“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”
There are constant moments of reflection where I try to understand life itself. Sometimes I wonder whether I’m doing it right, or whether I’m simply and blindly missing what life is trying to show me. Reading too much or not enough into life: I feel that.
Even with all the movement, the search for peace and contentment is always to be looked for. Story of a nomadic heart. It never ceases to amaze me how much the heart moves, as does the body. And when the movement becomes too much, the heart and body remind us how much we need to slow down – and nature does its part in making sure it happens.
For everyone who reads this, may this be a reminder that no matter where you and I want and need to be, we must take many breaths and know that we will be where we’re destined to be in every part of our life.
Bismillah.
Here’s to all the love Nusa Penida Island gave me, and how it can also inspire your next adventure.
About Nusa Penida
- Nusa Penida is an island southeast of the Indonesian island of Bali.
- The island is known to be a paradise for scuba divers, along with the surrounding islands of Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Lembongan.
- In 2010, the 3 neighboring islands (Nusa Penida, Nusa Ceningan, and Nusa Lembongan) were declared protected maritime zones.
- The maritime zone is home to 296 species of coral and 576 species of reef fish.
- Much of the island has remained untouched and wild, with some of the most beautiful landscapes.
How to get to the island
Boat to Nusa Penida & Sanur (roundtrip)
Klook.com offers one-way or roundtrip package deals for shuttles and boats to Nusa Penida. Shuttles offer pickup from your hotel, although the times are limited to one morning and one-afternoon pickup. Prices will likely be double what you’d pay on Klook if you decide to purchase at the harbor.
The boat ride is only 30 minutes, although not the smoothest. I had mini panic attacks when the boat would jump in the waves. Leena, on the other hand, had to take a pill or two to help with her motion sickness. Lovely eh. Nevertheless, it felt really good to feel the freshness of the wind and water. If you’ve ever seen the movie How to Train a Dragon, and if you remember the “take me” scene (at 0.45 sec), that’s how I was feeling 😉
Arriving at the island
Once we arrived on the island, we were slowly helped out of the boat and walked along the dock. There were a sea of drivers looking to pick up anyone who needed a ride. The ticketing office was also right by the dock.
While we were walking on the pier I heard a faint voice singing, or what sounded like music. Something I didn’t expect. Lo and behold, it was the athan, the call to prayer. The sound could be heard all across the pier and around the island. At that moment it truly occurred to me why I travel, and that feeling melted my heart.
From our villa, we would hear the athan for fajr (first prayer of the day) prayer over a loudspeaker, and throughout the day there would be dhikr (prayer supplications) melodiously being played. We didn’t get a chance to find where it was playing from or where the mosque was located, although we may have passed by a small building combined with all the homes and shops in the area that could have been the mosque.
Where to stay – Lina’s Villa
Photo courtesy Booking.com
Lina’s Villa: a cozy and very comfortable stay. The villa is in close proximity to the pier, access to halal restaurants, and the mosque. Very clean, great service, and is also Muslim-owned 🙂
Where to eat
Finding food around the island isn’t difficult. We were blessed to find that there were many Muslim-owned restaurants near our accommodation.
But when visiting the beaches, we had to do a little more searching for restaurants that suited our needs. As usual, we were particularly looking for a restaurant that served halal and/or a variety of vegetarian options that were reasonably priced. Even though prices are cheap, we wanted to go with a more local option rather than paying more for a meal because of its proximity to the beaches.
We drove for about 10-15 minutes around the island while stopping at a few places to check menus. Eventually, we found a place that suited our needs, although it wasn’t halal, they offered a variety of vegetarian options.
What to visit
Like in Ubud, we hired a driver to take us to our requested destinations. We started with breakfast at a little restaurant across from our villa, and from there we were picked up by our driver at 9 am. We decided to do a whole day trip, which included visiting 4 different beaches and staying until sunset at the last beach. The total we paid for the tour was 640k rupiahs ($44), not including lunch. The price also included parking fees for the beaches which were 10k rupiahs ($.70) each.
The drive to get to all of the locations was via a very narrow paved road, much of which our driver had to do the honking game to safely get by. The calmness of our driver was reassuring though, so we sat back, relaxed, and bumped some tunes to get by.
Angel’s Billabong
Our first destination was Angel’s Billabong, a beach that is a naturally formed rock lagoon with a scenic seascape. You’ll find people going swimming and dipping their feet in the water, but of course only during low tide. I only went as far as where the rocks led to the water, for the sake of not wanting to get wet lol. The view was the main beauty, and it was very calming to experience.
Broken Beach
Sometimes it’s the broken things that are the most beautiful. Can I get an Ameen!
Not too far of a walk from Angel’s Billabong, you’ll find Broken Beach. I took a good look at the collapsed limestone hill and sighed at the complexity, yet simplicity of how breathtaking the scenery was. Below the cliff, you’ll see how clear and blue the water is, a picturesque-like view unimaginable, as were all the views.
Kelingking Beach & Hike
A 30-minute drive away, we reached Kelingking Beach, where the crowd of people was gradually intensifying. To get to the actual beach itself, is a steep and rocky hike down, one I’d recommend anyone to mentally prepare for.
Right before the hike, you’ll find food and beverage spots. I highly recommend getting a large water bottle or even just 2 regular-sized bottles. The sun will directly hit you the whole hike down, and it’s a very intense feeling. I was basically a pile of water, in addition to sweating from fear. Was it worth it though? Yes! For the view, for the experience, and for the sake of being boundless. Leena and I had the same conversation, and I think it’s safe to say we were both mentally and physically traumatized, although concluded we’d be alright with experiencing it again.
Once we finally reached the beach, it was a sigh of relief and one I dreaded knowing we’d have to go back up. We found a spot away from all the nakeds near the cave-like area and rested for about 2 hours. All I remember was being very thirsty.
And as for the view, I’ll just let the images speak for themselves.
Crystal Bay & Sunset
Last but not least was Crystal Bay. Where we laid on the beach and occasionally dipped our feet in the water to cool our heated bodies. We rented a bean bag and just relaxed for the remainder of the day. It felt like the wait for the sunset was forever, but when it finally came, it was beautiful. There were people sitting all over the beach, all waiting for the sun to make her glorious exit. An image that makes you wonder how people could deny the wonders of an existing Creator, subhanallah.
That basically concluded our trip, and by the end, we were physically drained from the day long. We safely returned to our villa, showered, and called it a night. It was our last night on the island, and despite how tired my body was from the 2 weeks’ span of movement, I knew I’d miss it all. The weather, the food, the people, and my travel buddy.
But of course, just as all bad things come to an end, so do the good things, especially ones we’d wish would last longer. This only leaves room for new experiences, no matter where or what they may be. Nusa Penida was love for me, a heartwarming kinda love. A memory that’ll be treasured for a lifetime.
Once again, as for all the places I’ve been privileged to visit, peace and prosperity to the land and people.
Terima Kasih Nusa Penida 🙂
