Tembeling Beach & Forest on Nusa Penida

Tembeling Beach & Forest is a hidden gem on the southwest coast of Nusa Penida Island, near Bali. We had almost no expectations when we included this “secret” spot in our itinerary. I must admit, it really surprised us in all the best ways!

Tembeling Natural Pools are two freshwater springs, each offering a different experience. As we indulged in the sweetness of doing nothing but taking in the peaceful nature, we quickly understood how magical this place is.

While it used to be a real secret spot some years ago, this has changed recently. You’ll likely not have the whole place to yourself, but it’s still way less crowded than most other attractions in Nusa Penida. Only a few group tours include Tembeling Beach in their itinerary.

In this guide, we share how to get there, all the fees, the best time to visit, and what to expect.

Tembeling Beach and Forest Quick Overview

To get to the Tembeling Beach, Forest, and Natural Pools, you have three options: walk around 30 minutes one way, park at the top, take a motorbike taxi, or drive yourself.

Parking at the top costs 5,000 IDR, a round trip by a motorbike taxi is 75,000-100,000 IDR per person, and the entrance fee is 10,000 IDR.

Whether you decide to walk or drive, you’ll pass through a beautiful, lush green forest with a tranquil stream flowing down the valley. At the end, you’ll reach the natural pools with incredible ocean views right by the beach.

Where is Tembeling Beach

Tembeling Beach and Forest is on the southwest coast of Nusa Penida Island in Indonesia. Kelingking Beach is less than 12 km away and a 35-minute drive away, while Diamond Beach is around 20 km away and a 1-hour drive away.

How to get here

Parking info

First, you’ll need to reach the main parking area, which is still around 1.8km from your final destination. Get the exact parking location here. You can’t miss this spot, since there’s a sign right next to the road.

Once you get here, you’ll have three options.

Motorbike Taxi

As soon as we reached the main parking area, the locals offered us a ride. They try to charge as much as possible, but there’s always room for haggling. You could be able to get the price for a return trip down to 75,000 IDR.

If you don’t want to pay for their services, you can still drive by yourself or walk.

Driving by yourself

The cheapest and fastest way to get down the valley is to drive by yourself. As soon as we reached the parking area, we were also approached by local “guides” offering their taxi services. We declined since we found 100,000 IDR for each too expensive for such a short ride.

Locals tried to persuade us the road was too tricky, steep, and bumpy. We thought in the worst-case scenario, we’d turn around. Juraj is not a bad driver and has already managed some “off-road” drives.

It’s not too difficult if you have good breaks and balance. We had no trouble going down. There was a narrow concrete path, which we followed most of the time.

However, if you’re a beginner or not as confident, you might be better off driving with someone else or walking.

The funny thing was that even when we were leaving the lower parking, locals tried very hard to persuade us that the road was unmanageable. Even though we had already come the same way, they thought we’d believe them that we wouldn’t be able to return.

Walking down

Lastly, if you’re up for a short hike, you can easily walk it. It should only take around 30 minutes one way. Thanks to the decline, getting down is slightly more manageable. While a sign says it’s 3 kilometers, it’s actually only 1.8 kilometers.

You’ll be surrounded by beautiful, lush green nature the whole time. Monkeys should not be in the area, making it very safe. While the path is steep in some sections, overall, it’s very doable for anyone.

Tours to join

It’s possible to join a guided tour which includes Tembeling Beach. Two options are available online.

Firstly, the East Nusa Penida tour also visits Diamond Beach, Tree House, and Atuh Beach. The pick-up locations are in Bali. The price includes round-trip fast boat tickets and a private car with a driver.

The second option is to join the Nusa Penida Instagram Tour. Two packages are available, each including different stops and the possibility of snorkeling. The tour also starts with a boat trip from Bali.

Tembeling Beach and Forest Entrance Fee

You’ll find a small ticket booth at the entrance once you reach the lower parking (no matter how you arrive). Here, you must pay an entrance fee of 10,000 IDR.

During our visit, it was only a voluntary donation. However, this is no longer true based on the most recent reviews.

The best time to visit

There’s not really the best time to visit Tembeling Beach and Natural Pools. You’re likely gonna have similar experience all-day-long.

Luckily, this tourist attraction is not yet part of most organized tours. This means only independent travelers or those with private driver are gonna be here, which highly reduces the amount of tourists.

Mornings are probably going to be quieter, with very few other people. We arrived right after lunch at around 2pm and shared the pools with around 10 other travelers.

Given its orientation and surrounding landscape, there’s very limited direct sunshine. The best time to catch sunrays is between 2 and 4pm. For the rest of the day, cliffs and trees cast a shadow on the area.

Tembeling Forest

On the way down, we already passed through a part of Tembeling Forest. Once we reached the lower parking lot, we headed right toward the concrete stairs. This is where the forest continues to Tembeling Beach.

Imagine a beautiful canyon full of lush green vegetation and a fairytale-like stream flowing down the valley. Even during the dry season, it was full of life! We walked around the towering trees, following the winding path and enjoying the few sunrays peaking through the canopy.

Locals consider this a holy place, with small shrines built along the trail.

Tembeling Natural Pools

Two different natural pools can be found at Tembeling. Both are fed by the natural underground spring with crystal-clear turquoise water. Don’t expect hot springs, though. The water is rather refreshing.

The first pool is slightly larger and surrounded by a tall cliff on one side. You can find a few water fountains resembling Hindu gods beside the pool. These are to be used during religious rituals. Remember, Tembeling Beach and Forest were sacred places long before they became tourist attractions.

We liked the second pool more because of the unbeatable ocean views. The water was only above knee-deep. A few spots around the pool’s edge serve as natural rock benches. A few water pipes are located at the back of the pool, bringing fresh water in.

This was the perfect spot to watch the waves rolling in slowly while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

Tembeling Beach

Compared to other top spots in Nusa Penida, like Broken Beach, Tembeling Beach is not that special. It is a small stretch of sand surrounded by towering cliffs on both sides and tall forest trees in the back. The water is also full of rocks.

The beach is not the main attraction or swimming spot here. The waves and currents are often too strong. Most of the time, it’s very obvious that you should not enter the water. In addition, due to the big waves, it doesn’t even look that appealing.

However, it’s still a great place to sit down, relax, and enjoy the natural surroundings.

Tembeling Hidden Beach

Walking down towards the lower Tembeling Natural Pool, we noticed a cave in the cliffs on the right. Inside, plenty of rocks are carefully balanced on each other. After passing through the cave, we found ourselves on the other side of the towering cliff on another “hidden” beach.

The sand is covered in rocks of different sizes and shapes, with little space to lie down. While it’s not the ideal sunbathing spot, you can sit on the rocks and admire the strong waves crashing against the rocks all around you.

Recently, locals also built a swing on the beach, which is a perfect photo spot.

Facilities in the area

Since Tembeling Beach and Natural Pools are secluded, facilities are also limited. You can buy simple snacks and drinks at the top parking lot or down in the valley.

I’ve also noticed a toilet near Tembeling Beach, but I wouldn’t have high expectations.

Certainly have some cash with you!