Kelingking Beach, the famed ‘Nusa Penida T Rex Beach‘ is one of the most photographed beach views in the world. Thousands of tourists and travelers journey to Nusa Penida from Bali each year to look out over the steep cliff to an incredible view of Kelingking Beach and what many say is a T-Rex shaped cliff.
Do you see the T Rex? It took me AGES, but I finally understand that people see it as a t-rex with its mouth open – see below.
What many people do not do is actually make the trek down to Kelingking beach itself. The view from the top is effortless, great for photos, and right next to the road. It’s easy to just snap the Instagram pic and leave. But, if you are here for the adventure and want to make the extremely steep and low-key treacherous journey down to one of the best Nusa Penida beaches, keep reading!
But First, Some Preliminary Kelingking Beach Info:
Getting to Kelingking Beach
Kelingking Beach is just over 30 minutes from the main port of Toyapakeh on Nusa Penida. Many people choose to do organized tours of the island, but this guide will tell you how to get there on your own by renting a scooter.
If you haven’t already heard, the roads in Nusa Penida can get pretty rough. By that I mean potholes GALORE, lots of loose gravel, and relentless bumps.
But luckily for you, the road to Kelingking Beach from the harbor is honestly not so bad – well-paved and relatively smooth. If you are only visiting Kelingking Beach and nothing else, you will have an easy time with the journey. However, if you are visiting other parts of Nusa Penida also, I recommend renting a good scooter.
Renting a Scooter in Nusa Penida
When you arrive at the port of Nusa Penida (Toyapakeh), there will be people waiting to rent scooters. MAKE SURE YOU GET A GOOD, POWERFUL SCOOTER HERE. At the very least you should get a Vario (70k/day is the going price here), but if you have the budget, get an N-Max Scooter (which go for 150k/day but with potential to haggle).
I would go as far as to test the scooter out in the harbor to make sure it’s powerful enough, especially if you have two people and bags.
Before You Visit Nusa Penida T Rex Beach
There are only a couple of places to stay near Kelingking beach, so most people visit as a part of a larger Nusa Penida road trip, or just drive from the port. We did, however, stay in this lovely hotel about 5-7 minutes away so we could wake up and head straight to the beach.
If you arrive in the morning, the hike down to the beach will be shaded for the most part until the sun comes over the cliff. The cliffface and hike is exposed to direct sunlight for the rest of the day until sunset.
What to Pack for Kelingking Beach Hike
Make sure to pack accordingly, because the trek down to the beach is very steep and will be in exposed sunlight. I recommend packing a backpack with plenty of water and some important supplies, such as:
- WATER! Bring lots. At least 1-2 big bottles.
- Sunscreen. Apply before hiking!
- Shoes Comfortable for Hiking – NO FLIP FLOPS/THONGS! Eliot wore his running shoes and I wore my favorite hiking sandals I travel with everywhere – my Tevas.
- Beach Towel/Sarong (because you will DEFINITELY want to relax on the beach for a bit after the hike)
- Swimsuit (wear under clothes if its comfy – or towel change at the bottom)
- Hat (extra sun protection)
- Camera(s) – I recommend having a Go Pro to document more extreme adventures, which can get wet and withstand the elements! I of course brought my DSLR and drone too because, well, I am obsessive me.
Our Kelingking Beach Vlog
We recorded our entire experience visiting and hiking down to the beach. Watch below!
Many warungs/restaurants at the top of the viewpoint 
Here is the parking lot! Park here, walk left.
Arriving at Kelingking Beach
Kelingking is a small village. Follow the map under a ‘Kelingking’ sign and right on a smaller road until you pass by a dozen or so small warungs on either side of the road. Kelingking’s main area is made up of a bunch of open-air restaurants, a hotel or two (all under construction when I visited), a temple, and a parking lot. Yep, that’s about it.
Fuel Before the Hike – Kelingking Warungs + Food
I recommend eating before you hike, whether you cook something yourself or grab a bite at any of the MANY warungs in the area. Honestly, all the warungs are fairly similar and serve similar food, but check on their chalkboards/posters outside to find a meal that looks good to you. We chose one with coconut iced coffee, smoothie bowls, and pancakes in the morning!
