We got the chance to stay at Rumah Pohon, the “Nusa Penida Treehouse” or Treehouse Molenteng, all by ourselves back in 2020 thanks to the island being essentially empty. We felt SO lucky as it’s usually booked up for weeks/months in advance, but this time we actually had our pick of all three treehouses (yes, there are more than just the instagram famous one, hehe).
I couldn’t find too much information on the treehouse(s) online before we came (besides IG photos) and the Airbnb description didn’t do it TOO much justice, so I decided to write a complete guide to the Nusa Penida Treehouse/visiting Rumah Pohon tree house to tell you ALL you need to know before you go.
Some information that you WILL get online about the Nusa Penida treehouse is that it is extremely basic, there are people coming to take photos on the steps of one treehouse all day, and that the view is epic. These things are all true.
But what I will tell you in this article is how to get to this ‘Molenteng tree house,’ what it’s REALLY like staying the night in a treehouse, what the bathrooms are like, how long the stairs down are, how annoying tourists really are, how comfortable it is, and…. well, you get the point.
Before You Go/Booking the Rumah Pohon Nusa Penida Treehouse
One thing I will recommend is to BOOK EARLY because although this tree house is the most basic accommodation I have ever stayed in, people (myself included) like to do it for the experience.
I used to link the three different airbnb listing for Rumah Pohon Tree House Molenteng, but it seems that their IG isn’t active and they aren’t on Airbnb anymore. So I am not sure what’s going on with the treehouse currently or if they are taking bookings in 2023. Comment below if you have any information!
I know their links on Agoda and Tripadvisor are still active, so that’s a good place to start:
Note: There is a “Rumah Pohon Nusa Penida” listing on Booking.com, but if you look closer, it is not the correct property; its another property with similar but different treehouses in another area of Nusa Penida. So don’t book that and be disappointed! I will update here when I learn more, and still tell you all you need to know about these treehouses.
So, Which Nusa Penida Treehouse Should I Choose?
If you have your pick of the three treehouses, this is what you should know:
The farthest (most famous instagram) treehouse has the BEST view by far (far left in above photos). However, you need to be prepared for little privacy and tourists taking photos on your front steps ALL day, from morning until sunset. If you can handle it, I recommend staying here because the view is all yours after hours and the sunrise is like nothing I have ever seen.
The closest treehouse to the stairs (far right in photos above) has a larger balcony space wrapped around it and a view of the water on both sides of the cliff. If you don’t like too many people on your steps, I would choose this one for the bigger porch and position.
The middle treehouse has no seats on the balcony, which only faces one way, and seemed smaller. This would be my last choice.
Getting to Rumah Pohon Treehouse Molenteng
From the main port of Toypakeh, it takes just under an hour to get to the area. The treehouses are just a cove over from one of the best Nusa Penida beaches, Diamond Beach. There will be a fork in the road which goes to Diamond Beach on the left and then Rumah Pohon Treehouses on the right – take the right fork (it’s a newer road) and take it to the end until you reach a parking lot around and down the cliff a bit.
The Treehouses are situated at the same place on Google Maps as the “Thousand Islands Viewpoint,” or you can just type in “Rumah Pohon.”
Once You Arrive at the Nusa Penida Treehouse
Parking attendants will usher you into a lot and try to charge you for parking. Since you are staying, tell them so, and they will usher you to a little warung/counter where you can check in and buy food and drink. You will see some photo viewpoints (the little hearts made of sticks), tables, and hammocks overlooking the view.
If you would like to be down at the treehouse for a while, make sure you have all the snacks and drinks you need BEFORE you go down, because you can’t buy much down at the bottom.
Stairs to the Treehouses
Once you are ready, start the descent! Oh, no one told you? There are LOTS of stairs to get down the Rumah Pohon Treehouses! These stairs are not for the faint of heart. They are the kind that hurt going down AND going up. They are steep, so be sure to hold onto the ropes – and enjoy the view on the way down!
The stairs are really only about 150-250m in total, but directly downwards. So maybe try not to bring things that are too heavy, if you can help it.
Amenities at Rumah Pohon Treehouse Nusa Penida
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it a lot more: this treehouse is BASIC!!! This means each room has a bed (they are double beds – they hardly fit a couple. Be prepared to snuggle!), two towels, two blankets, two pillows, a fan, a light, a table, some hooks, windows, and some outlets (4). That is ALL! I did not forget anything on this list, haha. The decoration on the wall is a flyer about ferries, tours, and fast boats they offer.
The Treehouse at the back has the largest patio, the middle treehouse hardly has a patio, and the front famous Nusa Peanida treehouse has a small patio with a bench that can maybe fit two.
Oh and there’s NO WIFI at the Rumah Pohon Nusa Penida Treehouse (s). Sometimes they have it at the restaurant at the top but it wasn’t working when we were here. A couple of warungs up near the Diamond Beach fork had (slow) wifi.
I would use this adventure as a way to get back to nature and the basics. It’s incredible hearing the waves and feeling the sea breeze from your tiny wooden hut.
The huts do lock – they have a padlock which the staff will give you the key for. The staff were lovely and helpful and even offered to take photos for us.
