Penida Colada

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We have now moved to the western part of the island of Nusa Penida.  We stay in a  small cot just a few meters from the ocean, but when we go towards the beach,, we have to cross a pigsty and pass a few chickens, and some cows rummaging between the palm trees.

This is definitely not a beach town, but a small village of palm leaf wicker huts, where local seaweed harvesters live in the season. The underwater patches make it almost impossible to swim along the coast



 

Harvesting seaweed

 

The patches are rows of cords stretching between sticks that hold the weed, and we can see the vast underwater fields when we snorkel.

Every day from early morning the men and women are walking into the shallow water collecting small tufts of seaweed which are moved into baskets either balanced on their heads or floating in the water.

When harvested, the weed is brought to the beach where it is laid out and dried in the sun, before being packed in plastic. We are told that the seaweed is bought by Chinese merchants for the cosmetics industry.
 

View from Penida Colada

We watch the graceful harvesters, young and old working side by side, and a few times, we watch their hard work, while we're actually sitting in the comfortable deck chairs of a small seaside cafe named Penida Colada.

Yes - true - even here! 

Far out on this almost unexplored island, they actually have a cafe that makes some of the best mojitos we have ever tasted - and we have tasted a few!

The owners are an Australian girl and her Balinese husband.

We go there often, to enjoy acoustic music, read or use the wi-fi whilst enjoying their "happy hour"

Just now the sun settles behind Agung, the big volcano on Bali, across the Badung Strait. 

This is a beautiful life to live!


Practicalities:
  • If you feel like a round trip on the island, you can hire a chauffeur at The Fullmoon Bungalows
  • Many scooters are for hire at warungs and hotels but you might want a chauffeur in the rainy season as the narrow gravel roads are quite steep
  • The Penida Colada serves fantastic cocktails and long drinks
  • snorkeling can be done just from the beach, you do have to swim past the seaweed nets which are widespread along the coast

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