Broken Beach
Best for. Sightseers and photographers who want one of Bali's most striking natural rock formations, not swimmers looking for a beach day.
Best spot. The cliff path around the arch for the view down into the circular cove and the sea window in the rock.
Know this. Despite the name this is a cliff cove and viewpoint, not a swimming beach, there is a small area fee and no facilities to speak of.
Broken Beach, or Pasih Uug, is one of the most photographed places in Bali, and it is only fair to say up front that it is not really a beach at all. It is a near perfect circle of cliff carved out of the rugged west coast of Nusa Penida, with a natural rock arch where the sea pours in and out far below. You walk the path around the rim, look down into the swirling turquoise cove and out through the stone window to the open ocean, and you take the photograph everyone comes for. For a value minded traveller the key is knowing what it is before you go, so the small fee buys a view, not a day on the sand.
The honest read is that Broken Beach is a viewpoint, and a spectacular one, but there is no swimming and nothing to lie on. The cove is sealed by cliffs and the water is far below, so this is a stop of twenty minutes to an hour rather than a place to settle in. It usually comes as part of a cluster with Angel's Billabong right next door, and a small area fee covers the sights, with the exact amount to be confirmed on the day. Facilities are minimal, a car park and a few stalls, so bring your own water and sun cover and wear shoes you can walk the rocky path in.
Taken for what it is, it is superb value. A tiny fee and a short walk buy you one of the island's signature sights, and pairing it with neighbouring Angel's Billabong and the nearby Kelingking viewpoint makes an efficient, low cost morning on the west coast. Come earlier in the day to beat both the heat and the tour crowds, keep well back from the unfenced edges, and treat it as the scenic highlight it is rather than a beach day. For actual sand and swimming on Nusa Penida you go elsewhere, but for a jaw dropping view for almost nothing, Broken Beach delivers.
No beach club, and no beach either
Broken Beach is a cliff viewpoint with no sand, so there is no beach club and nothing to lounge on. The value is the view, not a day bed.
There is no club, no sunbed and no bar culture at a place you visit for twenty minutes and a photograph. A car park and a few simple stalls are the extent of it, and that is entirely in keeping with a natural viewpoint inside a rugged coast.
For an actual beach club day on Nusa Penida, with loungers and a swim, you head to the calmer swimming bays on the island, which you can plan through the Nusa Penida beach clubs guide. Broken Beach is the scenic stop that costs only a small area fee, and it pairs neatly with the sights next door.
On the rugged west coast
Broken Beach sits on the rugged west coast of Nusa Penida, right beside Angel's Billabong and not far from the famous Kelingking viewpoint. Most visitors reach it by scooter, by hired car with a driver or on an organised island tour, over roads that have improved but can still be rough in places, so ride with care or let someone else drive. Nusa Penida is reached by fast boat from Bali, usually from Sanur, and the west coast sights are a scenic drive across the island from the harbour.
Come prepared, because there is little at the site itself. Bring water, sun cover, a hat and sturdy shoes for the rocky cliff path, and a bit of cash for the small area fee and the car park. There is no swimming and the cliff edges are largely unfenced, so keep well back, mind your footing and watch children closely. Visit earlier in the day to beat the heat and the tour buses, and pair Broken Beach with Angel's Billabong right next door and Kelingking nearby for an efficient, low cost morning on the coast.
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Broken Beach is a cliff viewpoint with no beach or club, so tell us your dates and we will help arrange a lounger or beach club day at one of Nusa Penida's swimming bays. We reply by email.
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Common questions about Broken Beach
Can you swim at Broken Beach Nusa Penida?
No. Despite the name, Broken Beach is a circular cliff cove with a natural rock arch and no accessible sand, so the sea sits far below the path and there is no swimming. It is a viewpoint and a photo stop rather than a beach, so plan a short visit and go elsewhere on the island for a swim.
Is there an entry fee for Broken Beach?
Yes, a small area fee usually applies and commonly covers the cluster of sights here with neighbouring Angel's Billabong. The exact amount can change, so treat it as to be confirmed on the day, but it is a modest sum for one of Nusa Penida's signature views.
How long do you need at Broken Beach?
Not long. Because it is a viewpoint rather than a beach, most visitors spend twenty minutes to an hour walking the path around the arch and taking photos. Pairing it with Angel's Billabong right next door and the Kelingking viewpoint nearby makes for an efficient morning on the west coast.
Is Broken Beach worth visiting?
For the view, very much so, and for very little money. It is one of the most striking natural rock formations in Bali and costs only a small area fee to see. Just go knowing it is a scenic stop with no sand or swimming, come early to beat the crowds and heat, and keep back from the unfenced edges.
How do you get to Broken Beach?
Broken Beach is on the west coast of Nusa Penida, reached by scooter, hired car with a driver or an organised tour over roads that can be rough in places. Nusa Penida itself is a fast boat ride from Bali, usually from Sanur, and the west coast sights are a scenic drive across the island from the harbour.
