If you’re planning a trip to the world known Nusa Penida island, there’s certainly a lot of questions bubbling in your head. The best words to describe this place would be breathtaking, athletic and powerful. Here’s a complete Nusa Penida guide.
Let me guess. You’re doing an internship in Bali and you’re craving an escape to the paradise island everyone is telling you about… Or you’re on a trip and you’re looking for the adventure of a lifetime but you’re still not sure where to go…
You’re already visiting Bali on a budget and you’re wondering, is Nusa Penida worth visiting or is it too touristy ? Nusa Penida or Gili Islands ?
How to get there ? Where to stay ? How many days should you spend on the island ? Should you rent a motorbike ? A car ? What are the best spots ? What about scuba diving ? Here are all my tips for your Nusa Penida tour !
Nusa Penida Population
Nusa Penida is 28 times smaller than Bali but we were told that the population can go up to one million at summertime. So yes, it’s very touristic and certainly the most visited one in Indonesia after Bali. But it’s for the best reasons and there are always some ways to avoid the crowd.
Where is Nusa Penida ?
When looking at a Nusa Penida map, you’ll see the island has neighbor islands just right next to her : Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. Together, they form the group of the Nusa Islands and are located at the southeast of Bali.
Nusa Penida from Bali
If you are staying at an hotel or villa in Seminyak or Ubud, you will first need to take a gojek to the Sanur harbour in the early morning. It’s the easiest way to go from Bali to Nusa Penida. The cheapest ticket you can get is 200k (400k for the round trip). If you are sea sick, take some medicine because the word « fast boat » says it all. The harbour you’ll get to is called Toya Pakeh Port.
Nusa Penida without Scooter
Even if the island welcomes tons of tourists each year, the Nusa Penida roads are not really developed, they are like… pure madness. It feels like you’re in a 4×4 for a safari in the desert. So even if you are used to riding a scooter, it’s really unsafe and dangerous. And if you’re not used to riding one, you honestly shouldn’t even consider it.
We only rode scooters with local drivers, to go back to the car parking after a spot, and even them were struggling in the climb. One of them stopped in the middle of it and we felt like we were going to fall off. Almost all the tourists we saw on scooters were struggling and the passenger had to go off the scooter and walk next to it. Every spot parking is accessible by car so it really is the easiest and safest way.
Last important thing but not least : your driver will know where to go first to avoid the crowd and do the reverse tour.
Nusa Penida things to do
Most of the great spots are in the South West part, some are in the East and most of the homestays and nightlife is in the North of the Island, near the Harbour where you’ll arrive. All the hotels know some car drivers, so I really recommend the car option.
Now that you know all your options, let’s get into it ! What are the best spots of Nusa Penida ? Well, basically, all the Island. But here are some of our favourites.
Tembeling Natural Pools
This spot is not so known because it’s quite difficult to reach. From the parking, you can either walk 3km on a path in the jungle or go by motorbike, but the roads are SO bad, it’s really unsafe. Once you arrive, you’ll run into several natural pools in the rocks, a beach with very strong waves, and even a cave. It feels like a lost paradise in the middle of the jungle !
Kelingking Beach
By far the most known Nusa Penida beach and maybe even the most famous of Indonesia ! This beach, surrounded by iconic cliffs, will leave you speechless. If you look at it carefully, it has the shape of a T-Rex.
Broken Beach & Angel’s Billabong
The powerful waves, crystal clear water and rock formations will make you fall in love with this place ! It’s also a great spot to lay down and tan. Angel’s Billabong is a crystal clear blue infinity pool right between 2 cliffs in Broken Beach. Sometimes you can go there for a swim at low tide but it’s regularly closed due to weather conditions : it’s not safe when the waves are too strong.
Crystal Bay : the best Sunset Spot
This small beach on the West North of the island is the place to be for sunsets. The atmosphere is really nice and you can relax after a long day of adventures.
Diamond Beach & Atuh Beach
Those two beaches are neighbors. The one on the right, Diamond Beach, delivers really powerful waves as well as scenic and dreamy landscapes. On the left, you can access Atuh Beach by a stairway (to heaven) and enjoy a swim in this tropical place. Check out the tide first though because it has to be high for you to get the best of it ! You can also eat lunch there for quite cheap, the grilled fish is 50k and the noodles soup 25k.
Nusa Penida Treehouse
Oh, you saw this wonderful treehouse cliche on social media and you’re wondering if it really exists ? Rest assured, it’s real and you can see it with your own eyes !
It’s a one hour drive from the main port and right next to Diamond Beach. The road splits in two : on the left, Diamond Beach and on the right, Rumah Pohon treehouse. and then… Oh well, then, let’s start the 10 minutes descent of the very steep stairs ! But it’s very worth it, right ? Enjoy the view !
Manta Point
On your Nusa Penida trip, you’ll certainly run into lots of diving ads. The underwater world of this Indonesian island is full of incredible animals : mola mola, turtles, reef sharks and all kinds of pisces… but also the famous manta ray ! Swimming with ray mantas on the bucket list of many travelers as they only live in a very few places around the world.
But don’t EVER try to get close or to touch them. It can disturb their immune system in a matter of seconds and die. Keep in mind that YOU are visiting their underwater world, and not the opposite. If you want more information about it because you’re planning a snorkeling tour, I talked more about it on my Nusa Lembongan guide as it’s basically the same place.
Are there waterfalls on the island ?
Of course ! If you’re staying long enough, you can also visit the Peguyangan Waterfall. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said “What matters in the journey, not the destination”. Well, this quote couldn’t be more accurate than in this situation. This waterfall has become iconic thanks to its charming blue stairs, on the edge of a rock.
I hope this complete guide helped you plan your trip ! If you haven’t made your mind yet about the three Nusa islands, here are the Top things to do in Nusa Lembongan. Why not visiting both after all ? You should also take a trip to the North of Bali, that’s where the waterfall magic happens. Enjoy!
