Meemee duties over, I am heading off for a couple of days exploring somewhere that’s been on my radar for a while now… Nusa Penida. It’s a spectacular island off the coast of Bali that has retained its wild, natural beauty with uncrowded pristine white sand beaches and vivid aqua-blue waters set against the lush greenery and rugged coastal cliff formations. Looks amazing!

And this beach paradise is not just about the views… it is a sanctuary for a rich variety of marine life including the majestic manta rays at Manta Point.… all while staying relatively undeveloped.

So for my Balinese touch of adventure and one of the most epic things to do on the island, I decided to book a tour to snorkel with the majestic Manta Rays. 

I only realise, when I get a message from the tour company that they are waiting to pick me up at my hotel, that I have booked for the wrong date. And I am still in Canggu. I am so angry with myself for not being more thorough and I try to contact the company to see if they will add me to the following days tour when I will actually be on the island. They ignore my messages and I have no idea, as I head to Nusa Penida, if I am booked in a tour for tomorrow or not. Not knowing what is happening gives me a bad attitude and as I get accosted getting off the ferry by hordes of taxi drivers wanting to take me to my hotel, I am not feeling great about this little expedition. I find that my hotel is a million miles away and wonder how the hell I ended up booking this when I am usually so careful about staying within walking distance of everything. As we drive further and further into nowhere I am feeling more and more negative and contemplate changing my hotel booking for the following night to somewhere a bit closer to civilisation. I also decide to call the tour company rather than message and finally am told that they will not honour my booking as it was my mistake. Generally, it’s not a great start to this little solo venture.

Until I arrive. 

And just wow!!!!

I have booked at an eco-friendly luxurious resort, nestled in the cool green hills of the islands centre… between rice fields, forest, and authentic Balinese villages. The location is peaceful and surrounded by nature, perfect for relaxation. My bungalow was cozy, full of Balinese warmth and actually took my breath away. An enormous bed swathed in mosquito netting dominates the room and the huge shutter in the bedroom completely opens to nature with no glass barrier. It is the same in the shower. My living room is actually outdoors overlooking the jungle.

It all blends so perfectly… and every stone walkway leads me through lush greenery and tranquil moments. I take some time…take off my shoes to feel the earth beneath them… breathe deep…  and feel the islands calm wrap around me. 

I sit by the beautiful pool, drink a couple of pina colada’s as the sun sets and listen to the rustling leaves in the gentle breeze, creating a soothing melody that eases my mind. I rebook and repay for my tour tomorrow and all feels right in my world again. 

I dined in the open air restaurant and enjoyed the company of another solo traveller who I invited to join me.

Walking back to my bungalow there is something magical about the night sounds in nature made by a myriad ever-present nocturnal insects and frogs. But the dimly lit shadowy paths combined with those noises of the jungle has my imagination running wild and it felt like a tiger or some other creature could come bounding out of the forest…

… even though I know there are no creatures like that here. Definitely time for bed… as I have a big day tomorrow. 

I am a little nervous as we head out this morning but I guess that is all just part of an adventure. 

After a lot of waiting around we hop on our boat and head off. The water is a little rough but blue and clear and beautiful and as I’m not one to get seasick I enjoy the ups and downs of the sea, the sun, the salty spray and drinking the wild air. The coastline is spectacular with sweeping views all around of the cliffs and large rocky outcrops soaring out of the turquoise blue water. 

Our first stop is Manta Point and I have my fingers and toes crossed as I have read many reviews from others on these tours who don’t get to see the mantas. Nature is always unpredictable. But as soon as we stop I can see quite a lot of people snorkelling in one area and hear the shout, “Manta, manta, manta”.

I quickly don my flippers, goggles and snorkel and ungracefully jump into the water.  What a thrilling opportunity… swimming alongside these gentle giants as they gracefully glide through the clear waters creating an unforgettable moment for me in the heart of the Indian Ocean. Luckily our guide has a go-pro to capture pictures of the day.

We continued to another couple of bays with excellent snorkelling…  known for their vibrant coral reefs and diverse marine life and we explored underwater gardens teeming with colourful fish and various coral. Having snorkelled many many years ago in Fiji, this does not compare (at least to my memory) as much of the coral worldwide is bleached and dead. It’s very sad and so do feel so grateful that I saw stunning coral reefs in the days before climate change wreaked its havoc. In theory there are also sea turtles but we didn’t manage to see any today. The water was unbelievably clear and blue and the perfect temperature and it would have been perfect even just for a swim. Exhilarating!

Back at the port we leave most of our group behind and the exploring then continued through the rugged and picturesque west side of the island. We have dropped down to only three plus our driver and I am accompanied by two cute young German guys.

The roads are abysmal… narrow and poorly maintained, extremely rough and potholed but still busy with tourist traffic and progress is slow and challenging… we were often down to 10km and hour.

Nusa Penida island is all about wild, exotic viewpoints and our first stop for this part of our tour is Kelingking Beach. A picture I had seen on social media somewhere of this place is what originally attracted me to come to this island… with its iconic T-rex-shaped cliff and stunning panoramic views of turquoise waters and white sandy beaches. A breathtakingly beautiful landscape and a perfect opportunity for one of my very favourite pastimes… taking pictures.

We continued onto the small but impressive tranquil cove… Broken Beach or Pasih Uug Beach, a natural rock formation with a dramatic archway formed from a collapsed sea cave many years ago… that frames the sweeping turquoise waves below.

We walked over this geographical marvel… a bridge made by nature… that offers a unique perspective on the islands rugged coastline and a perfect example of the powerful forces of nature. Unique!

Nearby, Angel’s Billabong awaited… an exquisite, super clear blue, rocky, natural tidal infinity pool where we could relax and soak in the stunning ocean views while taking a refreshing dip in the crystal-clear waters… or so we wished. It was very hot and humid but there was no swimming allowed.

It had been a long, tiring, hot and exhilarating day but I looked forward to getting home… showering… having a cocktail and dinner with my new friend from last night. And as a perfect ending to an awesome day… and week, I have booked a Balinese massage in my room after dinner, hopefully to give me a good nights rest. Huge travelling day tomorrow- basically travelling all day (9hours) just to get to the airport for my 6.30pm Etihad flight to Abu Dhabi and then two more legs before I touch down in Lisbon… over 19 hours of flight time and about 5 hours between the flights so I will have been on the move for 33 hours when I arrive. I’m exhausted just thinking about it. But it’s country number 56. And I’m definitely excited!!!