Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida, What you NEED to know!

Kelingking beach on Nusa Penida is an AMAZING beach and rock formation! Also called T-Rex Bay, it is a very popular spot! This guide is all about how to prepare for the climb down and up as it is not easy feat! However, the beach once you get down is really stunning and you will have so much fun! I jus want to make sure you are well prepared so you don’t almost faint once you climb back up like I did! Alternatively, you can come here at sunset and not climb down at all. Kelingking beach was my absolute favourite sunset spot on Nusa Penida! I’ve also included a few extra things to do on Nusa Penida at the end, or you can also check out the 3 day itinerary if you are wondering how long to stay on the island for!

Where is Nusa Penida?

Nusa Penida is an island 30 minutes away from Bali by boat. It is also close to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. Nusa Penida is the largest of the three islands and the most exciting for sure. I would recommend spending at least 3 days on Nusa Penida and even longer if you have the time.

Currency – IDR (Indonesian Rupiah)

How to get to Nusa Penida from Bali?

I used a website called 12Go.Asia to book our boat to Nusa Penida. It was all very easy to use and gave us the best options. We actually went to Nusa Penida with one boat company and back with another company. As you arrive to the port at Sanur on Bali, there will be lots of people asking you if you need a ticket. You can buy it when you arrive but I prefer to buy them beforehand. Also I hate using cash as it goes so fast, the maximum you can take out of an ATM is 2 million IDR in most places which is only around £100. From Canggu it will take around an hour to get to Sanur. From Ubud it is a bit closer and from Uluwatu it is just over an hour. 

The trip from Nusa Penida from Bali can be a rough one so be prepared. The sea can be quite choppy here. Also a top tip is to make sure you have a few days spare, and don’t get a boat back close to your flight in case the sea is too rough and the boat gets cancelled.

Top Tip:

• Wear something short!

There is no pier at Sanur Port in Bali, so you will have to wade through at least knee deep water to get onto the boat. Make sure you can take your shoes off easily and I would say the water can rise to thigh level on some days so be prepared! Also they will take your shoes off you when you get on the boat, and put them in a big box. At the other end, they will tip the box upside down onto the sand. If you want to avoid losing shoes or having the full of sand, just put them in your bag before you get on the boat.

Cost: I paid 330,000 IDR return.

How to get to Kelingking Beach?

Kelingking beach is on the western side of Nusa Penida and also named T-Rex rock! Let me know if you see it?? If you are staying fairly close to the port, we stayed at Tentacle Bali, then it should take around 45 minutes on a scooter. The roads have all recently been refurbished so it is a lot easier to get around Nusa Penida. The first time I went it took twice as long to get anywhere! There is a parking for scooters and a parking for cars when you arrive. Once you have parked, it is about a 5 minute walk past a few local shops to get to the famous viewpoint.

How much is the parking here?

You will have to pay a small fee, we paid 4,000 IDR to park here.

When is the best time to come?

To start the walk down, I would say as early as you can! You also don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn. We were there at about 9am and were still able to walk down the tricky part in the shade. I’ve heard that sunset is a bad time to walk down, as after the sun actually sets you don’t walk to be walking up in the dark. However, the beach was also very empty in the evening.

The MORNING (for walking down) or SUNSET (for photos) is the best time! You can walk down in the shade, and if you are early you will have the beach almost to yourself once you reach the bottom. Also, there is a huge shadow over the beach in the morning, which is not ideal for photos. So 9am is a good time, as you have some time in the shade and there will be fewer people and you get to walk down with a bit less sun hitting your back.

How long does it take to get down to the beach?

It took us around 30 minutes to climb down. I just had to check my camera roll on my phone to see! I took one video at 9:35 and the next video at 10:05 once we had made it down. So you really don’t have to get up too early at all! However, it may take you up to 45 minutes to walk down here as it is tough. Even without the sun I was sweatier than I have been since trekking in the jungle in Northern Indonesia. We did this in January in rainy season so it was very humid.

What do you need to bring with you?

• Suncream
• Swimwear
• Drinks!!
• Cash
• A towel
• Camera

Bring as many drinks as you can! But you also don’t want your bag to be too heavy as the climb is a tough one as it is. We had very heavy backpacks and I’m sure this made it much harder for us! We had about a litre of drinks each and we thought this might last us, but it still didn’t. Make sure to take suncream, as by the time you reach the bottom you will have sweat off anything you put on in the morning.

Take cash, and a bit extra than usual as the drinks at the bottom are three times the price than they are at the top of the rock. A coconut was 50k and a coke was 30k. However, a cold drink is so necessary when you reach the bottom so don’t hold back, treat your self! Make sure to take a towel, I actually found mine most useful to wear as a cape on the way back up! Of course a camera, as it is so beautiful down there you will have to take some photos for sure.

