Nusa Penida | An easy to follow 3 days 2 nights Nusa Penida itinerary
Short on time to plan your Nusa Penida trip, but want to make the most of it? Discover a detailed Nusa Penida itinerary that covers popular and unique attractions on both the east and west sides, as well as a snorkelling tour. Learn how to get around, what to be mindful of, and how to fit it all in without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. Plan your Nusa Penida adventure with safety in mind!
- If you are looking for following services, click each link to check the availability:
- Book your fast boat tickets to Nusa Penida
- Get around Nusa Penida with private car & driver (you can customise your own itinerary)
- West Nusa Penida & snorkeling trip from Bali (if you are only going for 1 day)
- For more information about Nusa Penida and Bali, see below:
- A complete guid to Nusa Penida: attractions, transportation, hotels, to-dos.
Nusa Penida Itinerary Day 1
1. Take a fast boat from Bali to Nusa Penida
To have a full first day to explore the island, I suggest booking the early fast boat from Bali to Nusa Penida.
There are three departure ports in Bali and three arrival ports in Nusa Penida. The most practical way to choose is based on your location before going to Nusa Penida and the closest port to your hotel in Nusa Penida. Typically, the Sanur port is the most common departure point from Bali.
Personally, I chose to depart from Sanur and arrive at Sampalan port because my hotel is located in the north of Nusa Penida, where there are many beachfront restaurants with views of Mount Agung volcano.
To book and secure your fast boat tickets in advance, you can easily check the availability and book it HERE. They’ve got many options for fast boat companies, schedules, and ports, and they are relatively cheaper than other platforms for the exact same fast boat operators to Nusa Penida!
2. Explore west side of Nusa Penida with private car driver
Due to the poor condition of the roads in the west of Nusa Penida, I strongly recommend booking a private car with a driver when visiting the most popular and must-see attractions in that area. It is not safe to drive a scooter by yourself for the west side. I was relieved and glad that I had booked a car and a driver when I saw how bumpy and rough the roads were over there, which I didn’t know beforehand.
Another reason to book a private driver and car in advance is that you can inform the driver to pick you up at the port. This way, you can start exploring the following MUST-VISIT attractions in the west of Nusa Penida island right away once you arrive, without even needing to drop off your luggage at the hotel first.
To hire a private driver in advance, you can check the availability and book it here. You can customise your itinerary for the day within the hours you have. The following are the suggested attractions in the west side of Nusa Penida for your first day.
Tembeling natural pool, beach, forest
This secluded location is very unique and still off the beaten track in Nusa Penida. However, due to its narrow path, cars are not allowed to drive in. You can ask your driver to wait for you at the entrance and walk down for 30 minutes, then walk back up for 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can hire a scooter with a driver at the entrance who will take you down to the pool. The cost is usually around 30-50k per person round trip.
Otherwise, you can save the visit for the second day when you plan to drive a scooter by yourself and visit this attraction before watching the sunset at Banah Cliff Point.
WARNING: the road leading to the natural pool is rough, so be extra careful!
For photos and exact location of Tembeling natural pool, beach , forest: click HERE
Kelingking Beach
Kelingking Beach is the iconic beach in Nusa Penida and is rated as a must-visit beach in Indonesia. It’s famous for its T-rex dinosaur shape, turquoise-colored ocean water, white sand, and breathtaking view at the edge of the cliff. If you happen to be here in the evening, you will also spot an amazing sunset. Even though I had seen lots of photos on Instagram before visiting here, I still found it incredible when I saw it in person, especially how it looks from the steep cliff that’s almost vertical.
There’s a path to go all the way down to the amazing beach. Our local driver (guide) said it will take about a 2-hour hike down plus up, with the path that’s literally almost vertical (I’m still surprised and amazed by how the locals actually made this path! It’s crazily steep).
We tried to hike down with flip flops, but without proper trainers (sneakers), it was impossible! We were already thirsty and hot as hell after walking a few steps down and back. Thank God there are shops nearby the entrance for fresh coconut water and bean bags for a short rest!
SO! If you want to go down to this path and see the nice white sand beach, here’s the safe tips for you:
- Wear proper shoes and be extra careful when walking down.
- Prepare lots of water!
- Do not go down when it’s getting darker, the road is dangerous if you can’t see properly, and the wave could be unexpected strong too.
- If you are going here for the sunset, go down to enjoy the beach earlier before the sunset, and walk back up to the viewpoint to enjoy the sunset.
Exact location of Kelingking Beach: click HERE
Angel's Billabong
Angel’s Billabong, a natural infinity pool, and Broken Beach are actually right next to each other.
