Nusa Penida has recently launched itself into the tourism industry as the ultimate island getaway.
And it really is. It’s got everything you could want from soft, sandy beaches, crystal clear water, daring hikes, fascinating temples, unique waterfalls, friendly wildlife and restaurants serving authentic Balinese food, all for a very attractive price.
Here’s how to spend 4 days on this island. Visit Nusa Penida as soon as you can to experience the island while it is still largely an authentic, local Balinese community!
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What does Nusa Penida mean?
‘Nusa’ literally means ‘island’ in Indonesian, so Nusa Penida means Penida Island.
There is no need to say Nusa Penida Island!
How to Get to Nusa Penida
Most ferries to Nusa Penida depart from Sanur.
Ferry departures take place between Nusa Penida and Sanur from 7:30am to 5:20pm. There are a few different services available depending on what time you want to depart (this website explains them really well).
I took the 11am ferry with Axestone Fast Cruise.
The journey usually takes around 30 minutes, depending on the weather and conditions. Tickets cost about IDR 200K each way (make sure to book return!)
Take a taxi or bus from anywhere in Bali to Sanur. I recommend pre-booking this transfer in advance so you can be sure that you will arrive in Sanur in time for your ferry.
TIP: Be at the Sanur ferry terminal early! You will need to collect your ticket for the ferry and give them your bags. The ferry terminal is very busy and overwhelming so it’s best to be as early as you can (I think I arrived about 45 minutes beforehand).
Where to Stay in Nusa Penida
$ Hostel $
Nuansa Penida Hostel
This is where I stayed when i visited Nusa Penida. The hostel manager was so lovely, the rooms were tidy, the beds had curtains, the lockers were huge, the pool was sweeeet. What more could you ask for!? Check availability or see other options.
$$ Hotel $$
Aryaginata Cliff Cottages
There’s so many lovely bungalows in Nusa Penida that it’s hard to choose, but I like this one because every room has an uninterrupted view through the forest to the ocean. Check availability or see other options.
How to Get Around Nusa Penida
Tourism in Nusa Penida has really only picked up post-Covid-19, and, for the most part, it just operates as a local island.
This means that public transport is non-existent. You have a few choices:
Hire a car and driver
You can hire a car and driver for a day for about IDR 650K-900K.
You could pre-book it here, or wait until you arrive on the island and see if your accommodation has any recommendations.
This is a good option if you are travelling with multiple people.
Rent a scooter
If you already know how to ride a moped or you’re adventurous enough to try, this could be an affordable and fun option if you are travelling as a single or a couple.
Most hotels and hostels offer affordable scooter rentals.
I will just say that the roads across Nusa Penida are windy and steep; Nusa Penida isn’t the best place to learn how to handle a moped.
For the love of God, please wear your helmet and DO NOT drive after drinking alcohol (your travel insurance will NOT cover you)!
Ask a local
I asked our hostel if they knew anyone that could drive us into town for dinner, and they said they had a relative who could. I didn’t speak Indonesian and he didn’t speak English, but he offered his Whatsapp number in case I needed any more rides while I was on the island.
There is a savvy culture in South East Asia where almost anyone will help you out for a price.
I wouldn’t rely on this over renting a driver or scooter, but in a pickle, you can offer someone a good price to get you back to safety.
Day 1: Arrival
Ferry from Sanur to Nusa Penida
Before leaving Ubud, I got cash out at the ATM, and I recommend you do too, because Nusa Penida is still kind of ‘off the radar,’ meaning the ATM’s on the island often have cash shortages and. a lot of sights and restaurants only take cash!
We left Ubud (read my Ubud itinerary!) around 9am and arrived in Sanur just after 10am.
The driver parked and we thought he would just drop us off, but he led us into the ferry terminal and showed us where to get our tickets from.
I’m really glad he did this because the terminal was hectic. It was a row of tents along the beachfront, with some benches scattered around and men running back and forth guiding crowds of timid tourists or barrows of luggage.
