How to Visit Kelingking Beach in Nusa Penida, Indonesia 

by Jackie
Published: Last Updated on
A staircase along the green cliffside with a white sandy beach at Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida, Indonesia

When planning a trip to Nusa Penida, Indonesia, the first place that needs to be on your itinerary is a visit to Kelingking Beach. 

Located on the west side of the island, it’s the most famous photo spot in Nusa Penida with gorgeous sweeping views of a green cliffside surrounded by the bluest ocean waters and a clean white sandy beach. You’ve seen tons of photos on social media of this beautiful place. 

Many people say that the cliffside looks like a backbone of a T-Rex, but you’ll need to check it out yourself to see if it looks like that. 

If you’re an adventurous traveler who loves a challenge, then you’ll enjoy taking the steep stairs to hike to the secluded beach area. 

In this Kelingking Beach travel guide, we’re sharing everything that you need to know about Kelingking Beach, such as transportation, hiking tips, and more.

It’s worth the visit whether you’re visiting the island on a day trip from Bali or if you have at least 2 days in Nusa Penida. We’ve been here twice and love the beautiful views every time! 

Read more: Best Indonesian Islands

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Best Time to Visit Kelingking Beach

We suggest going to Kelingking Beach in the morning, such as before 9:30am, or late afternoon.  

The early morning would be the ideal time to enjoy the views and quietness before the day trippers from Bali arrive via speedboat. Kelingking Beach is usually the first stop on a day tour. 

Otherwise, the top area to walk along the upper Kelingking Beach will be very crowded. 

Nusa Penida's Kelingking Beach at sunset.

Kelingking Beach is a gorgeous place to visit at any time! Photo credit: Jomnicha via Depositphotos.com


How to Get to Kelingking Beach

From Bali to Nusa Penida

Visitors will need to take a 50-minute speedboat from Sanur Harbour to Nusa Penida. You can arrange the boat ticket yourself. Click here to buy the speedboat ticket. 

If taking a day tour from Bali, the speedboat ticket will be included in the tour price. 


From Nusa Lembongan or Ceningan to Nusa Penida

Nusa Islands has three islands – Penida, Lembongan, and Ceningan. Lembongan and Ceningan are the smaller islands.

Check out our Nusa Islands itinerary for inspiration on what to do. 

There is a 10-minute boat ride between Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. The boats depart and arrive from the yellow bridge on Lembongan. 


In Nusa Penida

There are three transportation options around Nusa Penida – a car with a private driver, a motorbike, or a day tour which includes car transportation. 

Hiring a private driver is suitable for those who do not want to deal with the hassle of driving. While it cost more to do this option, it’s a safer way to travel around the island. Plus, if you have a large group then everyone can travel together and not get separated. Click here to arrange a private driver. 

Driving a motorbike is great for those who know how to ride a motorbike. It’s a cheaper option than hiring a driver. Before you decide whether or not you want to drive a motorbike, check out our Nusa Penida motorbike post

Going on a day tour is another option and it’s feasible if you’re on a private or group tour. The tour includes a driver, admission fees, Bali to Nusa Penida speedboat transfer, pick-up/drop-off from Nusa Penida harbor, and parking. Book a spot for a West Nusa Penida day tour from Bali here. 


Admission Cost

It’s free to visit Kelingking Beach. You need to pay for parking at 5,000 IDR ($.33 USD). 

There is a photo spot in the main walkway that has an unobstructed view of Kelingking Beach. An extra charge of 30,000 IDR ($2.00) per person is required and may not be included in your day trip cost.


Do You Need a Guide at Kelingking Beach?

No, it’s not required. 

We didn’t have a guide on our first visit to Kelingking Beach. Since we drove a motorbike, we explored this area on our own.

For our second visit, we had a guide/driver who took us around the island. We traveled with my mother-in-law. It was helpful to have the guide take photos and videos for us.


How Much Time Needed at Kelingking Beach Area

It depends on whether you’ll go down the steep staircases to reach the beach or not. 

If you plan to stay in the top part of the main walkway, then you only need to spend 10-15 minutes taking photos. 

If you will climb the stairs to reach Kelingking Beach, then you’ll need 30+ minutes to 1+ hour round-trip. Additional time is needed to hang out at the beach. 

We spent over an hour taking photos and partially going down the staircase. Unfortunately, the beach was closed to tourists. 


Helpful Tips About Visiting Kelingking Beach

1. The best view is a prime photo spot on the main walkway area that overlooks Kelingking Beach. 

You’ll see a long line of people waiting for one particular spot. There is a tree in front of the photo spot for your photographer or another person from your group to stand and take photos. 

