Tembeling beach and natural pools are a great spot to visit if you want to spend some time away from the more crowded places on Nusa Penida. This spot actually has two beach areas and two natural pools. In this guide, I’ll explain how to get there (safely) and what to expect when you reach the beach and natural pools.
Getting There
Tembeling Beach is on the west side of Nusa Penida and can be reached by car or motorbike/scooter. It takes about 45 minutes to drive there from either Toya Pakeh Harbour or Buyuk Harbour.
If you rent a scooter on the island your ride should be fairly easy as most of the roads have recently been upgraded. However, the roads on Nusa Penida are narrow and windy so take it slow and make sure to give a courtesy beep when approaching a bend so cars know to move over. And watch out for potholes!
At the final turn off, you will see a few small stalls with locals hanging around. Here, you can park your scooter and either walk the final part down to the beach or jump on the back of a motorbike with a local.
We chose to get on a motorbike with a few locals who showed us around and took us back up when we were finished exploring. The cost of this return trip was 500k IDR ($5 AUD).
Fair warning: this was one of the most thrilling rides of my life (it didn’t help that the guy I got rode like a speed demon).
Can I ride down myself?
I highly recommend that you only ride down yourself if you have a motorbike and are a very experienced rider. The track is extremely steep, slippery and is a mix of dirt, rock and some concrete slabs which means only one bike can fit at a time.
Exploring the beach and natural pools
You will arrive at a car park that leads to some stairs. Take the stairs down (should take about 5 minutes) and the first thing you’ll see on your right is one of the natural pools.
Take a few photos and go for a dip here, then keep following the path further down until you see the next pool on your left. This ones overlooks a beach and is slightly bigger.
If you turn right just before you reach the second pool, you will find a rocky area with a swing and another beach. We visited at high tide so the beach on this side was not accessible and the waves were dangerously strong.
Can you swim here?
Both pools are lovely for a refreshing dip. The beach on the right looked too risky for a swim but at low tide it might be okay – just be cautious as Nusa Penida is notorious for its crazy coast.
Best Time to Visit
This spot is nowhere near as popular as places like Kelingking Beach or Diamond Beach, likely due to the difficult journey. We visited around 10am and shared the spot with only a handful of other people. Go even earlier if you want the place all to yourself!
Leave a Reply