Nusa Penida is an island off the main island of Bali. In order to get there, you must take a boat ride. I recommend staying at least 2 nights on the island. We only stayed one night and it was not enough time to see everything I wanted to. We hit the main spots that I will talk about in this post, but I hope to do an even more thorough post in future when we visit again. Nusa Penida is a must do for travelers visiting Bali. The sites are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen in my entire life. Crystal clear waters, white sand beaches, and some of the best snorkeling.
If you are visiting Bali, be sure to also check out my Canggu, Bali Guide and my Ubud, Bali Guide!
Travel Guide: Nusa Penida, Indonesia
Getting There:
Take a taxi to Sanur from wherever you were prior in Bali. In Sanur, there are multiple ticket stands to buy tickets for a speed boat to take you to Nusa Penida. Depending on which company you choose prices can differ, but they are generally around 300.000 (ish) rupiah.
The boats leave from the beach, and don’t use a pier so you have to wade up to your knees to get into your boat. (Now just imagine us doing this while i hold my roller suitcase above my head….)
The ride is about 35-45 minutes long and can be very choppy. We also had no leg room whatsoever on the boat. I would say getting to Nusa Penida is half the adventure 🙂 haha
Things to Do:
Kelingking Beach: By far the most famous beach in Nusa Penida. This beach is the first photo on this post. The view literally takes your breath away. I recommend getting there right before sunset, so you can get photos with bright lighting, as well as when the sun goes.
Pro tip: There is a “hike” down to a beach at the bottom, but I do not feel comfortable recommending it because it was one of the more dangerous things I have done. The pay off was amazing, as the beach at the bottom is unlike any other beach I have ever been to, but I honestly don’t know if I would do it again. Do more research so you know what to expect if you think this is something you will want to do.
Angels Billabong: This is the second popular thing to do in Nusa Penida. Angels Billabong is a natural infinity pool. We tried to get there earlier in the day so we could get some of those beautiful photos of the water crystal clear without a million people wading in it, as well as a lower tide so waves were not crashing into the water.
Broken Beach: Broken beach is just a quick walk from Angels Billabong, so hit these two at the same time! Broken beach is the last photo with the arched rock. Yes, the water is actually that color. It is an absolutely stunning view.
Peguyanan Waterfall: This hike is a relatively quick walk along blue stairs along a cliff. At the bottom there is a temple and waterfall, which is beautiful, but I think the views along the stairs are the most epic part of the hike.
Pro tip: If you are afraid of heights, I would not recommend this.
Where to stay:
Staying in Nusa Penida was a very different experience than staying on the main island of Bali. Since Nusa Penida is much more remote, things such as wifi are a little more difficult to come by. There are still great places to stay, but just not quite like Bali.
Ring Sameton Inn: We stayed at this Inn because we traveled to Nusa Penida without figuring out where to stay beforehand (lol). When we arrived, we took a quick taxi ride to basically the closest and cheapest place we could find (we were only staying one night). Ring Sameton was near the port that the boats dropped us off at so it was a convenient place. The Inn was clean, but was not luxury in the slightest (how can I complain though it was about $28). Our room had 2 twin beds and lukewarm water in the bathroom. There was free breakfast and wifi which was awesome. I would recommend staying here if you don’t mind staying somewhere very modest.
List of places I have heard great things about but have not stayed at personally:
- La Roja Bungalows
- Sundi Ocean Bungalows
- Saka Boutique Hotel
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The Angkal Boutique Seaview Villas
Getting Around
We took a taxi from the boat port to our hotel because I was not able to carry my rolling carry-on bag with me on a scooter. If you just have backpacks, I recommend renting a motorbike from the port to avoid the cost of a taxi.
Once we arrived at our hotel, we rented motorbikes and were off! My husband Cole is very experienced on motorbikes and has ridden them his entire life, so we felt comfortable. BUT I do have to warn you that Nusa Penida island is made up of mostly dirt road with huge bumps, cracks, potholes etc. We passed multiple couples with blood running down their legs from minor crashes and slip ups. We luckily did not have any issues, but there were definitely sketchy areas. So be careful and take it slow! With that being said, one of my favorite memories was just ridding through the island on our little bikeand taking in all the views and laughing our heads off.
If you want to avoid the motorbikes all together, you can taxi to your locations or take a guided tour that has a driver.
If you have any recommendations for Nusa Penida of things to see, places to eat, or stay let me know in the comments below!
xx Chantel