A carved stone stairway down a cliff to white sand and a lone limestone pillar.
Diamond Beach sits on Penida's far southeast tip, a cove of bright white sand backed by tall cliffs, with a freestanding rock pillar rising from the shallows. The signature image is the stairway hand-carved into the cliff face that zigzags down to the sand.
The staircase is far better and safer than it once was, with proper steps and railings, but it is still a real climb back up in heat and sun. The descent takes around 15 minutes.
The sand and the shallow lagoon near the rocks are beautiful, but the open surf here is powerful with rip currents, so it is more a wading-and-photos beach than a swimming one.
Getting there
From the Toyapakeh or Banjar Nyuh harbor area it is roughly a 60 to 75 minute drive east on rough roads, by car with driver or scooter. Diamond Beach shares a clifftop and parking area with neighboring Atuh Beach, so they are usually visited together. Pay the small local access fee at the top.
Best time
Come in the morning for the best light on the cliffs and cooler air for the climb, before tour groups arrive around midday. The dry season, April to October, brings the calmest conditions on the sand.
Good to know
Take the stairs slowly and use the rails, especially on the way back up in full sun, and carry water. Respect the strong surf; wade in the sheltered pools by the rocks rather than swimming out into the waves.
Yes, it has been rebuilt with solid carved steps and railings and is far safer than the old rope route. It is still a steep climb, so take your time and wear grippy shoes.
The open surf and rip currents are strong, so true swimming is risky. Most people wade in the shallow pools near the rocks and stay out of the breaking waves.
They are two adjacent coves on the same headland, sharing the clifftop access. Diamond has the carved stairway and rock pillar, while Atuh next door is calmer and has more warungs and shade.
Add it to a route across Indonesia and we will work out the travel time and cost between every stop.
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