We spent three days on Nusa Penida with a fairly clear program from the start: to meet manta rays and discover two of the most iconic beaches in Bali.
From the first half-day, we went out to sea for an outing dedicated to diving with mantas at Manta Point. And there, a truly incredible experience: several enormous manta rays glided around us with almost hypnotic ease. You don't really realize their size until you see them in real life, they are gigantic. They move ultra gracefully, almost in slow motion, with impressive fluidity. It was one of Matthieu’s dreams, and clearly a new box checked on the list. The moment was really powerful, even if the fact of being very numerous underwater with other divers and snorkelers made the experience a little less fluid than what we could have imagined, obviously it is a very well-known spot.
After that, return to the island by scooter to explore the west coast. First stop at Broken Beach, an impressive natural site with its gigantic arch open to the ocean and its circular bay formed by erosion. It is a place marked by the power of the sea, which has shaped the cliff over time to create this very particular type of landscape.
Then, head to Kelingking Beach. The place is amazing and truly spectacular. There is still this unfinished elevator structure on the cliff, which distorts the landscape a little, but once there, it ultimately does not take away much from the beauty of the place. We arrived there at the end of the day, at sunset, which completely changed the atmosphere with much fewer people and incredible light on the cliffs. The descent to the beach is quite rough and physical, but it also has an advantage: it naturally limits the number of people down there, which makes the experience much more pleasant once on the sand. And despite the difficulty, once we arrive, we enjoy an impressive setting between steep cliffs, light sand and powerful waves. Even if swimming is not always authorized depending on the conditions, we were still able to go in the water, play with the waves like other visitors, and fully enjoy the moment.
The next morning, we went to the other side of the island to enjoy the sunrise and discover Diamond Beach. We went there very early, before the crowds arrived, to enjoy the start of the sunrise in a still calm atmosphere. At that time, there was hardly anyone there, which made the experience very pleasant. It is especially later in the morning, around 11 a.m., that the site becomes much busier, especially as the beach is more easily accessible than Kelingking, which attracts more people. The beach remains very beautiful visually, but the tourist presence and the prohibited swimming conditions due to very strong currents make the place more difficult to spend time there. When you stay on the sand, with the strong waves, stones, pieces of wood and other elements brought back by the sea regularly cover a large part of the beach. It is therefore difficult to sit quietly for a long time without risking being disturbed or seeing your laundry wet by a wave.
Far from the crowds that we can sometimes associate with Bali, Nusa Penida remains a notable interlude of the trip, with its spectacular landscapes and its two emblematic beaches which are clearly worth the detour. We were sometimes even surprised by the few tourists present, especially outside the busiest times. To take full advantage of it, we recommend staying on site rather than making the return trip during the day. Distances are longer than they seem and the roads in Nusa Penida are not always in the best condition, making travel quite time-consuming.
