Kelingking Beach- Nusa Penida
To unpathed waters, undreamed shores.
We are more of an adventure traveller. We like visiting unexplored, difficult to reach places rather than just doing a packaged tour. Maybe that is why I was so eager to visit this beach that it ended up becoming our first international trip.
KelingKing Beach in Nusa Penida is up there with one of the most amazing places I have ever been to. KelingKing Beach has quickly become the biggest tourist attraction on the island thanks to Instagram and for a good reason, I mean just look at this view!
About Nusa Penida Island
Nusa Means "Island" and Penida means "priests" in Balinese. Therefore, isn't necessary to refer to the island as "Nusa Penida Island"- it would just be redundant.
Nowadays, Nusa Penida is known mostly for Kelingking Beach, Angel 's Billabong and Broken Beach, but you can still visit temples where the dark spirit is worshipped - and kept at bay.
How to get to Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida is getting popular these days, and there are few ways to visit the Indian Ocean Island.
I have covered this in my previous blog The Best of Bali.
Where is Kelingking Beach
Kelingking Beach, also known as Kelingking Secret Point, is located on the west coast of Nusa Penida Island. From the main town Toya Pakeha, it's approximately a 45-minute drive to reach Kelingking Beach.
The best way to get to Kelingking Beach is to rent a scooter, you can find the cost of it in my previous blog The Best Of Bali.
The roads on Nusa Penida are very rocky and eroded in areas so beware of this and take it slow on the loose gravel roads.
When you arrive at the jump-off point for the Kelingkking Beach you will have to pay a small fee of 5,000 IDR for parking which includes the entrance fees.
All of you may be thinking what is so special about this beach, right?
Kelingking Beach is ranked #19 in Travellers' choice awards 2019 from the top 25 best beaches in the world and #2 in Asia.
The 200-meter high drop-down overlooking the T-rex head and the beach is just mindblowing.
We had very less time as we had to catch our ferry at 1400 hrs back to Sanur, Bali. That was our last day in Nusa Penida. We estimated that we will cover all the beaches before we leave the beautiful Island. On our last day, only Kelingking Beach was left.
Ashish wouldn't miss the opportunity to wake me up early. It was 5000 hrs, 'Get up, we have to get ready, we can't miss that beach', the first voice I heard that day.
I almost gave up that day, I thought it would take too much of our time and will miss the ferry.
Ashish is the one who always cheers me up. So I got up with my grumpy half-asleep face.
We stayed in Batran Garden Cottage, peaceful, silent Cottage with Mt. Agung view. We had our breakfast and left for the Kelindking Beach at 7000 hrs.
Bali is a splendid destination for food. Local cuisine, whether truly Balinese or influenced by the rest of Indonesia and Asia, draws from the bounty of fresh local foods and is rich in spices and flavours.
I must say the way Balinese serve the food is an art.
We reached Kelingking Beach in 2 hrs as the roads on Nusa Penida are not that great. The further you travel from the harbour, the worse the roads get.
The Viewing Platform
The spot where everybody gets their famous photo. Before you hit the steps there's a flat piece of concrete where you can sit and get your shot.
This area cannot be missed as a tourist will be queuing up waiting in turn for their potential new profile pictures.
we would recommend you to go as early as possible otherwise you will be just behind 1000 tourist in a queue.
What to bring when visiting Kelingking Beach
Indonesian rupiah in cash(preferable small bills).
Sun Protection; a hat, sunglasses, light covering clothes and eco-friendly sunscreen.
Proper shoes (if you intend to climb down to the beach).
Snacks to eat before heading back up after visiting the beach.
A good Camera.
Plenty of water.
A sarong or a quick-dry towel.
Minimise your impact
To minimise your impact when visiting Kelingking Beach, follow these guidelines.
Bring your own drinking water in a refillable bottle
Avoid single-use plastic, including straws
Dispose of waste properly.
Respect wildlife.