Atuh Beach on Nusa Penida

Atuh Beach is one of the most iconic locations on Nusa Penida Island.

A rocky arch stretches over crystal-clear turquoise waters.

The beach is located in the eastern part of the island. You can reach it by bike from the northern part of the island in 45-60 minutes. If you're coming from the port, where many hotels are located, you can choose the road along the east coast. The landscape will be very beautiful, and along the way, you can visit the unique Giri Putri Cave Temple, located in a cave. This road to the beach is in very good condition, sometimes a bit narrow, but drivers are usually polite and drive carefully.

Another road goes through the center of the island, with slightly rougher sections like Jl. Buyuk Limo. But closer to the beach, the road is good.

There are two entrances to the beach. The northeast entrance allows you to get closer to the stairs leading down to the beach. However, the descent itself is not very civilized, with high steps and rocks instead of steps in some places. The view from the stairs is not very interesting. Parking at this entrance is free.

You can drive along a rocky road past the stairs towards the cape. Google Maps mentions Dolphins Point, but spotting dolphins is not guaranteed.

There is a southwest entrance. The descent from it follows a more civilized staircase. It is quite steep, but it is evident that it was carefully made. The staircase offers beautiful views of the beach. Before descending, there are many beautiful paths with dizzying views. Near the beginning of the staircase, there is a warung where you can buy water if you get thirsty on the way back up. 

Don't go to this beach if you are in very poor physical condition, have a leg injury, or dislike steep descents and ascents.

The beach is splendid at sunrise. If you arrive early for sunrise, there's a good chance the entire beach will be yours. Usually, tourists don't come until around 9 am.

The arch looks much more impressive if you swim towards it. The depth around the arch is approximately 3-4 meters. So, if you enjoy diving, this is an activity you can engage in.

The water clarity at Atuh Beach is stunning. From the top of the arch, you can see large reef fish and squid frolicking below.

At Atuh Beach, there are small restaurants where you can enjoy simple Indonesian food.

You can spend a pleasant half-day here, swimming, diving, sunbathing, and exploring the cliffs.

The beach has around 20 paired sun loungers with umbrellas, priced at 50,000 Indonesian Rupiah. If you want to save some money, you can sunbathe on a sarong. The sand is light and pleasant.

There are waves on the beach. If you've swam in the waves in Kuta, these will be manageable for you. The bottom is rocky, so it's better to try to swim rather than walk on the bottom. Near the shore, the water is somewhat cloudy due to the waves churning the sand as they hit the shore. A few meters out, the water becomes surprisingly clear and transparent.

The owners of the warungs (small local restaurants) mention that there are fish near the arch. However, snorkeling is not very popular on this beach.