelingking Beach
We walked back up, passed one of the restaurants at the top of the hill with an awesome lookout deck and went off to a secret spot just to the left. There we had a lot of fun taking some different pictures of ourselves and playing around. Byron even climbed a tree to get the shot! Be careful as there is no railing here though, just a sheer drop!
We had what we needed and it was time to head off to our next stop: Bulian Beach.
Time to answer some questions that might be eating away at your brain.
Is Kelingking Beach Swimmable?
Yes, it is, which is fantastic because the water looks so inviting! However, be cautious as the waves are VERY strong and if you are not a strong swimmer you could get swept away into the ocean.
If you are a strong swimmer, go for it!
How Much Does It Cost?
There is no charge to go down to the beach. There is only a parking charge for your bike or car. We paid IDR 5000 each to park our bike.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Kelingking Beach?
To avoid crowds, we suggest either arriving before 10 am or after 4 pm. Many people come here on one-day trips and at some point, they all need to get home and it becomes a lot quieter.
The beach is open 24 hours a day but we recommend that you don’t stay too late for two reasons.
- The waves on the beach are rough and the hike back up to the top takes about 45 minutes. Not fun in the pitch dark!
- Also, the drive back is really bumpy and it is difficult to see the massive potholes in the dark.
Kelingking beach is located on the Southwest Coast of Nusa Penida. This is probably one of the most difficult drives, so try and smash out these other attractions on the same day:
Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong
Bulian Beach
X Marks The Spot
How Do I Get There?
If you are visiting from Bali, you can take a day trip to Nusa Penida and Kelingking Beach will almost always be on the list of things to do!
You can also go by yourself and spend a little longer on the island, which we highly recommend! We ended up staying for a week!
In order to get there, you will have to travel from Sanur harbor in Bali by speedboat to Nusa Penida. We used a company called “Crown Fast Cruises“.
➩ Book here: Sanur to Nusa Penida
You can also browse 12Go Asia for other Southeast Asia Travels!
How Do I Get Around on Nusa Penida?
Once on the island, you will have to rent a bike or scooter! It cost us IDR 390k for the week which was a little better of a deal compared to the standard IDR 70k a day.
The island is just too big to walk. Also, since the island isn’t as built up yet, they only have one well-maintained main route that connects all of the attractions, which means that you will have to travel about 45 minutes between each attraction.
➳ Tell Me About The Nusa Penida Roads.
It’s musts say that we absolutely loved driving here, gladly cruising for three or more hours daily because of the spectacular scenery, quiet roads, authentic local lifestyle and fresh air. Our favourite spot to unleash the motorcycle yet.
Accommodation Options On Nusa Penida
There are so many to choose from. It all really depends on what you are looking for and what your price range is.
We suggest using Airbnb.
When you first sign up to Airbnb and book using our code you can score up to R600 off of your first booking and R225 towards an experience!
We’d like something:
Budget-Friendly ➩ Arie Guesthouse
Unique ➩ Penida Bambu Green
Luxury ➩ Kompyang Cottage
Could you believe your eyes when you visited Kelingking? Or are you still planning your trip? What are you most excited about? Let’s chat in the comments!
Nusa Penida Video Itinerary
If you’d like a more visual explanation of Kelingking Beach and every other attraction on Nusa Penida, this complete guide has got you sorted!
P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube!
Some Plans For After Nusa Penida
Ubud, Bali is an absolute essential – plus it’s very nearby.
If you’re heading out of the country, perhaps you could stop off in Thailand?
➳ Have You Ever Heard Of Phatthalung?
If you’re hoping for inspiration, here’s a random blog post!
➳ Ooooh, where does this take me?
We’d love to be a part of your journey! From planning to exploring, tag us on Facebook and Instagram or #DearTravallure!
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