We first stopped at Angel’s Billabong hoping to go down for a swim like others on Instagram, but unfortunately, this time we couldn’t because they sealed the entrance of going down.
If you want to go down for a swim and take photos, ask for advice from your guide and see if they closed the entrance. And whether you’re going into the pool or not, please make sure you don’t get too close to the edge because there’s an unexpected current and dangerous big waves hit sometimes!
Exact location of Angel’s Billabong: click HERE
Broken Beach
Around a 5-minute walk from Angel’s Billabong, you will find Broken Beach. This unique cove, formed by nature, is a must-visit destination on Nusa Penida Island. I was amazed by the emerald-colored ocean water and the natural archway.
It’s nice and peaceful to walk all the way around Broken Beach to take photos from different perspectives and enjoy the sound of the waves coming in and out of the archway.
Locals later told me that if you are lucky, you may spot manta rays on the cliff at the archway too. I wish there was a way to go down to the beach, but unfortunately, there isn’t. It remains unreachable, and I think it’s a good way to keep it clean and magical!
By the way, if you have a drone, you must not forget to take it with you when visiting Broken Beach Nusa Penida because the view from above is at another level, and you will understand why it’s named Broken Beach!
Exact location of Broken Beach: click HERE
Crystal Bay
Crystal Bay is a palm tree paradise! You will see the road full of palm tree on the way to Crystal Bay and at the beach. It’s perfect spot for a swim, watching sunset, snorkeling and they have small shops at the beach so you can also enjoy a bottle of local Bintang Beer!
Exact location of Crystal Bay: click HERE
Nusa Penida Itinerary Day 2
1.Explore east side of Nusa Penida by scooter
Compare to the west side of Nusa Penida, the east side is easier to drive a scooter by yourself, as the road is smoother, so if you like driving a scooter, go for it!
To rent a scooter/moped, you can ask the hotel staff to arrange one for you or rent it at Toyapakeh port when you arrive in Nusa Penida. Better option is, to contact your hotel to arrange it in advance. Usually, they provide delivery and pick up service around Nusa Penida, as well as helmets (if not, don’t forget to request one).
Diamond Beach, Atuh Beach, and Atuh Cliff
Due to slightly fewer tourists traveling to the east side (compared to the west side) when visiting Nusa Penida, Diamond Beach and Atuh Beach are relatively quiet but both reachable, and offer unique, beautiful landscapes as well as adventurous experiences.
Diamond Beach is now more of a picturesque spot because the path going down to the beach is a stunning staircase carved into the cliff. Moreover, there’s also a swing for you to enjoy at the beach.
However, Atuh Beach has its own unique rocks and scenery to enjoy.
There is even a restaurant/warung that provides beanbags, seafood, and fresh juices for you to relax while waiting for your next swim or climb up to the Atuh Cliff to enjoy the view from above.
I love both Atuh Beach and Diamond Beach. If you have enough time and energy, I highly recommend checking out both beaches. As I learned from my own experience of taking a rough route, I suggest setting your GPS for Diamond and Atuh Car Park as your destination for a better route that allows you to visit all three attractions (Atuh Beach, Atuh Cliff, and Diamond Beach) together.
Exact location of Diamond Beach: click HERE
Exact location of Atuh Beach : click HERE
Suggest car park & starting point for both beaches: click HERE
Tree House and Thousand Islands Viewpoint
These two are some of the famous photo spot in Nusa Penida.
For Tree House, with a bit of cash, you get to climb up to the ladder and take photos with the tree house, islands & sea views. And just walk for about 1 minute, you will be at the Thousand Islands Viewpoint where you can see many littles islands around, as well as seeing Diamond Beach from a different perspective.
I personally didn’t visit here because I only knew this spot after I left. If you want to see photos of these spots, click below links.
Exact location of Tree House: click HERE
Exact location of Thousand Islands Viewpoint: click HERE
Banah Cliff
Banah Cliff is a unique and off-the-beaten-path destination on the island. A local told me, “If you want to see the best sunset view and avoid crowds in Nusa Penida, this is the one.”
Unfortunately, we didn’t make it there because we were too late, but I hope you can! If you start exploring the east side of Nusa Penida in the morning, you should be able to make it to Banah Cliff for sunset.
One thing to note is that the road leading to Banah Cliff is a bit bumpy, so if you’re driving a scooter by yourself, be extra careful!
Exact location of Banah Cliff: click Here
Nusa Penida Itinerary Day 3
1.Snorkeling trip in the morning (9am-12pm)
If you are looking for a chance to meet manta rays while swimming, Nusa Penida is famous for that! Many of my friends have seen manta rays here.
