2019 Bali Part 3 - Amed, Ubud

After failing to meet Manta Rays over the 2-3 days in Nusa Penida, we decided to try to get some Snorkeling action at least back at the mainland . The fast ferry from Sampalang was set to leave ~730am. It was Chaos at Sanur and it took a while before our driver Agung met up with us. Indicating our interest in Snorkeling, he recommended Amed and off we went!

Along the way, we dabao probably the best Tuna / Tuna soup in the whole of Bali. A wine contact mentioned this , to 'must try the soup', and it's only after tasting it and comparing the address that we realised it's the same place! And also the same when buddy Pak-Shawn brought us there years ago!

Warung Mertha Sari: Jalan Pesinggahan

Still top notch quality stuff!

Us and Pak-Agung 

It was raining in Sanur and got heavy mid-way through the ~2hr journey, but it was all sun and blue skies at Amed! Time to snorkel!

under currents were pretty strong, water was clear, decent amount of marine life!

Cameras used were the Olympus TG-5 and TG-4. Very hardy, underwater White Balance was good.

After this it was a long journey to Ubud, we requested for a 'waterfall' enroute.

It was still raining and light was falling. Tukas cepung waterfall was where we ended up. Entrance cost IDR10k (~$12).

It was a decent hike into what looks like Jurassic park again. We got up a wrong location and had to back-track.

it was really wet and cold. Probably a wrong timing to visit this. Some hero YOLO chaps went into the falls to take photo in their swimming outfits!

Imaging  a bunch of  Raptors tearing up the lane!

The sun was setting fast and we got out of the cave/waterfalls, onwards to another 45mins (due to jam) to our accommodation in Ubud.

More of the accommodation in the next post. Here a tired couple getting ready to head out ~840pm for a pre-booked dinner.

https://www.locavore.co.id/ . Locally sourced, this is booked out at least a month in advance. A friend help to get a table and the experience was really interesting with local food/spices done in a western manner. Everything was pretty balance/ pretty/non-too-heavy.

And the end of 'Bali day 1'. It was crazily long day with the early wake up from Nusa Penida, ferry ride, long car rides to Amed and to Ubud. And non of us could hear any roosters calling.....finally!

2019 Nusa Penida - Part 2

Having gone for free diving lesson in Singapore, we had wanted to try some Snorkelling/Free diving and swim with Manta Rays. It was something to tick off but from what you see in the previous post, the surfs were huge, snorkelling/boats were not even parked at Crystal Bay, and on the 2nd morning, we were told that Manta Rays were unavailable for appointment.

Breakfast was made on the spot.

Very chillax looking lobby.

How many petrol stations are there in Nusa Penida? Yes only ONE. Oh..there was the Havaianas store and we agreed that Asian feet ain't 'thick' enough to fit the slippers well. I bought a pair anyway to replace the one eaten up by T-Rex the day earlier.

The highlights of Nusa Penida EAST starts with the The Rumah Pohon Tree House. The owner decided to build 3 little houses on 3 trees. The most famous house this i one, with the spectacular thousand island scenery at the back. I've always wondered if the owner though about this photographic view before building the house. It is the most sort after/instagram-worthy shot along with the T-Rex shot.  Booking of this place is possible via AirBnb or https://www.booking.com/hotel/id/rumah-pohon-tree-house.en-gb.html. It'll cost SGD$50 with very very bare/minimal facilities. Do watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftHvFGK6gXg if you're serious to wake up to the most majestic sunrise view that $50 can get you!

A short hike to a non-pretty looking perch of Limestone.

Yeah, doesn't look good at all from this angle.

Leading to the deep blue sea.

Yup, the Tree house.

View from another vantage point

View from the Tree house itself, yes you'll take up to this at 6am sun rise. Else if you're a tourist, getting here at 6am is pretty difficult.

It was a short hop the next point of interest. Atul beach,  the view from our lunch spot is ....well, poor. It appears to be low tide and nothing pretty at all. We didn't hike down. It was really windy too on this ridge and the lunch hosts pointed out that 2 drones flown didn't return that morning.

Right between the Tree House and Atul beach is this glorious stretch of paradise, Diamond beach!

Yes the diamond in the foreground .

The view is spectacular, while the climb down is crazy. I brought snorkelling gear down and the trek is really tough / dangerous without any handrails in many sections and ultra steep steps.

There ain't much at Crystal Beach, no touts ala Kuta beach nor unripe coconuts for sale, only pure sand and the ocean. The surfs were huge and swimming/snorkelling was out of the question.

Some waves were so huge that they washed away some of other beach goer's shoes.!

The hike up was less scary but still as magnificent. It was getting late and hardly any crowds. Goodbye Diamond!

