A small bamboo structure built into the cliff trees above Thousand Island viewpoint. How to find it, when to come for the cleanest photos, and what to skip.
Rumah Pohon — 'tree house' in Indonesian — is a small bamboo cabin built into the cliff trees on the south-east of Nusa Penida, perched above the coastline that looks out over the Thousand Island (Ratusan Pulau) viewpoint. It became famous around 2017 as one of the most photographed tree houses in Indonesia, and it still gets about the same flow of visitors today — mostly photographers, mostly at sunrise.
Despite the name, Rumah Pohon is not an overnight rental. It is a photo spot on a working cliff viewpoint, with a bamboo structure that visitors can climb into and pose in. Below is how to plan a visit, what to expect when you arrive, and how it pairs with the surrounding east-coast stops.
What it actually is
A rough bamboo cabin on stilts, built into a tree at the cliff edge, with the Indonesian Ocean 30 metres below and a small jagged peninsula of rocks (sometimes called 'Thousand Island') filling the bay below. Inside there is barely room to stand, no doors, and a single bed frame. The appeal is the view — and the photo — not the building itself. Visitors queue up, climb in, take a few photos, climb out, and move on. The whole visit to the cabin is usually under 10 minutes.
Location and access
The tree house sits on a small hill just inland from the eastern coast, very near to Atuh Beach and a short drive from Diamond Beach. From Toya Pakeh or Banjar Nyuh harbor (where the fast boats from Sanur drop you off), the drive is roughly 1 to 1.5 hours depending on the section of rough road you hit on the eastern half of the island. The eastern coastal road forks near the tree house — the left fork leads down to Diamond Beach, the right fork leads to Rumah Pohon and the Thousand Island viewpoint. Drive slowly on the fork: the directions feel obvious until you are on them.
Best time
Sunrise. The sun rises behind you over the eastern ridge and lights the bay in a warm gold that makes the Thousand Island rocks glow orange. The cliff face holds onto the dawn light for about 40 minutes after sunrise, after which the foreground goes flat. Midday visits are the worst: harsh overhead sun, the cliff face is in shadow, and the queue at the tree house is at its longest. Late afternoon is the second-best window — softer light, fewer people, and the tree house faces west so you can shoot into the late sun. The dry season (April to October) gives clearer skies and calmer seas.
Fees and logistics
There is an entry fee for the viewpoint area, around IDR 75,000 per person as of 2026. The cash goes to the local community that maintains the site. There are no toilets on-site and no warung with shade — bring water and a hat. The bamboo cabin itself is set up so visitors climb in for a few minutes; do not expect to spend time there outside the photo moment. Keep clothes on for the photos; the day-tripper etiquette at the site has shifted in the past two years and the photography industry has moved on from the more provocative styling that used to dominate social media posts.
Safety
The cliff at the back of the viewpoint drops sharply. Stay on the side of the bamboo platform where the road is, and step out onto the cliff edge only in the clearly-marked spots. Some visitors climb past the rope line for a more dramatic shot; we do not recommend it.
Pairing with the surrounding east coast
Three nearby stops make a half-day loop out of Rumah Pohon: Diamond Beach (about 10 minutes' drive north), Atuh Beach (about 10 minutes' drive east), and Raja Lima (the five-king viewpoint, a short drive further on). The standard schedule is: arrive before sunrise for the tree house and the first light on the cliff, then return for breakfast at a nearby warung while the road is quiet, then hit Diamond Beach for late-morning swims and photos before continuing to Atuh for lunch, then home to Semabu Hills by late afternoon. The drive back to the resort is roughly 1.5 hours, mostly the same rough road in reverse.
From Semabu Hills
Our East Island Day starts at 5 AM, picks you up before sunrise, and lets you spend the first hour of the day at Rumah Pohon with the photographers. We then continue north along the coast for the rest of the day. If you would rather sleep in, the same circuit also runs in the afternoon with the tree house hit at golden hour — it is a longer day but the light is gentler. Both routes bookable via WhatsApp, with a private driver on standby if you want to extend any of the stops.
See also
Pair Rumah Pohon with the two co-located viewpoints: Diamond Beach (10 min north) and the Atuh Beach float platform (10 min east). For the full east-coast arc, read the east coast guide. For a single-stop overview, see what Nusa Penida is famous for.