If you decide to stay in Nusa Penida for 1-2 days and want to go on a snorkeling trip, you can email or WhatsApp your hotel staff to arrange it for you after you have booked your hotel.
Our snorkeling trip was arranged by the owner of Apit Lawang Villas & Resto for about IDR 200k (12 USD)/person for 4 snorkeling spots (Manta Bay, Crystal Bay, Gamat Bay, Wall Bay) with a shared speed boat.
But if you are looking for a snorkelling day trip to Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan from Bali, or a day tour from Bali to explore the west side of Nusa Penida plus snorkeling, you can check the availability and book it in advance to save your spot. Boats from and to Bali are included in these tours.
On the day of our snorkeling tour in Nusa Penida, we rode our scooter to Toyapakeh port and joined the 9 am snorkeling tour that the hotel owner booked for us. The following are the four snorkeling spots we visited in Nusa Penida!
Manta Bay: This is one of the spots where manta rays feed themselves with plankton and get cleaned by fishes. Some locals said the chance to meet manta rays is higher if you go earlier than 9 am, while others say that manta rays are always there but you need some luck because they are wild animals.
Crystal Bay: We saw many coral reefs here.
Gamat Bay: The water is crystal clear, and you can see different species of fishes here. I really love it!
Toyapakeh Wall (Wall Bay): This is where you get to see lots of tropical fishes and corals.
Regarding snorkeling gear, if you don’t have a snorkeling mask or fins, don’t worry because usually, the equipment is included in the tour package. But I highly suggest that you bring or get your own mask and snorkel for the best fit and hygiene reasons.
2. Walk around your hotel area and visit beachfront restaurants
Before taking the boat back to Bali, you can chill and walk around area near your hotel to discover local’s life or chill at ocean view restaurants (there are so many in the north and north west of Nusa Penida).
A scene and a moment I will never forget happened during my walk around the coast line near Apit Lawang Villas & Resto.
I got so lucky that I met some local drillers having lunch at a simple and small local restaurant in front of the sea. The drillers happily introduced the local noodles and cig to me, but what made me emotional was how happy and satisfied they were with life and how they spread positive vibes to tourists, even though they could only afford the bare necessities, not like tourists.
The best thing was when some local high school kids arrived with a guitar. The drillers started playing the guitar and the students started singing local songs when I asked what their favorite Indonesian song was. That was pure happiness and the most touching moment of my trip!
Honestly, the local people I encountered in Nusa Penida were just amazing. I hope you will have great experiences there too!
3. Back to Bali from Nusa Penida
In order to explore more of Nusa Penida and to avoid the strong current back to Bali, I’d suggest you to book your fast ferry at 4:30 pm, which seems like the last boat of the day. I personally took the one at 12pm, and experienced crazy current that almost make me puke, so definitely don’t recommend noon time.
For fast boat tickets to Nusa Penida from Bali, I highly recommend that you book them HERE! It’s a great platform to find all kinds of transportation tickets. More importantly, they are safe, legit, cheap, and easy to use!
Hope you have a fabulous holiday!!! and please do share your experiences to me and let me know if you find more nice spots that i didn’t mention here!! xx
Samantha
Frequently asked questions about Nusa Penida and Bali
When is the best time to see manta rays in Nusa Penida?
According to locals, manta rays can be found in Nusa Penida throughout the year, and there’s an 80% chance of seeing them during your snorkeling trip at Manta Bay or Manta Point. However, since they are wild animals, it’s impossible to predict when they will show up. Seeing manta rays requires some luck, but I hope you get to experience it!
When is the best time to see mola mola fish in Nusa Penida?
Locals suggest that, if you want to see Mola Mola fishes, the best chances to see them is usually from July to October.
What to bring when traveling to Nusa Penida?
Bring your own snorkeling gear (it’s better), flip flops, trainers (sneakers), sunscreen, sunglasses, and sea sickness pills (if you easily get sea sick)
When is the best season traveling to Bali and Nusa Penida?
Most people will suggest that you visit Bali and Nusa Penida during the dry season (April to October) when the weather is good and many events are happening. However, that is also the time when loads of tourists flood in.
For me and some of my friends, we went in December, which is considered the rainy season, BUT it didn’t rain at all during the whole 10 days, and we were able to find seats at famous beach bars and restaurants in Bali without booking. We were also able to visit attractions without seeing spots that are packed with tons of tourists in Nusa Penida.
So, yes, you can also visit Bali and Nusa Penida during the off-season, but as you know, the weather is unpredictable.
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