If you want to eat with a view, you can take a seat at one of the restaurants to the right of the parking lot and probably score some seats with a Nusa Penida T Rex view!
Kelingking Beach Viewpoints – From the Top
Before you begin your descent, I recommend taking in the epic view from the top. This is where you can best make out the Nusa Penida T Rex head most easily! There are a few sections of the path without a fence, which is VERY dangerous yet definitely the best for photos. Make sure to be careful!
However, if you’d like a view with less tourists around, you can actually find your way to the cliff across from the t-rex head part of the beach. You can either climb back from a restaurant or pop through an empty lot/construction area near the final turn of the road. There are paths along the cliff with uninterrupted views facing the beach. See photos below!
Kelingking Beach Sunset
If you have time, watch the sunset from the top of Kelingkling beach, or time your hike back up to end just before sunset. The viewpoint at the top perfectly faces the sunset, which makes for an epic photo!
Here is a cliff-ladder part! 
Looking up at the whole trail
Kelingking Beach Hike
The path down to the beach descends from the parking lot to the left (you can’t miss it). So, begin your descent after you have checked you have all your belongings, and have taken any photos at the top you want (or wait for sunset).
The hike begins with steep concrete stairs for the first 10 minutes or so, along the ridge (or the back of the t-rex if you like). They are definitely steep, but as you will find out in the second part of the hike, it’s nice that they are real stairs!
About halfway down the mountain, the trail splits. One half goes straight – which will lead up to the T-rex head. To get down to the beach, you’ll double back and do a near u-turn to take the trail down the rest of the cliff. This is where it gets interesting!
The rest of the path is mostly a rocky path that gets near-vertical at times. There are big rocks and attempted steps made from sticks, but it’s very rough! Sometimes there are small footholds carved into the cliff so you can descend it like a ladder. Some parts have the trail carved nearly into the cliff with a big drop on the other side.
The rectangle posts are the good ones. The sticks tied by blue rope are not! 
You can see the blue rope rail falling off the cliff here!
Handrails on the Kelingking Hike
The best advice I can give for hiking down to the famous Nusa Penida t-rex beach is: ALWAYS keep at least one hand on the handrails! However, you will notice as you hike that there are two sets of makeshift railings put up on either side of the trail.
One set of handrails, fastened with blue rope, is OLD, NOT secured very well anymore, and more prone to falling out. There’s even a portion of this handrail on the cliff that has fallen over the side completely. Don’t trust these ones too much.
The other set of railings is more securely rooted into the cliff with strong pieces of cut wood, and are much more stable. These ones are far safer to hold onto if you need to brace yourself. Unfortunately, these secure handrails are not present for the entire trail, but at least for most of the tough parts.
tiny people on the otehr end of the beach 
Getting creative on the sand
You Made it to the Nusa Penida T-Rex Beach!
When you get to the bottom, there will be a ladder to the sand – YOU MADE IT! You are one of the few who actually sets foot on the soft, pillowy Kelingking sand and gets to feel it between their toes.
Now is time to get out your towels, set them up somewhere, and enjoy some much-deserved relaxation. To the right of the stairs, you will find some shady trees where you can relax out of the sun. Otherwise, the rest of the beach will be nice and sunny. There’s also a bit of a cave on the left side of the beach as well. Take your pick!
Swimming at Kelingking Beach
Firstly I will say that I do NOT recommend swimming at Kelingking beach. The waves here come in from a smaller opening between the t-rex head and the cliffs, spread out in multiple directions and bounce off of the cliffs before crashing into the beach. They often form a huge A-frame wave that can get 10 feet high!
The waves are super unpredictable and sets can be massive. That being said, if you do swim, make sure you are prepared and a very strong swimmer. I consider myself a strong swimmer/very familiar with the ocean, and I didn’t go in! Eliot did, though – 5 minutes before a huge set came. PHEW! See our video for said set.
Once you have relished in the accomplishment of making it to the famous Nusa Penida T rex beach, it’s unfortunately time to make the difficult climb back up to the top. Remember – hold the sturdy railings, drink water, and watch the sunset when you get to the top!
Make sure to also read my guide to staying at Rumah Pohon: The Nusa Penida Treehouse down near Diamond beach, or check out more amazing Nusa Penida Beaches from famous to hidden gems.
If you are visiting Bali, check out more guides:
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