With Bali getting more and more crowded, tourism is spreading to nearby islands that were once unknown to foreigners. One of these is the island of Nusa Penida that lies east of southern Bali.
Nusa Penida has become a major nature attraction for tourists coming to Bali. It hosts some of the most scenic beaches you can find in Indonesia.
Sunrise at Sanur Port before riding the boat to Nusa Penida
Getting There
From Kuta or Seminyak, head to Sanur Port to take a tourist boat to Nusa Penida. It will cost around 300K-600K for a round trip ferry, depending on the boat company. If you’re visiting the island for just a day, it’s better to take a van+boat package from any of the travel agents around Bali. We got our van+boat package for IDR 450,000.00 per person and we didn’t have worry about getting to Sanur Port at all. The package service takes you from your hotel to Nusa Penida, and back. Also, unless you’re an experienced biker, don’t drive a rented motorbike around the island. We saw multiple people recovering from accidents, all tourists and on motorbikes. Pay more and hire a driver, and there’s less chance of you getting into an accident.
Interior of the boat to Nusa Penida
Getting Around
After you arrive at the island, there are drivers outside the port waiting for travelers to tour. We went there on peak season so the prices were really high. A driver offered a car rental for 1M which should only be around 500K-600K normally. Instead, we went with a motorbike rental for IDR 250,000.00 with driver, petrol, and parking. Haggling skills is highly important here.
Places to Visit
There are 4 major attractions you can visit before taking your boat back to Sanur Port. If there traffic is not bad, then you can spend more than 30 minutes in each area. Unluckily for us, there were a lot of cars and not enough wide roads to accommodate them. Even though we were on motorbikes, the roads are blocked so we’re still stuck in traffic. A major tip is to be there early, and pack your lunch!
Kelingking Beach
Kelingking Beach is a stunning view and the most famous natural landmark of Nusa Penida. I knew what I was about to see but actually seeing it in person makes me realize how big it actually is. Also, the viewing point is on a really high cliff so it makes it more impressive. You can go down on a trail to the beach, but it’s time consuming and quite dangerous. For me, seeing the view was enough at that time.
Kelingking Beach from the cliffside viewpoint
Angel’s Billabong
Rocky cliffs and harsh waves are the main scenes in Angel’s Billabong. A natural infinity pool forms because of the waves that washes over the rocks. You can swim but be extra careful as accidents have happened before where the waves get too high and sweep people to the ocean.
Huge waves hit the rocks of Angel’s Billabong
Broken Beach
Just a few meters away from Angel’s Billabong, is the hole of Broken Beach. Rocky cliffs form around a cove and a hole at one side makes the cove part of the sea. It’s a beautiful view with lots of spots to take a picture.
Me and Broken Beach
Crystal Bay Beach
After a day of hopping from one attraction to another, it’s best to enjoy the sea and take a dip at Crystal Bay Beach. If we had more time we would have been swimming right when we arrived. It was a hot day and we needed something to cool us down. But the traffic slowed us down and we only had time to sip a soda and take a few pictures.
Small island in the middle of the Crystal Bay
Expenses
Van + Boat Package Service IDR 450,000.00 per person
Motorbike with driver tour IDR 250,000.00 per person
Lunch at Warung Sunset Seaview IDR 30,000.00 per person
Kelingking Beach Fee IDR 5,000.00 per person
Angels’ Billabong & Broken Beach Fee IDR 5,000.00 per person
All-in tour packages are available in travel agencies around Bali and they cost around 1M per person. It’s more convenient but you have no control over the time you spend in each place. And you also have other people in the same tour group as you. Going on your own is cheaper, but you actually have to look for options yourself and that takes time.
A scene at Sanur Port after we got back from Nusa Penida
The trip to Nusa Penida was our last full day during our 9-Day trip to Indonesia. It was perfect and more than we could hope for. The island has some of the most beautiful natural views we’ve ever seen in our trips. It’s a place that I would definitely want to go back to.