If you take a photo here, please be courteous and snap a few photos and move on. Otherwise, this area is congested. 

To the right of this photo spot is another place to take a photo. With this view, you won’t have to worry about people photobombing your photo as it’s a private section. You’ll need to pay 30,000 IDR ($2.00) per person. 

Jackie Szeto and Justin Huynh, Life Of Doing, stand at the best photo spot of Kelingking Beach with the cliffside and beach in the background

Here is the prime photo spot on the main walkway of Kelingking Beach


2. The stairs to hike Kelingking Beach are steep, so the route is not suitable for visitors with mobility issues.  

After you take photos, you’ll want to hike down the cliffside to reach Kelingking Beach or only to a certain distance. 

The first half of the stairs are made out of wood so it’s easier to climb down. Then, the second half is uneven rocks. The rocky section has a turnoff that leads down to Kelingking Beach. 

Take your time going down. Everyone on the trail knows that it’s not easy. 

If you have any issues with mobility, knee or leg issues, fear of heights, or cannot walk, please do not attempt to take the stairs down. There is a rest area nearby the photo spot to wait for your group. 

Jackie Szeto and Justin Huynh, Life Of Doing, stand on the stairs leading to Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida

Continue the hike down to reach Kelingking Beach


3. Fancy hiking shoes are not needed to hike Kelingking Beach. 

You do not need hiking shoes to go down the stairs – flip-flops or walking shoes are fine. 


4. The Kelingking Beach stairs do not have any shade. 

Since the weather gets hot and humid in Nusa Penida, you’ll want to cover up from the sun with a hat, sunglasses, and wearing sunscreen. 

Stay hydrated, especially with your hike. 


5. It’s the same route to climb up!

Save your energy and do not rush as you’ll need to hike up to reach the parking lot. You’ll have a good leg workout. We saw plenty of people huffing and puffing on the ascent. 


6. You’ll need to check if swimming is allowed at Kelingking Beach.

At the time of our visit, it wasn’t allowed due to the large waves and strong currents. The entrance to the secluded beach was blocked off. 

There have been reports of visitors needing Search and Rescue teams to save them from the waves. More info is here. 

We’ll keep you posted on when the beach will be open again. Once it’s open, you can enjoy the clean white sandy beaches to yourself. 


7. Need more photo spots? Continue walking to the right of the walkway to a dirt path for awesome views. 

We’ll let you in on a secret, there are other photo spots to the right of the main walking area. These spots are along a dirt path so a short walk is required. The path is not as steep as the Kelingking Beach stairs.

The landscape view is different as it shows the side of the green cliffside and more of Kelingking Beach. It’s worth a few minutes to check out and take photos. 

A side view of a white sandy beach of Kelingking Beach Jackie Szeto and Justin Huynh, Life Of Doing, sit on the edge of the cliff and sees the right side of Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida

8. Monkeys live here on the cliffside so be careful with your belongings. 

Similar to the monkeys on Bali’s Mount Batur and Monkey Forest in Ubud, the monkeys are thieves and will snatch anything in sight. Put away your sunglasses, hats, food, etc. 

We saw a family of monkeys hanging out at the fence. Some of the monkeys had wrappers in their hands so they took a snack from someone! 

Five monkeys crawling on a fence with the ocean in the back at Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida

Watch out for the monkeys at Kelingking Beach


9. If you need drinks or something to eat, there are warungs nearby the parking lot. 

You may need an energy boost after the hike, then feel free to visit one of the warungs in the main walking area. Many offer traditional Indonesian food such as mie goreng and nasi goreng and cold drinks. 


10. Public toilets are available but you’ll need to pay. 

Expect to pay 10,000 IDR ($.66 USD) per person to use the toilet here. They are managed by individual sellers. 


11. Take trash with you.

As with all attractions in Nusa Penida, please do not litter. 

As we mentioned earlier, monkeys live here so they’ll go through the trash for any food. It’s not natural for them to eat human food. 

Luckily, we didn’t see trash along the stairway. We cannot say much about the cleanliness of the beach since we haven’t been there yet. 


Final Thoughts

Kelingking Beach is an unforgettable place to visit in Nusa Penida. You can just stand and awe at the beautiful landscape views. Plus, you can hike to the beach and relax on the beach when it’s open. 

If you have more time to explore Nusa Penida, add a visit to other exciting attractions such as Rumah Pohon Treehouse, Diamond Beach, and Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong

Afterward, feel free to continue and explore other areas of Bali. We recommend that you check out our 2 weeks in Bali itinerary for ideas. 

Have any questions about Kelingking Beach? Ask a question in the comment section below. 

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