Kelingking Beach

If the beaches of Bali aren’t quite stunning enough for you then hop on a boat and make the short trip over to the island of Nusa Penida, you won’t be disappointed. Although it’s a tough call, in terms of sheer wow factor, Kelingking Beach is possibly the best on the little island. The competition is pretty stiff with spots like Atuh and Suwehan beach being jaw-droppingly beautiful, but if Instagram is the ultimate arbiter then Kelingking takes the crown.

Kelingking beach goes by several names including Secret Point beach and more recently T-Rex beach. Both these names refer to the dramatic headland which defines the beach’s character. It is hard to say whether the T-Rex moniker is due to the headland looking like the claw or head of a Tyrannosaurus, but it seems to have stuck.

The beach itself sits at the bottom of some extremely tall (around 200m / 500ft), white limestone cliffs. With plenty of vegetation, near-white sand and almost iridescent blue sea this beach is a tropical stunner. The drawback is those very same cliffs which make the beach so spectacular - if you want to do more than take in the view then you are going to have to make the climb down (and up!).

There are steps, and there is a railing, but it is a fair climb and not for the faint of heart. One of the great things about Kelingking beach is that unlike so many other spots where the view is stunning but the beach just and after-thought, the beach here is great too. A good-sized strip of smooth sand and a backdrop to die for.

It should be noted that swimming here can be dangerous. The waves and currents are often extremely powerful and if you’re not a strong swimmer don’t risk it on all but the calmest of days. 

In terms of amenities there is pretty much nothing on the beach, however some local food-sellers do make the trip down to the beach to sell snacks. There are plenty of places to grab a bite at the top of the cliff and around the car park.