OMG what an island! This is the place, where you can find the dream beaches, underwater world and sunsets you’ve always dreamed of. Nusa Penida is the small sister of Bali, but not that famous as she should be. Even though she has her very own wonderful charm. It feels that she’s like another world. An insider tip that you don’t want to tell anyone, but still want to share with the whole world.
Tourism has just been started and new hotels, roads and restaurants pop up everywhere. Therefore, you should visit the island NOW, to experience the untouched nature and wonderful places without masses of tourists.
How long to stay?
We would definitely recommend you to spend at least 3-4 days on the island, as there is a lot to see and you can also enjoy each place better with more time.
How to get there?
There are several ways to get from Bali to Nusa Penida.
- Speedboat from/to Sanur
We spent the night before in Sanur, so that we could easily go to the harbour the next day. There is an official sales office directly at the beach. The boats either stop at Sampalan or Toyapakeh on Nusa Penida. Both are located in the north.
Ferry ticket: 250000 IDR (16€) / person (one way)
Departure: Ever day & every hour between 7:00 am & 17:00 pm
Duration: 40 min - Public Ferry from/to Padang Bai
This is the best option, if you want to take your scooter to the island. We would definitely recommend you this way, because the scooters on the island are more expensive than on Bali and you are more independent from the beginning. But this should only be an option when you are an experienced driver.
Ferry Ticket: 30.000 IDR (1,80€) / person (one way)Scooter Ticket: 50.000 IDR (3,10€) / person
Departure: Every day at 11:00 am & 14:00 pm
Duration: 90 min
Getting around in Nusa Penida
We love to explore the things on our own and so we did it on Nusa Penida, but you should know that the roads are bumpy and in a very bad condition. Even as the most experienced scooter driver you will get to your limits here. If you prefer an easier way you have the possibility to take a driver. There are several advantages choosing this option.
- You can lean back comfortably in the car while the A/C cools you down
- You can enjoy the landscape while your driver brings you to the most popular places
- Your driver can also serve as your personal photographer and tour guide
Unfortunately, we can’t recommend you a driver, as we didn’t use this option. Maybe you should talk with your Hotel or look for a facebook group to find a good one.
Costs for one scooter 70.000 IDR (4,30€) / day
Costs for one driver 800.000 IDR (50€) / day
- Angels Billabong
The spectacular formation in the west of the island was our first destination and its just unbelievable! The small bay with its crystal-clear water is the perfect natural infinity pool.
It is important that you go to the right time, as the perfect view depends on the tides.
Check out an app like „Tide charts near me“ to find out exactly when the low tide is, so that you can plan your trip around that time. This is how you probably will get the perfect photo for your Instagram feed 😉 .
- Broken Beach
From Angels Billabong you can easily reach the Broken Beach with a few steps. Nature shows what it can achieve over the time and offers the world an incredible scenario.
Just take a few minutes and enjoy watching the crystal-clear water that flows in and out of the arch way. Right next to it you can find the Manta point, where you probably will see some Mantas swimming near the cliffs.
- Kelingking Beach/T-Rex
This place is definitely the most famous on Nusa Penida. The view is just breath taking and even the best photos can’t describe the beauty of this formation. You also have the option to go down to the beach, but you should be aware of the dangerous way. It took us about 45 minutes to go down to the beach and one hour to get back up. When we arrived at the bottom we have been rewarded with the bluest water and a beautiful white sand. Make sure you bring enough water with you, as it costs you 80.000 IDR (5€) at the beach.
- Peguyangan waterfall
This is not really a waterfall you would expect, but rather a temple and swimming pool in the rocks. Nevertheless, the way down on the famous blue steps and the stunning views are definitely worth visiting this place at least once. When we arrived at the bottom we were overwhelmed by the panorama we had from the pool. We saw manta rays and turtles and we were lucky to enjoy everything on our own.
- Suwehan Beach
When thousand steps lead you to the most wonderful places. This beach reminded us a little bit of the Algarve in Portugal. It is at least as beautiful as in Portugal and if you go there either in the morning or late in the afternoon, you can enjoy the beach all to yourself. But keep in mind that the way to get there is very bumpy and difficult and a way back in the dark makes it even more challenging. It is also good to know that there is a small restaurant right at the entrance where you can recharge your batteries.
- Manta Bay
Swimming with the Manta Rays is one of the most stunning things you can do on Nusa Penida. Being that close to such a fascinating creature can take your breath away. We booked a tour with a tour guide we cannot recommend. But we met two very friendly girls who told us about their very good experience with a tour guide (Adin). You can check out his facebook page and book your trip directly there.
Facebook: Dreaming about Penida
Costs: 250000 IDR (15,60€) / person
Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to visit all the place on our bucket list from Nusa Penida. But on our next trip to the island we will definitely visit the following spots:
- Pura Goa Giri Putri Cave
- Atuh Beach
- Seganing Waterfall
- Crystal Bay Beach
- Toyopakeh Diving Spot
- Banah Cliff Point
- Tembeling Natural Pool
- Thousand Island Viewpoint (Pulau Seribu or Raja Lima)
- Rumah Pohon – the favorite tree house you see everywhere on Instagram 😉
So, as you can see there is a lot to do on Nusa Penida. At the most places the local people have asked us to pay a parking fee of 5000 IDR (0.30€), which is a really good deal, because the parking fee serves also as the entrance price.
Unfortunately, we have also experienced over and over again how ignorant the tourists have handled their garbage. It was thrown out of the driving car or directly into the sea. It was devastating to see so much trash swimming around the manta rays and laying everywhere at the beach.
We hopefully do not have to explain what consequences this has for nature and the animals that are living there. If you came all the way up to our Blog, please be a role model and handle your garbage and especially plastic with responsibility.
Hello Guys, this post is awesome. It helped me a lot and now I can’t wait to see it all by myself.
Cheers