West side of the island and night market

March 19
Met my driver at 8 am to explore Nusa Penida. First stop Kelingking Beach.

On the way there, Wayan my driver, explained today was a special day for Hindus. It’s a day where the whole village goes to beach in preparation of
Nyepi, Balinese Hindus observe the New Year of the Saka calendar. More on Nyepi soon.

The village policemen

Kelingking beach is a unqiue rock formations that resemble the backbone of a dinosaur and it’s even nicknamed T-Rex Bay. Interestingly, “Kelingking” also means pinky finger in Indonesian. You hike down the cliff to the beach, it takes 20 minutes to get down to Kelingking Beach and about 40 mins to climb back up. The stairs are not all the same height and they are uneven. Although I had proper shoes and plenty of water, I chose not to hike down. Swimming in the waters is not permitted as there are very strong currents in that area. However, I did see a few people in the water.

Monkeys waiting for treats….

Next stop…. Broken Beach
Broken Beach is named because a portion of the cliff near the seashore has collapsed, creating a circular shape that measures approximately 100 meters. As a result, the area resembles a circular bay. Water flows into this bay through an arch that overlooks the sea.

I walked around Broken Beach. This is Manta Bay, where I diode yesterday to see the Mantas. While there I saw a few close to the top.

We then walked 3 minutes to Angel Billabong. A billabong is a term used in Australia to describe an isolated pond that is formed when a river changes its course. However, at Angel’s Billabong, it is more of a natural pool. The pool is filled with clear water during high tide and appears as a natural pool during low tide. The locals say it’s an enjoyable experience to take a swim in the crystal-clear water during low tide. However, it is important to avoid swimming during high tide or when there are big waves.

Last stop… Crystal Bay. This was my first diving spot yesterday. Crystal Bay is considered one of the top 5 must-visit destinations on Nusa Penida island. However, I found it very busy….with boats, people and snorkels.

I found a Hindu celebration at the beach. At one point, we saw a headless chicken fly out from the temple and die on the beach! If you look at the last picture carefully, you’ll see it at the feet of the man in the black and white checkered sarong. Apparently, it was a gift to the evil gods for Nyepi.

Took a swim and had a chat with Asyraf, the dive master here at Deeproots Dive and Yoga Retreat.
Met Lou at the front of hotel. Pak (Deeproots GM), Dawie (Lou’s father in law from South Africa), Lou and I headed out in the hotel golf car to the night market for street food! What a fun night! Thanks for dinner Lou!

Dessert!