It was off to Warung Jukung for dinner. https://www.jukungcottage.com/

It was again the prediction if the Manta Rays were available for appointments the next morning. After consulting Willy (The receptionist at La Roja), we decided that it's not worth a bet if the Manta Rays were still in foul mood. We shifted our 430pm ride out of Nusa to 730am, ensuring a very early morning the next day..

At least the 'jetty' at Sampalan is more decent than a D-day landing style at Sanur....

2019 Nusa Penida Part 1

The "D-day" beach landing of the fast boat ferry at the Sanur 'Harbour'. Prepare to get soaked while boarding!

We have been to Bali several times, we've stayed at Jimbaran, Semiyak and Ubud. We've been to the usual tourist areas, Sanur, Canggu,Kuta, Uluwatu, and the few places of interests in the north.

Hence the search was to the other islands around Bali. Picks included Lombok, Gili, while Komodo was a little far etc. Nearby were 3 Nusa Islands. Initial search yielded Nusa Lembongan as the more visited island, with flourishing hotels along a 'main stretch' etc. Further searches ended this swiftly, we were certain that we will head to Nusa Penida.

Getting to Nusa Penida wasn't straight forward, boats left only ~730-9am or 330-5pm from the Sanur Harbour. Our flight landed 730pm and it meant that we could not get to Nusa Penida by the first night. This meant spending a night in Sanur and waking up very early the next day, to look for a ferry service to bring us to Nusa Penida. We opened for Mola-Mola express as they ferry to the harbour recommended by our accommodation at Nusa Penida. There are a few harbours there and it's wise to see which is nearer to you acommodation.

the chaos at Sanur beach each morning. Locals pay ~50% of what foreigners pay for the ride. We paid ~450k IDR for a 2 way ticket (around SGD45)

We stayed at Roja Bungalow resorts, costing ~110K IDR (SGD$110) a night. Book via https://www.booking.com/s/34_6/perqjo53 to get 10% off! We stayed in the budget room while the Bunglow (facing the pool) would cost around double. It's a small place with `16 units only with a tiny pool. We really liked the white-wooden-washed decor. Breakfast each morning is generous too. Receptionists were ultra friendly too.  Only issue: walls are thin and we usually sleep early and whatever your neighbors raise a noise...it can be heard! Also, Roosters start their call from 3-4am! (no they are not from the hotel but can still be heard!)

We got a young chap as our driver +62 831-1409-7959 Teja, cost 600k IDR a day and off we go to Nusa Penida West for our first day in Nusa Penida. The main roads are paved by narrow and bumpy. The off roads were a nightmare, crawling at ~15kmhs and it's akin to horse riding. It's a car's suspension worse nightmare and it would have been wise to pack anti-nausea medication. 

The first stop was the Broken beach/Billabong. It's amazing how blue the skies and water could be. Huawei did enhance the blue a little but it was still amazingly blue to us. This is clearly oceanic currents. Big waves were in the order of the day as many crashed into the limestone shoreline.

Lunch was simple with the view above! We had 3 coconuts on the island before deciding that either they are harvested too early or we are used to the Thai/sweet type. The Nusa ones were a little sour with literally no flesh.

After lunch, it was a short drone flight and a short hike to Angel's Billabong, a little pool which fills up when the waves crashes in. Many have swam to heaven via the huge waves, hence please listen to your guide on when/if getting into the Billabong is a good idea.

Next stop ~100m walk to this little sheltered area called Broken Beach. Again amazing blue waters!!

And..it was off horse riding for another 30-40minutes till the bum bum complains...

but when we walked to the STAR of Nusa Penida and set our eyes on this gorgeous wonder of nature, all the D-day Sanur Harbour boat boarding, all the lack of wifi/signal, the poor  grade coconut, the impossibly bad roads,  the noisy roosters were all worth it.!!

The Crown Jewel of Nusa Penida -  the Kelingking beach with at T-Rex looking head. Simply breath taking looking out from ~120meters high, the same blue waters  similar to other parts of the island are found here. What comes to mind is the 12 Apostles. I have ye to go there, but looking at images, they do look great from certain angles, but are mostly barren. The T-Rex is so green, smooth and just  amazing how nature can carve this masterpiece out of limestone.

If you look close enough, there are tiny human beings bathing in the water.

The journey down is the most difficult of any hike of the entire trip. It's dusty rocks, very slippery. I broke my slipper and it's just too much work to go down. Our driver also advised against it.

Along the way down with the magnificent view!

After Kelingking, it was difficult for any place to match up. The usual end of a tour in Nusa Penida West is Crystal Bay. This is where snorkelling tours would end up and we did bring our gear. The surf was too big and zero boats were parked in the harbour. We simply ordered dinner from a street store and waited for sunset. The fried chicken (sorry no image) was the Best I've tried for a very long time. Coconut was again yikes.

It was back to the hotel with sore bums but with amazing memory of this little island 45 minutes from Bali!