Nusa Penida is a large rugged island just off the coast of Bali. Although it’s only half an hour by boat from the famous resort of Sanur, you enter Penida in a completely different world: rugged cliffs, beautiful bays and roads where you don’t see many tourists. Tourism on the Nusas is booming so don’t wait too long to visit these paradise islands. What are the most beautiful places on Nusa Penida?
We have chosen to sleep on neighboring island Nusa Lembongan and from there you can take a day trip to Nusa Penida. And we don’t regret that, what a wonderful unspoilt island it is!
Riding a scooter on Nusa Penida
Many travel blogs write that the roads on Nusa Penida are too bad to ride a scooter, but nothing could be further from the truth. In recent months, almost all major roads have been completely paved. So good news! We drove all over the island with the scooter (February 2020). A little scooter experience is nice because some roads are quite steep and rental cars sometimes tear by, but we thought it was absolutely doable. A scooter costs 70,000 to 80,000 a day.
Route day trip Nusa Penida
Do you choose a day trip to Nusa Penida? Then stick to the west side of the island and visit the following places: Kelingking Beach, Broken Beach, Angels Billabong and Cristal Bay Beach. The distances on Nusa Penida are enormous so it’s not possible to see everything in one day. We’ve experienced it …. We visited both the west side and the east side in one day, but found this too much afterwards. We misjudged the great distances, so we had less time to enjoy the beautiful places. Next time we will definitely stay there overnight!
Do you choose a day trip to Nusa Penida? Then stick to the west side of the island and visit the following places: Kelingking Beach, Broken Beach, Angels Billabong and Cristal Bay Beach. The distances on Nusa Penida are enormous so it’s not possible to see everything in one day. We’ve experienced it …. We visited both the west side and the east side in one day, but found this too much afterwards. We misjudged the great distances, so we had less time to enjoy the beautiful places. Next time we will definitely stay there overnight!
Kelingking Beach
By far the most famous place on Nusa Penida, perhaps even one of the most famous places in all of Bali, is Kelingking Beach. This rugged cliff is insta-famous, making it the most visited spot on Nusa Penida. The viewpoint is beautiful and you can walk (a lot) down. From the port you drive there in about 40 minutes and like most places you have to pay a small parking fee on arrival. There are toilets at KelingKing Beach and you walk past several restaurants where you can buy food, drinks and snacks.
By far the most famous place on Nusa Penida, perhaps even one of the most famous places in all of Bali, is Kelingking Beach. This rugged cliff is insta-famous, making it the most visited spot on Nusa Penida. The viewpoint is beautiful and you can walk (a lot) down. From the port you drive there in about 40 minutes and like most places you have to pay a small parking fee on arrival. There are toilets at KelingKing Beach and you walk past several restaurants where you can buy food, drinks and snacks.
Broken Beach
The name says it all: the sea has cut a huge hole in the rock, which makes for a special natural phenomenon. It looks nice in the photos, but it’s even more impressive in real life. The route there is actually a bit less; the last part of the road is very bad. Fortunately, this is only a small piece and I expect that it will not be long before it is also paved. Here too you have to pay a small park fee on arrival.
Angels Billabong
This natural phenomenon 5 minutes walk from Broken Beach so you can easily combine the two. Angels Billabong is a kind of natural infinity pool with beautiful clear green-blue water. Note: you can only swim there when the tide is low. Several tourists have already died here, so find out in advance what is responsible. We were there in the afternoon and it was not possible to swim then. Especially at high tide it is very cool to see the waves crashing on it by the way!
Atuh Beach and Diamond Beach
Paradise found! Atuh Beach and Diamond Beach are among the most beautiful beaches in Bali. When you arrive you have a breathtaking view over the bays, which are only separated by a cliff. You can walk all the way down the stairs. Because these beaches are on the other side of the island, it’s a bit quieter than, for example, at Kelingking Beach. The distances are long, so if you want to visit Atuh and Diamond Beach, we recommend staying at least one night on Nusa Penida.
Note: you pay a small parking / entrance fee at all beaches. This ranges from 5,000 to 15,000.
Thousand Islands viewpoint
Near Atuh Beach is Pulau Seribu viewpoint (literal translation: thousand island viewpoint). It’s definitely worth stopping here. You can also walk down here. Although there are only a few islands (not nearly a thousand), the view is really beautiful!
Near Atuh Beach is Pulau Seribu viewpoint (literal translation: thousand island viewpoint). It’s definitely worth stopping here. You can also walk down here. Although there are only a few islands (not nearly a thousand), the view is really beautiful!
Boat from Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Penida
Are you staying on Nusa Lembongan? Then you can get on the local boat to Nusa Penida at the Yellow Bridge. A return ticket costs 50,000 p.p. and before you get on the boat you can buy a ticket at the desk next to the Yellow Bridge. The boat departs every half hour between 7am and 5pm and departs when the boat is full (approx. 16 people).
Stay on Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Penida
Nusa Lembongan is the little sister of Nusa Penida. This island is just 20 minutes away by boat and there are many more hotels and restaurants. We recommend to stay at least 3 to 4 days on Lembongan and from there to do a day trip to Nusa Penida. If you have enough time, you can go to Penida for one or two nights in addition to Lembongan.
