At Kelingking (Kelingking Beach), a wave swept a foreign tourist 15 metres from the shore.
He was rescued by Nandro, a 30-year-old guide who happened to be nearby on a jet ski.
The foreigners were taking photos and videos right at the water's edge when a big wave came in and dragged one of them out into the ocean.
Nandro runs jet ski tours. At the time, he was taking three Indonesian tourists for a ride and photographing them near Kelingking. When people on the shore called for help, he immediately steered his jet ski towards the man in the water.
According to Nandro, this is not the first time it has happened here: in the past two days alone, he had already helped drowning tourists on this beach twice. Swimming at Kelingking has been banned since 2023, and there are signs along the waterline.
The waves here are unpredictable: in January, one of them knocked over a tourist from the Czech Republic who was taking photos on the shore.
“I hope that over time the authorities will provide proper rescue equipment so that no more people die on and around Nusa Penida,” the guide says.
The local tourism office believes the beach needs wardens and is already in talks with other agencies to have them put in place. In September, the same office promised to put up flags separating dangerous areas from safe ones and to station a dedicated person on the path down to the water.
Planning a trip to Nusa Penida? A guided one-day tour lets you take in the spectacular views of Kelingking Beach from above, explore the island’s highlights and enjoy snorkelling with manta rays when sea conditions allow.
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