Nusa Penida is an incredibly beautiful place and offers some amazing photo opportunities. The island’s coastline is insane, unlike anything we have ever seen, and located only 45 minutes from Bali. The beauty of this island is unparalleled to most places in the world; white sand beaches, unique rock formations, and cliff views made famous from Instagram. Whether coming on a day tour or independently, we got you covered with the top things to do in Nusa Penida, where to stay, and how to get around.
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How to Visit Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida Day Tour
The most popular choice for visiting Nusa Penida is by organized tour. Tours include a driver, lunch, fast boat ferry rides, and stops at the four popular locations: Kelingking Beach, Angel’s Billabong, Broken Beach, and Crystal Bay. Snorkeling can be added, with a boat trip to Manta Point, to swim with the manta rays. Day trips typically depart from Sanur at 8 AM, returning around 5 or 6 PM. A private Nusa Penida tour starts at 700k IDR per person with a minimum of two people. There are lots of tour providers and drivers. For an excellent driver who enjoys photography and has good prices, contact Kadek at +62 858-5894-9197. Several friends went on a tour with him and really loved it.
Go Independently to Nusa Penida
Going to Nusa Penida independently has several advantages. By joining a day tour, all the groups go to the same four locations. This makes each of those places extremely busy between 10 AM and 3 PM. Especially during the peak tourist season in July and August. Outside of those times, it gets much quieter. If you are into photography or just want a more peaceful way to explore Nusa Penida, going independently is the answer. When planning to visit the four main attractions you can stay one night and rent a scooter for two days. If visiting Atuh Beach, stay for 3 or 4 nights. The driving is slower and longer than expected on Penida. In some cases, especially to Angel’s Billabong/Broken Beach, the road conditions are very poor. Driving yourself in Penida should only be done by confident drivers. Upon arrival, at every port, it is possible to rent a scooter for 60,000 IDR per day. We suggest to break up the most popular sites over separate days, going before 10 AM and after 3 PM. During the day, find a beach to relax on. Helllooo Kelingking Beach…but watch out for high tide. Don’t miss the sunset at Kelingking viewpoint.
Sunset at Kelingking Beach Viewpoint
ATMs on Nusa Penida
ATMs are only located at the harbor towns of Toya Pakeh and Batununggul. But to be safe I would bring cash with you.
Aerial view of Broken Beach
How to Get to Nusa Penida
From Sanur Beach
The Sanur ferry terminal, located just north of Sanur Beach, is the hub for boats departing from Bali. Fast boat companies line up and down the beach with groups en route to locations such as the Gili Islands, Lombok, Lembongan, and Penida. Several fast boats go directly to Nusa Penida. Boats depart between 8 AM and 4 PM; the ride takes 45 minutes. Perama Fast Boat or Maruti Express both cost 150k IDR each way. Booking ahead or through a travel agent/hotel will cost more, up to 300K each way. It is best to arrive at the ferry terminal at 7 AM and book on your own.
From Nusa Lembongan
Boats depart several times daily between Lembongan and Penida from beneath the yellow bridge. They do not have set times and leave once the boat is full. The ride takes 10 minutes and costs 50k IDR. We were told by many companies the boat from Lembongan to Penida is very expensive, upwards of 300k. I imagine that just want a return fair. We were able to take a snorkel trip from Lembongan to Manta Bay and the surrounding areas. They agreed to drop us off at Toya Pakeh port on Penida free of charge. Win-win! For more on Nusa Lembongan, check out our travel guide.
A private cove on Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida Hotels – Where to Stay
Most guesthouses and homestays are located in the northwest corner of Nusa Penida. The main cluster of accommodation is near the port of Toya Pakeh, Crystal Bay, and the town of Ped on the north coast. There is no accommodation on the entire south coast of Nusa Penida. We searched for it and could not find anywhere to stay. Atuh Beach has only 1 or 2 VERY basic places to stay. It is best to plan your nightly accommodation for at least one day ahead.
Budget Accommodation in Nusa Penida ($10 – $15 USD)
Ramwan Guest House – 140k IDR for a basic private room located near Ped
Krisna Guesthouse – 240k IDR for a private room and a shared pool near Toya Pakeh
Manta Cottages with Sea View – 275k IDR for a private room including breakfast, the closest place to stay on a budget from Atuh Beach (35 minutes)
Mid-Range Accommodation in Nusa Penida ($40 – $55 USD)
Namaste Bungalows – 620k IDR for a private bungalow with breakfast included near Crystal Bay
WK Gamat Creative Resort – Grab a one-bedroom villa with breakfast and a pool for 640k IDR.
Rumah Pohon Tree House – While basic accommodation, for 600k IDR these views cannot be beat
Crystal Bay Villa & Residence – A beautiful one-bedroom villa with breakfast is 775k IDR walking distance to the beach
The rocky coastline at Atuh Beach
Top 10 Things to Do in Nusa Penida
1. Kelingking Beach
Kelingking Beach is the iconic attraction on Nusa Penida. It became famous on Instagram because of this land formation and picture-perfect beach. The views are stunning and the peninsula shaped like T-rex is unlike anything we have ever seen. Massive cliffs descend down to white sand on Kelingking Beach and is definitely worth the trek down. While many tour agencies and people will say it is too dangerous to walk down to the beach, we found it to be a very straightforward hike. However, if afraid of heights this can be extremely challenging as you need to depend on bamboo stairs and steps the entire way down. It takes 30-40 minutes each way. The viewpoint gets crowded with day tours mid-day, so it is better to beat the rush and come before 11 am or wait until after 4 pm. The road to Kelingking is paved and very manageable. This is an excellent sunset spot as well.