On the beach, the ferries just back up on the sand and the passengers jump out into the water.
Go up the tent advertising the ferry company that you booked with and collect your ticket on a lanyard. Wait near the tent until you hear them shout out the ferry name and time, or until you see a crowd of people scrambling towards a ferry with the company’s logo on it.
Make sure to take your valuables out of your main luggage and put them in your purse or backpack because your luggage will go on the roof of the ferry.
The ferry journey is a little rough. If you get seasick, make sure to take medication before getting on the boat.
Try to sit next to a window. There is no air-conditioning on the ferry and so the fresh breeze coming through the window can really help with nausea.
It takes about 30 minutes before the ferry arrives in Toyapakeh Harbour at Nusa Penida.
Transport to Accommodation
When you arrive on the sand, you’ll notice there are locals gathered around offering you rides to your accommodation.
They will demand exorbitant prices, so make sure that you bargain with them. For reference, I wouldn’t pay more than IDR 100K. They will demand high so you offer low, and hopefully you’ll meet somewhere in the middle. If they won’t budge, there are plenty of other people willing to drive you!
Dinner & Drinks
We got a ride into town and walking along the main street until we found somewhere for dinner.
We decided on the Penida Colada Beach Bar, and I’m glad we did.
They had a happy hour from 4-6pm where you could get two the same cocktails for IDR 110K, so we definitely made the most of that.
There are bean bags along the edge of the balcony where you can watch the waves lap along the sand.
With happy hour so early, we managed to get back to the hostel and in bed pretty early.
Day 2: Snorkelling & Kelingking Beach
Snorkelling Tour
The next morning we got up bright and early to meet our snorkelling team.
We booked with Karma Diving and Yoga, who offer a 2.5 hour snorkelling trip to the three best spots in Nusa Penida: Manta Bay, Crystal Bay and Gamat Bay. The tour costs IDR 300K.
To book our spot, we just messaged them on Whatsapp the day before.
We met at the Karma Diving and Yoga shop at 8am, where they gave us some snorkels and flippers.
We walked down to a small jetty on the beach where we met other people (I think two tours combined, maybe there wasn’t many customers that day) and set off to Manta Bay.
The boat departs from Toya Pakeh Harbour and heads to Manta Bay.
The bay is filled with tour boats and privately charter boats, and the drivers position the boats so that the manta rays get cornered in the bay. The tour driver will stop over the manta rays and tell you when to jump overboard for the best chance of seeing them.
I felt a little icky about this practice. I felt bad for the manta rays and how scared they must have been, but I can understand that, for the tour guides, if we don’t see a manta ray, they risk a bad review.
I enjoyed snorkelling at Crystal Bay and Gamat Bay more. The experience felt a little more slow-going and natural, where I could observe the creatures peacefully from a comfortable distance.
We returned to the shop at about 10:15am.
Bali Travel Essentials
SIM cards: Airalo offers eSIMS for over 200 countries which you can install BEFORE travelling, saving you the stress of running around to find a store or from being ripped off by local vendors. This is perfect for backpackers who are travelling to multiple destinations in a short period of time.
Insurance: You should NOT go overseas without getting travel insurance. Travel insurance protects you in case you get injured or your plans change or are cancelled. I always use Covermore, because the cover is comprehensive and they were easy to work with when I needed to make a claim.
Banking: When travelling and saving for travel I use Up Bank, an online Australian bank, that allows fee-free overseas transactions, unlimited savings ‘pools’ and easy transfers. If you join Up with my QR code we both get $13!
Explore town
Nusa Penida’s main town of Toya Pakeh and northern beaches are worth exploring.
After the snorkelling trip, we grabbed some breakfast at the cute little Ahmad Cafe.
We walked along the beachfront until we reached this awesome sign saying ‘Nusa Penida: The Blue Paradise Island.’ I couldn’t help myself; we had to get a picture with it. This actually proves to be kind of challenge because its right beside the road, so be careful!
