Tourists warned to stay away from notorious Bali Instagram spot – as horrified locals reveal some of the close calls swimmers have had there with some tragically not making it out alive
- Balinese rockpool Angel’s Billabong famed tourist spot
- Four people have died there since 2016
- Rogue waves can hit, washing swimmers out to sea
Tourists have been warned to steer clear of a breathtaking rockpool in Bali that has claimed the lives of four travellers in recent years.
The rockpool known as Angel’s Billabong is a natural infinity pool that sits between rocky cliffs on the southwestern end of the Nusa Penida Island.
While it attracts visitors from far and wide due to its natural beauty and crystal-clear waters, tourists have been warned it’s anything but safe.
The rockpool can at times, be hit by rogue waves, washing swimmers onto the nearby rocks and sweeping them out to sea – with some tragically never making it back to shore.
The rockpool known as Angel’s Billabong is a natural infinity pool that sits between rocky cliffs on the southwestern end of the Nusa Penida Island
A video from August last year shows a group of young women swimming freely in the rockpool before a sudden wave comes and washes them away.
Nusa Penida is just a short boat trip from Bali’s main island and thanks to social media, Angel’s Billabong has quickly earned a name for itself as a must-see.
Instagram and TikTok are flooded with videos and pictures of the tourist hot spot but swimmers have been warned not to venture into the water.
A video from August last year shows a group of young women swimming freely in the rockpool before a sudden wave comes and washes them away.
The group are seen struggling to climb up the rocks as a wall of thick white water crashes up against them.
Thankfully, all four of them were unharmed but the footage shocked many.
TikTok and Instagram are flooded with footage of Angel’s Billabong that many describe as a must-see for tourists
One traveller said they’d gone to the billabong with a guide who alerted them when it was time to get out.
‘After 20 minutes, he told us to get out, 5 minutes later big waves were coming,’ they said.
‘That place is magnificent but an absolute death trap! Luckily we were warned by Balinese friends before going,’ said another.
‘Deceivingly calm one second, wild the next,’ one person claimed.
The most recent death was in 2018, when 46-year-old Chinese national Qiuwei Anhui was swept out to sea while taking a selfie.
A year before, Kiwi man Temson Mannie Junior Simeki, known as ‘TJ’, died after he dove in to rescue his German girlfriend who’d been carried out by waves into the ocean.
The 23-year-old’s girlfriend was rescued by an Australian snorkeller.
In 2016, Perth man Brad Williams had been walking near Angel’s Billabong with his Balinese wife on their honeymoon and their eight-year-old niece when tragedy struck.
His wife and the young girl were hit by a rogue wave and were swept out to sea with only Mr Williams making it back to dry land alive.
Visitors are encouraged to enjoy the view from above and not get into the water even at low tide.
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