What should you wear to do the climb?

I wore a dress and sandals which was a very bad idea!! I knew I shouldn’t have, but I had just one bag from Bali for our trip that had to fit in the scooter so no space for any extra clothing or spare shoes! Definitely wear some proper sturdy shoes, converse are fine just no flip flops or sandals. Then I would recommend anything you don’t mind being drenched in sweat and something short so you can climb! On the way down it wasn’t so bad but on the way back up I wore just a swimsuit, as there are some big climbs and you don’t want any clothing in the way.

Is it worth climbing down?

When I first got back up to the top I was close to fainting and I probably would have said no to you! Now that I have recovered after not being able to walk properly for 3 days, I would say it was worth it. However, it really is tough so don’t take small children, if you are really unfit I would also not recommend it. If you have a light bag and are relatively fit then go for it! Just be aware that it is quite dangerous and be prepared with the top tips I gave you earlier.

What time of year is best to visit Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida?

The best time to come is during dry season which runs from April to October. This is also when you are most likely to see manta ray in the water here. However, when I came in June it was really busy and absolutely boiling. In January, it is much quieter but there is a possibility of rain. We had one cloudy afternoon and that was it! Also the port on Bali at Sanur was crazy last time we went and was so busy with people it was hard to find which boat to get on. This time it was very quiet and very easy to get around.

What else to do on Nusa Penida?

There is so much more to do on Nusa Penida! I would recommend minimum 3 days on Nusa Penida. We spent 4 nights 5 days here and still could have spent a few days longer.

Snorkelling at Crystal Bay

Snorkelling is one of the must do things on Nusa Penida. There are some amazing fish here and there are days when the visibility is amazing. As I said above, there is another spot called Manta Bay, where in dry season you may see manta ray and be able to swim with them. However, this is not always guaranteed, but every tour will tell you that you may just see them today! I have been twice and not seen them each time but who knows!

Sunrise at Diamond Beach

If you want to get up for a sunrise then Diamond Beach is the place! Also means you can climb down in the shade as its another big walk. It is easier than Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida but still a bit uneven and takes a while. Once you get down there is a ‘Bali swing’ and then white sand and plenty of blue sea. It is definitely a must see spot, and so beautiful from up top. If you have the energy definitely go down though.

Sunbathe on Atuh Beach

This beach is also not so hard to get to, with a good set of stairs, but a long set. However, at the bottom on the beach there are sun loungers and great pancakes so it’s well worth it! After a climb down Diamond Beach, you may want to hang out on Atuh beach where at least you have some shade.

Visit Broken Beach

One of the most ‘instagrammable’ spots on Nusa Penida, although there are many! Head here to see the famous hole in the rock that has formed a big opening with a small beach, that you can get down to but its amazing to see this spot! It is also right next to Angel’s Billabong which is next here! Broken beach doesn’t have much shade so be sure to not go here at midday! It is also nice to walk around the whole of Broken beach so you can see it from every angle.

Paddle in Angel’s Billabong

This is another interesting rock formation! You can swim here but be careful of the waves as they can flood in suddenly!

Eat at an instagrammable cafe

Secret Penida Cafe is GORGEOUS! Definitely head here for a meal or two. Annoyingly they only take cash, but it’s worth it! They do great western and Indonesian food.

Where to stay on Nusa Penida?

Tentacle Bali – Value for money

We stayed at Tentacle Bali and it was perfect. Lovely little huts with breakfast included and perfect location for us. There is also a pool which is nice to cool down after a busy day exploring Nusa Penida! They also rent scooters which in hindsight we should have done as our one we got from the harbour was awful.

Cost £20/£30 per night

La Royale – Mid-budget

La Royale is a beautiful wooden house nestled between palm trees.

Cost £38/$50 per night

La Roja Bungalows

Gorgeous huts surrounding a bright blue pool, we wanted to stay at La Roja but it was full booked so get in there fast!

Cost £65/$85 per night

Top Tips for Nusa Penida

• Take at least 2 million in cash! Some of the cash points don’t work here so it’s much easier to be prepared! We spent around 2 million in 5 days here.
• Don’t look at the monkeys in the eyes!
• Don’t cram too much into each day as you will be exhausted
• Always make sure you have plenty of drinks
• Always have some change spare for fuel

Thanks for reading my blog post on Kelingking beach, Nusa Penida and all the top things you need to know before doing the climb!! Remember take plenty of water and cash for drinks at the bottom, take some snacks too as it really isa strenuous hike. Wear easy to climb in clothing and remember to wear some proper shoes not sandals! Try and climb down before 9am so you can walk in the shade most of the way!

Why not Pin this Guide to Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida for later!

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