Most tourists don’t walk along the beachfront, so it allows you to get a little bit of a peek into every day life on the island. There were tumbledown huts perched on the edge of the sand, in front of various boats, tools and bric-a-brac. There were a few locals were heading out to go fishing and some dragging in their catch.
The best bars on this side of Nusa Penida are all beachfront, meaning you can walk straight up from the beach for a midday spritz!
Kelingking Beach
Bunga Mekar, Nusa Penida, Klungkung Regency, Bali 80771, Indonesia
Free
It’s day 2 of this Nusa Penida itinerary, so it’s about time we visited the most popular sight on the island!
Kelingking Beach, also referred to as the ‘Dino Beach’ or ‘T-Rex Island’ and even ‘the pinky finger’ because of it’s shape, is the most advertised sight in Nusa Penida by far. And this is for good reason, it really is an incredible work of natural architecture.
The best way to appreciate the enormity of the T-Rex island is to descend it.
The descent to Kelingking Beach takes about 20 minutes along a steep and rugged path. The path is lined with wooden rails that get more flimsy as you get closer to the bottom.
When I visited, the last portion was just a wooden ladder. Wear shorts or pants because people will be able to peep if you scramble back up in a skirt!
The water at Kelingking Beach is clear but very deep. Be careful not to swim out too far and time your return to the beach with the waves (I saw plenty of amateurs get smashed on the beach!)
The climb back up takes about 30 minutes.
TIP: Take your selfies BEFORE descending to the beach, you will be a little rough when you get back to the top.
Amarta Restaurant
Amarta is one of the most popular restaurants in Nusa Penida.
This is because it is home to the only Candi Bentar on the island. Otherwise known as ‘the Gates of Heaven,’ are a classic feature of Balinese Hinduism.
While the passageway is the main attraction of Amarta (there will probably be influencers getting their travel shot), there is also an infinity pool surrounded by day beds that overlook Nusa Lembongan.
Prices are a little on the expensive side and the road is bit tricky to get out here.
Day 3: Angel’s Billabong & Water Temple
Breakfast at Sunny Cafe Penida
We had a delicious granola bowl for breakfast at Sunny Cafe Penida.
This cafe was so cute and epitomised everything I imagined to be a Balinese cafe!
Angel’s Billabong
After breakfast, we scootered over to the Angel’s Billabong. The road was a little sketchy towards the end, so we parked at the intersection and walked the rest of way. It took about 15 minutes.
The Angel’s Billabong is an impressive rock formation that creates a natural and crystal clear pool.
The difference in colour and clarity between the pool and the ocean is incredible.
In the photo above, it may seem like the pool and the ocean are well separated, when in fact, there is only a thin strip of rock between them. This means that at high tide, water rushes in and floods the pool.
I would not recommend swimming in the pool as it will only take one rogue wave to crush you or sweep you out to sea. Not to mention, the rock surface would be difficult to climb out of. Multiple tourists have died swimming in the Angel’s Billabong, and locals warn against it.
Broken Beach
Right next to the Angel’s Billabong is Broken Beach.
It is thought that Broken Beach was formed when a portion of the cliff collapsed and allowed water to enter and erode the cliff further to create the beach we see today.
Broken Beach is incredible, and really highlights to power of natural forces. Pictures really don’t do the scale of these immense cliffs justice.
There is no fence around the edge of the cliff so be careful when taking that photograph; several tourists have slipped and fallen.
Brunch at D’Sebuluh Warung
As we scootered from Kelingking Beach to Guyangan Waterfall, we topped at this little restaurant along the way.
There was only locals at D’Sebuluh Warung but they were very welcoming.
We took a seat in the back corner. We ordered a fruit bowl and smoothies, and admired the view across the farmland below.
I will just say, because this is a local restaurant, the bathroom situation left a little to be desired.
Guyangan Waterfall
Visiting the Guyangan Waterfall is not for the faint of heart.
You have to climb down the steep and slippery staircase that is literally hanging off the cliffside.
