Tembeling Beach and Forest is one of the lesser-known spots in Nusa Penida and is quite the adventure if you’re up for it! More than just a beach, you’ll be able to experience the dense Tembeling forest along the way, as well as the natural rock pools.
If Nusa Penida is on your Bali bucket list, we recommend adding Tembeling Beach and Forest to your itinerary. We’ve outlined everything you need to know about Tembeling Beach in this guide, from how to get there and when to go to what to expect when you’re there.
Best time to visit Tembeling Beach
Tembeling Beach is beautiful any time of day, however, given its prime position on the west coast of Nusa Penida it makes for a good late afternoon/sunset spot. Golden hour is best as we don’t recommend making the drive back from Tembeling Beach in the dark. It’s scary enough in daylight hours!
How to get to Tembeling Beach
The best way to get around Nusa Penida is by scooter – this island is just not made for cars. Most accommodations will be able to arrange a scooter rental for you, and if you hire for multiple days you can usually haggle down to around 60,000 IDR per day. If you’re not comfortable driving a scooter, a popular option is to hire a car with a private driver.
Tembeling Beach and Forest is easy enough to find on Google Maps. The difficult part is not finding it but rather the road leading to it! Roads on Nusa Penida aren’t great at the best of times, but Tembeling Beach is especially hairy.
What to bring to Tembeling Beach and Forest
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Entrance Fee
There are no entrance fees or parking fees for Tembeling Beach. At the turn-off from the proper road down to the beach, there are guys on motorbikes offering trips down as many tourists aren’t comfortable driving all the way to the bottom. You may want to bring some extra cash for this.
BOOK A TOUR
Click here to book a tour to Diamond & Atuh Beach
Book a Nusa Penida Tour
If you’re interested in having your Nusa Penida tour all planned out for you without any inconvenience or hassle, then the best thing you can do is book online with GetYourGuide. There are a bunch of different tours to choose from, but here are some of the top-rated:
Driving to Tembeling Beach and Forest
We had read in other blogs that the road to Tembeling Beach was gnarly, but having lived in the Philippines for several years now where the roads are equally as bad, we decided to give it a shot. The blogs didn’t lie!
The road – if you could call it that – leading to Tembeling Beach is incredibly steep, made of more holes than cement and can be very slippery. If you’re not confident on a scooter or if there are two of you on a weak scooter (make sure to check the brakes), we recommend you park off to the side and walk to the bottom.
Natural Pools at Tembeling Beach and Forest
Once you reach the end of the road, you can breathe a sigh of relief and start the descent down the staircase to the beach. At the bottom of the stairs, you’ll get your first glimpse of the upper natural pool. The water here was insanely clear and surprisingly blue, however, it wasn’t very deep at the time.
The second natural pool was a lot bigger and more built up into an actual pool. It sits right on the edge of Tembeling Beach and is a great alternative to swimming in the sea since the waves aren’t always welcoming.
What to Expect at Tembeling Beach and Forest
Tembeling Beach is actually made up of two beaches, there’s the main one just in front of the natural pool and then there’s a smaller one on the other side of a cave. The cave beach doesn’t have much in the way of sand, however, it’s an awesome spot to sit and watch the crazy blue waves crash.
There are hundreds of rocks stacked on top of each, as well as a wooden swingset which makes for the perfect perch to sit and enjoy the view. We were lucky enough to have this beach all to ourselves, with only one other girl and her guide at the main beach.
The main Tembeling Beach is a lot larger and does actually have some soft, white sand. You can lay out on the beach and cool off in the water, just be mindful of the shore break. The beach isn’t all that exciting, but it’s a cosy spot to relax and take in the undisrupted nature surrounding you.
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Where to stay in Nusa Penida
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