Table Of Contents
- Why You Should Take A Day Trip From Bali To Nusa Penida
- How To Get From Bali To Nusa Penida
- Things To Do In Nusa Penida: East & West
- Tour Recommendation For A Day Trip To Nusa Penida
- Other Tours & Experiences In Nusa Penida
- If You Have More Time To Explore Nusa Penida
- Get Travel Insurance Before Adventuring
- And That's A Wrap!
Why You Should Take A Day Trip From Bali To Nusa Penida
Lately, I’ve been noticing more and more travellers choosing not to leave the island of Bali. But hey, a day trip to Nusa Penida is the best way to get a taste of another Indonesian island and see more of the country! Nusa Penida is one of those postcard-worthy islands featured in almost every Bali brochure. No wonder it’s one of the top day-trip experiences from Bali.
Nusa Penida is stunning with sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, and that iconic T-Rex-shaped mountainous peninsula you’ve seen all over social media. Nusa Penida is a wild, beautiful, underdeveloped, and untouched island in comparison to Bali. It’s the perfect break to get away from Bali’s hip cafes, clubs, and yoga studios to take in the raw nature of a different side of Indonesia.
Though fair warning, Nusa Penida does get a lot of tourists. But for good reason: it is that damn beautiful!
Here’s a quick 1-minute video vlog of my day trip from Bali to Nusa Penida that I took with GetYourGuide. Press play to experience Nusa Penida from my POV and all the adventure that took place that day!
I had a great time on this trip, and to save you some time, here’s the exact tour I took:
More details on this tour later in the post.
How To Get From Bali To Nusa Penida
I’d recommend starting early since this will be a long day, from sunrise to sunset. Most tours kick off between 5:30 to 7:00 AM.
First, you’ll need to head to the port at Sanur. Getting to Sanur from Canggu, Seminyak, and Uluwatu could take 1-1.5 hours, whereas from Ubud it could take 45 mins - 1 hour.
From Sanur Harbour, it’s a 30 - 45 minute fast boat to Nusa Penida and the tickets will cost approximately 125,000 IDR.
A few quick tips:
- Book your ferry or tour at least a day in advance.
- Bring motion sickness tablets if you're sensitive. The ride can get choppy depending on the time of year.
- Don’t forget your ID. Some ferry counters check it. Or at least keep a photo on your phone.
Things To Do In Nusa Penida
Here are a few things you can do on your day trip to Nusa Penida. I’ve divided this list into two parts, West Nusa Penida and East Nusa Penida, to help you better plan your day trip. During your day trip, you’ll get time to explore either end of the island completely or pick 2-3 highlights of each end. Design your trip as you please!
West Nusa Penida
When you get to the island, you’ll be docking on the west end, making this part of the island more accessible. More iconic and touristic, the West is home to Nusa Penida’s most recognizable views and natural formations. Here are some of the highlights of West Nusa Penida:
Kelingking Beach / T-Rex Beach
This is THE picture-perfect postcard view of Nusa Penida! It’s a famous T-Rex-shaped cliff with steep stairs down to the beach. This one’s best visited early or late for softer light and fewer people. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can decide to even go bungee jumping here!
Angel’s Billabong
This is a natural infinity pool carved into volcanic rock. This body of water has crystal-clear water and great reflections, almost chromatic! Though be cautious, it’s only safe to enter at low tide. There have been incidents here before, so I strongly recommend not taking a dip there and just enjoying the beauty from afar.
Broken Beach
This one’s literally the walkable neighbour of Angel’s Billabong, a few 100 metres away. It’s a natural stone arch with waves crashing below. It’s said to be a cave whose roof fell, creating this breathtaking structure in the process.
Crystal Bay
This is one of the few swimmable beaches. It’s great for snorkelling or a lazy sunset hang! There are a few cafés and loungers available.