The bathrooms here are communal, and they are what you would expect from a makeshift toilet 200m down a cliff in Bali. They however are not squat toilets which was a nice surprise 😛
For guests, they give you a key to a special toilet that also has a SHOWER! Ooooh, aaaah. The toilet in this one actually has toilet paper, or it did for us (luxurious honestly) and a functional shower with room temperature water. There was no soap or anything shower-related so if you need to wash hair/body you will have to bring this yourself.
Sleeping in the Treehouse Nusa Penida
Sleeping in the Treehouse was honestly easier than I thought it would be! The wind down on the cliff gets strong, or at least it was when we visited in August. So, we could really just hear the whirring of the wind and the sounds of distant waves crashing far below us.
Because of the wind, fan, and open windows, we were not really too hot or cold; the temperature was extremely comfortable and the breeze felt amazing. The wool blankets were a welcome addition and a good amount of extra warmth and comfort for the temperature.
The only thing that was a bit strange is that we could feel the tree slightly swaying with bigger gusts of wind. The famous treehouse is in the tallest tree, and is only reinforced slightly, so it was interesting to feel it move a bit but also quite relaxing.
Top Tips for Staying at the Nusa Penida Treehouse
Here are all my best tips for staying at Rumah Pohon/Tree house Molenteng!
Tips for Beauty + Enjoyment
- If you can at all help it, go when the moon is full or at least half full. We could still enjoy the view even in the middle of the night because the moon illuminated the cliffs and water – it was awesome.
- Spend lots of time in the treehouse relishing in the view! It’s a once in a lifetime experience.
- Take tons of photos – it may be cliche, but if you ever find yourself thinking this, LOOK AT THAT VIEW AGAIN!!!
- There is not much to do at night unless you want to download a movie, play cards, meditate or whatever else. What I mean by this is – have an early night and wake up for sunrise! If there’s a sunrise you should wake up for in the world, it’s this one. I mean, hell, you paid for an overpriced glamping tent with a view, so why not make the MOST of it?
- The best light for photos is RIGHT at sunrise (but after about 30 minutes it gets too bright), and in the afternoon when the light is soft. At sunset, the sun dips behind the cliff quite early.
Very Practical Rumah Pohon Treehouse Tips
- DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE TREEHOUSE WHEN YOU LEAVE THE AREA! Make sure you have EVERYTHING because if you leave something like your scooter key at the room and get halfway up the stairs you’ll be very mad at yourself. It’s a CLIMB.
- Use the toilet when you can – especially at night!!! Walking down those stairs at night in the dark and fumbling to the toilet is NOT that fun. Gentlemen most likely will be finding their own, closer, natural toilet, which of course I do not condone 😉
- Bring plenty of water, some snacks, and maybe some beers with you for the night. Again, you will find no shops open at night, or even past sunset for that matter. Be prepared! They serve nothing at the treehouses.
- MONKEYS – they will come out at sunrise. Apparently they sleep at night in a cave nearby, but they will be out, about, and ready to steal things when the sun comes up. Watch your stuff!
- Use your time to explore the area as well!
Things to Do Around the Nusa Penida Treehouse
I imagine you will be making the most of the area also while visiting Rumah Pohon – the beaches around here are incredible! Here are some of the best things to do:
Diamond Beach is the beach you can see from the treehouse. It’s one of the most famous Nusa Penida Beaches and one of the most beautiful in the world! If you can, hike down to the beach and try to spot the treehouses from the sand.
Atuh Beach is one cove over from Diamond Beach and not as touristy. You can hike down to it from either side and it’s beautiful!
Suwehan Beach is about 20 minutes down the road from Rumah Pohon. The roads are terrible so it’s far less touristy, and they also have a few treehouses you can book if Rumah Pohon is booked up.
Food in the area: There are lots of tiny warungs in the area that will serve Indonesian classics like satay, nasi goreng, mie goreng, fried chicken, and more. I don’t recommend any warungs specifically because they are all similar but don’t be afraid to try a few.
Well, I think that’s ALL I could possibly tell you about visiting the Nusa Penida Treehouse / Rumah Pohon! Let me know in the comments below what you thought and if I missed anything!
Exploring Bali: Check out some more guides:
Nusa Penida: Visiting + Hiking Kelingking Beach: The Nusa Penida T Rex Beach / 12 Top Nusa Penida Beaches
Uluwatu: Where to Stay + Best Boutique Accommodation / Best Restaurants + Total Food Guide / Best Bars from Budget to Boujee
Ubud: 22 Restaurants with a View
Passionate, full-time travel blogger with over 230k on social media and 150kMPV blog. Extraordinary photographer with two DSLR's + a drone with a love for capturing candid moments, epic drone shots, and magical compositions. I'm a natural-born content creator originally from California, but I've been on the road for 9 years living, working, traveling, blogging, and photographing my way around the world. I recommend the most amazingly adventurous and unique + boutique travel experiences/stays and helpful products to my audience and write comprehensive guides on my website that have helped millions of travelers so far. I love to inspire people to plan their dream trips, and many readers have given feedback as such. The reach on my platforms continues to soar, especially when combining cutting-edge social content with optimized articles on my high-authority website.