Entry Cost: Parking 10,000 IDR
The trail leading down to Kelingking Beach at sunset
Kelingking Beach from above
A cave at the end of Kelingking Beach
2. Angel’s Billabong
Don’t forget your swimsuit to go for a dip in this amazing tide pool. This might be one of the worst roads in Indonesia getting here, but they are paving sections of the road so it is quickly improving. A visit to the tide pool is best during low tide. Waves crash over the side of the cliff during high tide, filling up the tidal pool, making it unsafe to swim. At low tide, it is a shallow baby pool. Broken Beach is a 10-minute walk up from Angel’s Billabong. It is best to come before 10 am or after 2 pm when most of the day tours are at Kelingking Beach.
Entry Cost: Parking 5,000 IDR for both Angel’s Billabong and Broken Beach
Peace and silence at Angel’s Billabong
Waves crashing into the side of Angel’s Billabong
Aerial view of Angel’s Billabong
3. Broken Beach
After a swim in Angels Billabong, a short walk to Broken Beach is one of the highlights on Penida. There is a massive archway from the ocean into this bay, which has perfectly clear water and beautiful coral. It is possible to walk across the archway to get a different view. There is no access down to the beach, but the pictures are amazing!
Entry Cost: Parking 5,000 IDR for both Angel’s Billabong and Broken Beach
Aerial View of the Broken Beach
View from the edge of the Broken Beach
4. Crystal Bay
Located on the western coast of Penida, Crystal Bay is home to high-end beach resorts and is known for snorkeling. Snorkel trips depart from Crystal Bay, with stops typically to Manta Point and Gamat Bay. Snorkel trips cost around 400k – 500k IDR per person. Several beachfront bungalows are available at Crystal Bay starting from 500k IDR per night. Although this is a popular spot on tours, the beach is underwhelming.
Entry Cost: Free
Snorkeling boats in Crystal Bay
Island with a Hindu Temple in Crystal Bay
5. Manta Point
Manta Rays are in Nusa Penida year round. During the peak season between June and October, there could be dozens in the water at the same time. There are two ways to get in the water to Manta Point, by joining a snorkel trip or to scuba dive. A snorkel trip to Manta Point costs around 130k IDR. We were able to find a package that included Manta Point, Crystal Bay, and the underwater Buddha Statues for 150k. Scuba diving is another option. There are three dive shops on Penida on the north coast: Sanctum Dive Shop, Octopus Dive, and Blue Corner Dive. Diving starts from 500k IDR per dive.
A manta ray swimming at Manta Point
6. Banah Cliff
A quiet stop that you may have all to yourself, Banah Cliff has two panoramic viewpoints. Small clearings beside shrubs lead to straight vertical drops over 100 m high cliffs. The road is good until the last few kilometers.
Entry Cost: Free
Scenic coastline views from Banah Cliff
7. Tembeling Beach and Natural Pools
Located near Banah, this road narrows to a small rocky path. While it technically is driveable by scooter to the end, only those extremely confident in driving should attempt it. For the rest of us, walk around 30 minutes down to the bottom of the forest where there are two natural swimming pools, one for women and one for men. There is also access to the rocky beach.
Entry Cost: Free
Sunset at Tembeling Beach. Photo by the Kuyjalan team.
8. Peguyangan Waterfall
Hundreds of steps lead down to a temple on the side of a cliff, located just a few meters above the crashing waves. Waterfalls cascade down the cliff and around the ocean temple creating several waterfalls directly into the sea. The walk down is not for the faint-hearted or those scared of heights. There are two natural pools for bathing at the bottom.
Entry Cost: Parking 5,000 IDR
Small tide pools at Peguyangan
9. Atuh Beach
Atuh is far from everything else, on the east corner of Penida. The panoramic views from the top of the cliffs are some of the best on Penida. The beach is gorgeous but very rocky. It is good for snorkeling at high tide, but at low tide, the beach is not accessible for swimming or snorkeling. There are several picture-perfect rock formations at this beach. This is the perfect sunrise spot, although, with limited accommodation in the area, it is not the best place to stay for budget travelers.
Entry Cost: Parking 10,000 IDR
Coastal views from the Atuh Beach lookout
The landmark rock at Atuh Beach
10. Raja Lima Viewpoint / Rumah Pohon Molenteng “The Treehouse”, Atuh Beach
When making it all the way out to Atuh Beach, there are a few viewpoints to check out, and Raja Lima viewpoint is the best one. It is located down at the bottom of the hill at the “treehouses”. It costs $40 USD to stay the night, while the views are amazing, the huts are actually very basic. Not a bad place to wake up to though!
The famous treehouses by Atuh Beach. Photo by Jason Reynolds.
Nusa Penida Map & Points of Interest
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