By K&P 
Ferns and moss grow on the steep slopes, right by the road, but they hardly compete with the view that unfolds in the distance across the wide horizon. The ocean, ships, and Penida Island are impressive, making it hard to focus on the immediate surroundings and the scenic winding road.
The turns and lack of safety barriers require concentration, as there are cliffs dropping several meters. There are no designated viewpoints, not even a shoulder, but there’s no traffic either, so you can stop whenever and wherever you want. It feels liberating, with no signs, no rules, and the elevated risk quickens your heartbeat. You feel the vastness, and from this height, the horizon is distant and wide. The air stands still, and the sun casts the shapes of palm leaves on the asphalt – the only available shade. By the road, the water from local aqueducts used for irrigation flows through narrow, concrete channels, creating a pleasant rustling sound.
Nusa Penida is barely visible, with its characteristic shape, quite mountainous, especially on the left side. The sun sparkles on the waves in the distance, near the shore, somewhere near Manggis, where large ships wait to enter the Padang Bai port, or the nearby gas port. There are also small local boats and a few speedboats heading west, probably towards Lombok or the Gili Islands.
(…) After a heavy downpour, half of the asphalt slid down the slope. The rain often causes significant destruction, turning the road into a rushing river cutting through the road in forbidden places. It intensifies as it flows down, washing away everything in its path. The asphalt was reduced to a hole, but the yellow sign with an arrow to the right survived the chaos. It wasn’t too bad, after all, half the road was still intact. Now, after the yellow sign, there’s new asphalt and a reinforced wall; hopefully, this one will withstand the next downpour (…).
Around Selat or Sibetan, the road passes through dull and ugly villages with gray, central Bali-style buildings. Between the villages, you can see the characteristic fences of salak plantations (snake fruit), made from thorny stems of the plant. They look nice, much better than the walls usually found around homes, which separate small yards. Only after leaving the last village does it start to get interesting – the views begin, and the road changes from flat to steep and winding. At times, it passes through overgrown groves of vegetation, alternating with open scenic stretches and, occasionally, single local houses. In the lower part, closer to Manggis, picturesque rice fields begin.
The road from Manggis to Sibetan or Selat is very scenic. The winding mountain route offers views of the ocean in the distance in the upper part, and rice fields in the lower part. The asphalt is of good quality, as it was recently replaced. Just for the views alone, it’s worth taking this 8-kilometer stretch, which takes about 20 minutes. It’s more pleasant to travel downhill toward Manggis, but you can take a different route up, leading from Padang Bai through the mountains to Selat. Once you’re in the mountains, it’s worth visiting the Air Terjun Jagasatru waterfalls.