Someone will greet you at the top of the staircase and give you a sarong if you don’t have one. This is because there is a temple at the bottom of the stairs.
Begin your descent. It is a dizzying feeling to walking down the side of a cliff. It was quite adrenaline pumping to be so exposed to the elements and at the whim of nature.
At the bottom there is a small temple (someone has to climb these stairs every single day to bring offerings to the temple!) and a trickling and slightly disappointing waterfall. (In the picture above, the waterfall is to the left of the blue box … yeah.)
There is also a small infinity pool built into the cliff. If the weather is nice and the tide is low, you can safely swim in it.
Try to visit Guyangan Waterfall on a nice, clear day. We visited when it was raining which made both climbing down and up VERY scary.
Chill at the pool
Spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing by the pool.
You probably have a pool at your accommodation, but if you’re looking for something a little classier, you could visit a swim-up bar.
We happened across The Chill Penida.
It was surprisingly sparse, so we had the pool completely to ourselves. The downside was that it was so quiet, the swim-up bar wasn’t operating! However, the staff were kind and delivered our drinks to us in the pool.
Dinner and Drinks
For your last night in Nusa Penida, try a lowkey restaurant along Toya Pakeh Road.
We picked Penida Minang. It had the same view as other popular bars along this street such as Penida Colada, but was far less busy.
Prices were fairly decent, and they had a happy hour offering that we made the most of. There was also a live musician. Asked every guest in the restaurant where they came from and then sang a song from their country!
Penida Minang does NOT take bank card, so make sure you have enough cash!
Day 4: Cave Temple, Diamond Beach & Departure
Goa Giri Putri Temple
7HRP+CC9, Suana, Nusa Penida, Klungkung Regency, Bali 80771, Indonesia
No posted opening hours, I visited at 9am.
Required ‘donation’ of 20K to 50K
Crawl through a small hole in the rock and emerge in an immense cave lined with temple alters and stone benches.
Visitors of Goa Giri Putri Temple must wear a sarong and a shawl. You can rent one for about IDR 10K at the shop across the road.
After putting on your sarong, cross the road and ascend the stairs to the entrance. There will people milled about at the top the stairs. You will be blessed with holy water and then guided over to the ‘donation’ table. I’m saying ‘donation’ because you don’t have a choice. IDR 20K to 50K per person should do it, so make sure you have some change with you.
Squeezing through the gap in the rocks can be a little claustrophobic, but it isn’t long before it opens up into a spacious cave. Although it is lit with candles, the cave is still quite shadowy and dark. Somehow, this makes it feel all the more spiritual.
If there is one occurring, you’re welcome to sit quietly at the back and participate in a service.
This is an active temple, so remember to be quiet and polite.
We visited in November, which is the beginning of the wet season in Bali. It was very humid inside the cave, so I left after just 30 minutes or so.
You exit at the back of the cave, where the road leads back to the base of the stairs.
Diamond Beach
Pejukutan, Nusa Penida, Klungkung Regency, Bali 80771, Indonesia
Entry IDR 35K each. Parking 5K.
Diamond Beach is another of Nusa Penida’s super-hyped sights. The road there is a little tricky. We did manage on a scooter, but if you’re not that confident scooting, you might need to hire a driver.
The stairs down to the beach are carved into the cliff.
On the other side of the little peninsula is Atuh Beach. This beach is much the same as Diamond Beach, except maybe a little easier to access.
I’ll be completely honest and say that I think Diamond Beach is overrated. The view is gorgeous and the water is incredibly blue, but it doesn’t offer anything different or better than Kelingking Beach.
We stopped at the Fisherman’s Hut on top of Atuh Cliff for a pick-me-up, where you can enjoy the view from comfy bean-bags.
Ferry back to Sanur
Time to go home!
Make sure to be at the ferry port on Toya Pakeh Beach well before your scheduled departure time.
That was our 4 day Nusa Penida itinerary! You could totally stretch it out for longer if you need more time to chill, but I found 4 days to be the perfect amount of time to spend in Nusa Penida.
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