Welcome To Nusa Penida!
There are some great things to do on Nusa Penida, we’ll go over the best of the best in this blog! Nusa Penida is a small island to the southeast of Bali that definitely deserves its own stop on your trip to Indonesia. This island is often done as a day trip from Bali, and it’s known for the viewpoint on top of Kelingking beach. The island has some great snorkeling, beaches, and small mountains. We rented a moped for ~$5/day and were able to do most of these in one day, although we were a bit rushed and wish we had more time. If you want to do the highlights and not have to deal with the logistics, this guided tour is the best option! Let’s get into the best things to do in Nusa Penida!
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The 10 Best Things to Do on Nusa Penida
1. Diamond Beach
Diamond beach is the most beautiful place on Nusa Penida, although it isn’t as popular as Kelingking Beach. With the white sand beach, blend of many shades of water, and limestone cliffs, this seems too good to be true. The Diamond Beach viewpoint is a short, but crowded, 5-minute walk from the parking lot. You can take the stairs down to the beach, however it is too dangerous to swim here.
2. Kelingking Beach
Kelingking Beach is what everyone usually comes to Nusa Penida for. It is incredibly unique, and is shaped like a T-Rex, but be ready for the crowds! Also, keep an eye out for Kelingking’s many resident monkeys – hold your things close as they like to take things from people! After admiring the viewpoint, you can take the stairs down to see the beautiful beach up close. This is fairly strenuous, so make sure to bring enough water, appropriate footwear, and anything else you may need!
3. Snorkel With Manta Rays
Nusa Penida’s surrounding ocean has a Marine Protected Area, which makes it so great for seeing marine life! At Manta Point, you’ll see giant manta rays that can get up to ~5 yards/meters in length. Don’t worry, these gentle giants won’t harm humans and people have been visiting these majestic creatures for years! You can book this tour for less than $17!
4. Tembeling Beach and Forest
Tembeling Beach and Forest doesn’t get as much attention as some of the other amazing places on Nusa Penida. However, this was one of our favorite locations. It is somewhat hard to get to; you have to take a 5-10 minute moped ride from the street to the entrance, which is almost all downhill and very bumpy. You can either walk, pay someone to take you on their moped, or use your moped, if you dare! I don’t recommend mopeding down yourself unless you feel really confident in your abilities. From the entrance, it’s about a 10 minute walk down the stairs to the beach. The beach here is beautiful, and there’s also a pool that you can relax in!
5. Broken Beach
This is definitely a sight to see! The inaccessible beach with violent waves crashing against across from the massive archway was amazing. You can even walk across the archway to get a panoramic view of the beach while your back is facing the ocean.
6. Atuh Beach
Located next to and overshadowed by Diamond Beach, Atuh Beach deserves its own visit. From the Diamond Beach viewpoint, it is a short hike down to this beach, which has slightly calmer waves than the neighboring Diamond Beach.
7. Teletubbies Hill
Named after the popular kids’ TV show, this series of grassy hills is surreal. The best time to visit Teletubbies Hill is during or soon after the rainy season. This is probably the best thing to do in Nusa Penida that isn’t on the coast!
8. Angel’s Billabong
Angel’s Billabong is ~50 yards/meters away from Broken Beach and a very interesting formation. Going onto the jagged rocks gives you beautiful views of the ocean. You’re only allowed to swim here during low tide as it is fairly dangerous during high tide.
9. Thousand Islands Viewpoint
This viewpoint boasts a panoramic view of the surrounding islands. No, you can’t see a thousand or even a hundred islands, but there are a few small but beautiful islands you can admire from a distance. This viewpoint is very close to Diamond Beach, so we recommend doing these at the same time!
Did You Know: According to Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are around 18,110 islands and islets in Indonesia. About 6,000 of these are inhabited.
10. Guyangan Waterfall
Guyangan Waterfall is far from your typical waterfall. It has a very small infinity pool naturally carved into the cliffs. This infinity pool and the waterfall are actually fed by a pipe system which then pushes (or leaks) water into the ocean. From the entrance, you’ll have a ~15 minute walk down the steep blue stairway that yields marvelous views of the waves crashing below. There is a very small temple down there so you’ll need to pay a small fee for a Sarong to cover yourself.
Best Time To Visit Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida, like most of Indonesia, is best to visit between May and September as this is when the dry season is. We’re big fans of having less people around, so we recommend visiting during the shoulder season in April or October. You may get some showers, but there will likely be a lot less people!
Where to Stay on Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida Accommodations
How To Get To Nusa Penida
The easiest and cheapest way to get to Nusa Penida is by taking a ferry from Bali’s Sanur harbor. Sanur harbor is close to Bali’s airport, and can also be reached from anywhere on Bali using a Grab (Indonesia’s version of Uber) or a combination of a bus and a Grab.
Purchase Your Ferry Tickets Here
Book Flights With Skyscanner
Our Favorite Travel Resources
Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.
Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.
Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.
Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.
International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.
eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.
Check out our Travel Resources Page for more of our favorite travel-related products and services!
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Nusa Penida FAQs
Is Nusa Penida part of Bali?
Yes, Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan are all part of Bali, although they are not on the Bali island.
Where is Nusa Penida located?
Nusa Penida is just off the southeast coast of Bali, Indonesia.
Is Nusa Penida expensive?
While not as expensive as Bali, it is one of the more expensive places in Indonesia. It still isn’t anywhere near as expensive as western Europe and the United States!