East Nusa Penida
East Nusa Penida is more dramatic, wild, and cliff-heavy. The East is known for stunning staircases, sweeping views, and sunrise spots. Here are some of the highlights of East Nusa Penida:
Diamond Beach
This one’s another Instagram-famous beach of Indonesia with white sand and turquoise water. There’s a steep but beautiful staircase cut into the cliff, making it a wonderfully scenic walk down. This one’s for those epic photo moments!
Atuh Beach
It’s a chill, curvy bay that’s great for relaxing or swimming at low tide. It’s touristy, but also less impressive than Diamond Beach. However, this one’s right next to Diamond Beach, so it’s worth walking over to take a peek. There are a few cafés and warungs nearby for a fresh coconut break.
Rumah Pohon Treehouse
This one’s another classic photo spot of a treehouse with unreal ocean views. The treehouse is part of the Thousand Island viewpoint trail. It’s best visited at sunrise for a magical experience with fewer crowds. Though, fair warning that the line for the treehouse photo op can take a long time.
Teletubbies Hill
This one’s a scene with rolling green hills that’s a bit off the main route. It’s awesome for drone shots or a peaceful picnic. Considering this after a rainy season, when the landscape is lush.
Tour Recommendation For A Day Trip To Nusa Penida
The tour company I booked my Nusa Penida trip with made everything incredibly smooth. I couldn’t be happier with how it went! From start to finish, they were organized, responsive, and thoughtful. I chose a private tour that included door-to-door pickup from my stay in Ubud, round-trip ferry tickets, and island transport. It was all handled seamlessly. My guide, Dedi, was fantastic and genuinely made the experience even better. Their high ratings and reviews definitely reflect the quality of service I received.
What I love about this tour is how customizable everything is: from your pickup point, pace, preferences, budget, and more.
- Want a fully private experience? They’ll sort it. Prefer a group tour? They run those too.
- You can choose full pick-up and drop-off from your Bali accommodation, or meet them at Sanur Harbour.
- If you’re already on Nusa Penida, you can start the tour directly from the island.
- They even offer add-ons like professional photography and drone services which I thought was pretty dope!
- And if you’d like to move at a relaxed pace or squeeze in more stops, they’re super flexible with that as long as you can fit it in between your arrival and departure times.
Here’s the experience I booked:
Other Tours & Experiences In Nusa Penida
In addition to my recommended tour, check out some other tours that are available in Nusa Penida:
If You Have More Time To Explore Nusa Penida
Personally, a day trip was enough for what I was looking for. Though if you’re not in a rush to get back to Bali, you can spend an extra day or two in Nusa Penida to explore the East and West sides of the island completely or experience the sunrises and quiet energy of the island slowly.
Staying longer makes sense if you’re interested in diving. The island is popular for diving and snorkelling, especially around Manta Point and Crystal Bay, where you can swim with giant manta rays or spot coral reefs with lots of marine life. The underwater visibility here is often excellent.
Some travellers also use Nusa Penida as a stepping stone to explore more remote parts of Indonesia like the legendary Raja Ampat, famous for its insane limestone islands and diving. While Raja Ampat is a longer journey away, the adventurous energy you get from Nusa Penida might just plant the seed for a bigger, wilder trip.
There are plenty of diving tours available for beginners and experienced divers. Here are some diving tours in Nusa Penida:
Get Travel Insurance Before Adventuring In Nusa Penida
Though Nusa Penida is a safe spot for travellers, I’ll never take a chance with my health travelling far way from home. To stay protected on my travels, I have chosen as Genki as my travel insurer. They’ll have you covered for every country with a flexible month-to-month plan and no long-term commitment.
Your solo travel journey deserves the added security that Genki provides, so that you can fully immerse yourself in the wonders of Nusa Penida. Genki has your back across all of Nusa Penida’s diving experiences and bungee jumping. Knowing that Genki has me covered makes life a little less stressful or me.
And That's A Wrap!
Nusa Penida is a long and action-packed journey from Bali, and it’s totally worth the visit! Honestly, it was a good break from Bali, to escape for a bit and see another Indonesian island and experience the natural beauty it had to offer. I’m so glad I said yes to the early start and long day. I hope you have a similar experience too!
