Nusa Penida near Bali: Itinerary
Nusa Penida was a big hit during our trip to Bali! We LOVED it. This island, 30 minutes by boat from Bali, is ideal if you dream of adventure. There we were far away from mass tourism.
Before telling you what to do in Nusa Penida, we let you discover a taste of this paradise on earth in 2 minutes 30 of video. Watch out for your eyes!
How to get to Nusa Penida from Bali?
You understood it, it is necessary to take a boat to reach Nusa Penida from Bali.
The simplest option, and the most expensive, is the speed boat from Sanur. Plan 35 minutes of crossing and 700 000 RP (42€) for 2 people. Small tip: do not order your tickets beforehand! Whether by hotel, taxi, tour operator or carrier pigeon, it will always be more expensive than directly at the port! This saved us 400 000 RP (24€). Especially as the pier is so easy to find and you cannot miss the ticket kiosk. The prices are obviously fixed, no possible bargain.
The second option is to take a “public boat”, also in Sanur, but the crossing takes 90 minutes and there is no timetable. The boats only leave once they are full. Price is 400,000 RP (24€) return trip for 2. As much as we often pay attention to the budget, this time we preferred to take the “speed boat” for timing, comfort, and safety reasons.
Once you arrive in Nusa Penida, you can rent scooters directly at the landing stage or take a taxi to your hotel if you have large luggage. Please note that all hotels in Nusa Penida as well as in Bali offer scooter rentals!
What to do in Nusa Penida?
Once very neglected by tourists, the Nusa Penida island is beginning to be of interest for many travelers. The proof is that, by the end of the year, almost all roads will be concreted … Yes, because we will talk about it, but for now the “roads” of Nusa Penida are a bit chaotic. We advise you to stay at least 2 nights in Nusa Penida. The island is very big and sometimes it takes a long time to get from point A to point B because of the roads state. We have prepared for you an itinerary in Nusa Penida with a detailed map at the end of the article! ANCRE
With the construction of roads, tourism will soon grow faster and faster on Nusa Penida. We advise you to get there as soon as possible, before the island loses its soul… Before it’s too late to enjoy this feeling of being privileged.
➡️ Find our entire Bali itinerary in 3 weeks.
What to choose between Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan?
You hesitate between the two islands? Concretely, Nusa Lembongan is more developed. There are many luxury hotels on the island so your stay will be placed under the sign of relaxation. Nusa Penida is more oriented adventure… You need to enjoy exploring by scooter and let yourself be guided by the wind. ? We told you: off the beaten track.
- If you want to relax in a beautiful hotel, have easy access to beaches: choose Nusa Lembongan.
- If you dream of adventure, see amazing beaches with difficult access: choose Nusa Penida.
Bali : what to do in Nusa Penida?
Snorkelling in Nusa Penida :
Seabed are extraordinary! We saw hundreds of fish and 3 manta rays. For the excursion, don’t book a tour through an agency. Go directly to the ticket office in Crystal Bay to ask for a boat. We were alone on the boat and we paid 500 000 RP (30€) for Manta Bay (manta rays), Gamat Bay (beautiful fish) and Crystal Bay (very disappointing compared to Gamat Bay). The excursion lasts 1 hour and 30 to 2 hours. Go in the morning to have more chance to see manta rays. Ask your captain to do the tour in the opposite direction to avoid the crowd, so start with Gamat Bay.
There used to be fishermen who would take you for cheap on a snorkeling trip, but now they are no longer there. The business is well established with tourism which has surged.
Sunset in Crystal Bay :
Besides snorkeling, meet at Crystal Bay around 5pm for a beer/coconut on the beach to wait for the sunset. If you’re wondering what to do in Nusa Penida, don’t miss the sunset!
Kelingking Beach :
The most famous beach of Nusa Penida, partly thanks (because of?) the famous Instagrammers who went there! Kelingking Beach is a must see in Nusa Penida. The road to get there is chaotic. But by scooter, it’s largely feasible: just be careful. To get down to the beach below, you’ll have to arm yourself with your greatest motivation. The descent is already a bit difficult. So, I’m not even talking about going up in the sun. Seriously, if you’re not athletic at all, don’t go down. We were in such a hurry to get it over with that we folded the lift in 15 minutes: a record to be beaten!
⚠️ Beware of very strong currents on the beach if you are swimming to refresh yourself, there have already been a few cases of drowning recorded. We therefore advise you to stay on board and not to play with the waves.
Broken Beach et Angel’s Billabong :
Two more must-see spots in Nusa Penida! Both are in the same place. Broken Beach is this cliff with a hole in it and water below. You won’t be able to jump or swim because firstly, the currents are extremely dangerous and secondly, you won’t be able to go up. Angel Billabong is also very pretty, and you can swim if you don’t get too close to the edge. However, don’t take the risk of going into the pool if there are waves because you could get swept away. We’ll let you discover this in a picture.
⚠️ The road is chaotic to get there (even more than to Kelingking Beach).
Saren Cliff Point :
Much less touristy than the first three points of interest. There is an incredible view that will stretch out in front of you. To top it all off, a very “instagrammable” swing has been set up.
Guyangan Waterfall :
Despite the name, it’s not really a waterfall. This temple hidden by the ocean is unusual. The blue stairs to get there are unique. The ascent of the steps is a bit sporty, especially with Kelingking Beach and a day of scooter in the legs.
1 400 steps and back
Atuh Beach, Diamond Beach et Suwehan Beach :
We didn’t do it for lack of time and because the way to get there is super looooong. We didn’t know if it was worth it, but Atuh Beach still looks beautiful. That said, it looks like Crystal Bay even though it’s more deserted. If you go to Suwehan Beach, be careful because it’s said that the access by the cliff is really dangerous. We regret not having gone to see the pretty Diamond Beach: it will be an excuse to come back.
➡️ You will find other beautiful landscapes in Munduk, north of Bali: itinerary in this article.LIEN
Itinerary to Nusa Penida in 3 days + map
You can’t do all this in one day. Allow at least 3 days to visit Nusa Penida and do all these places of interest. In 3 days, we were a little fast and it was a lot of scooter. So, 4 days is the ideal length to do the program on a comfortable way.
- Day 1 – Arrival at the hotel and sunset at Crystal Bay
- Day 2 – Morning Snorkeling Departure + Kelingking Beach + Broken Beach and Angel’s Billagong
- Day 3 – Saren Cliff Point + Peguyangan Waterfall
If you can stay a 4th day, go to Suwehan Beach, Diamond Beach and Atuh Beach.
? It is very usual to have no internet connection on the road. To avoid getting lost, download the Maps.me application to access the GPS offline.
Where to sleep in Nusa Penida?
At the moment, there is not a huge offer of hotels. That said, quite a few are under construction. We slept at The Tandjung Cottage. This facility has just opened, the night costs 20€ with breakfast and a beautiful swimming pool. We chose it for its ideal location and easy access to all the points of interest. The only drawback: the insulation of the cottages is not great, but this is common in Bali.
Where to eat in Nusa Penida?
For lunch, we ate in small warungs (= typical Balinese restaurants) depending on where we were. In the evening, we tested two super warungs next to the hotel: Warung Jungle and Warung Tu Pande. Both have a good value for money. We avoided riding a scooter at night because the roads are not very well lit.
Practical Information to go to Bali.
Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate. Have a great day!
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