Nusa Penida is a stunning Bali island known for its dramatic coastal cliffs, crystal-clear waters, and rich marine life. It is a paradise for adventure seekers and nature lovers.
Low-cost: Nyuh Kadah Guest House (2 nights) – it´s a very simple accommodation, a kind of bungalow with a double bed and a bathroom. I recommend it mainly for its location (close to the Port and to Cristal Bay) and because of the owners, who are really friendly and helpful people. It costs €17 per night in high season, and €10 in the low one.
Nusa Penida is a stunning Bali island known for its dramatic coastal cliffs, crystal-clear waters, and rich marine life. It is a paradise for adventure seekers and nature lovers.
Low-cost: Nyuh Kadah Guest House (2 nights) – it´s a very simple accommodation, a kind of bungalow with a double bed and a bathroom. I recommend it mainly for its location (close to the Port and to Cristal Bay) and because of the owners, who are really friendly and helpful people. It costs €17 per night in high season, and €10 in the low one.
You can only get to Nusa by boat. I came from Ubud, so I bought a package that included transportation from Ubud to Sanur (where is Bali Port) and a boat from Sanur to Nusa. The package cost 250,000 rupees per person (€15) and the whole trip took about 3 and a half hours. In the center of Ubud, you will find several stalls selling these packages, tours, and so on. Some are more expensive than others, so you can buy it when you find a similarly priced package. The boat trip was very peaceful, especially because if you buy a drink, you´re allowed to go to the top of the boat. So that´s what I did! During the whole trip, I was literally enjoying both views and sunbathing. When you arrive at the port of Nusa, you have to pay a tourist tax of 25,000 rupees (€1.50).As soon as you leave the port, you will be approached by dozens of drivers asking you where you are going and if you need a taxi. There are no certified drivers, so each local can do it and take you in their own car. This is how most Nusa residents earn their money. That's why they always ask for higher prices. They asked me for 200,000 rupiah to take us to the hotel and I ended up paying 120,000 rupees (€7.20) to Kada, a very nice gentleman, with whom I ended up taking several trips at affordable prices. Contact him if you want: +62 821 4643 2810. During this trip to the hotel, I realized two things: there is no Grab or Gojek and the roads are extremely dangerous. I had already been warned by several people I met along the way, that told me that were several serious accidents in Nusa, especially involving tourists who didn´t had much experience riding motorbikes. In addition, during the boat trip and at the Nusa´s Port entrance, there were several locals warning everyone to be careful and to not drive if they had no experience. Because of all this, and also because I realized that everything in Nusa requires long trips because everything is so far away, I decided not to risk renting a motorbike and we ended up always contacting Kada or going with people we met, who actually had experience driving.
After checking out, head to the Banjar Nyuh Beach port to catch the boat to Nusa Lembongan (the same port you arrived at). You can’t buy tickets in advance, so just go to the ticket office, buy your tickets (100,000 rupees – €6 round trip) and catch the next boat. The first boat leaves at 10am and the journey takes about 15 minutes. If the sea is calm, it will be a very peaceful journey.
As you approach the port, you can see the Yellow Bridge, which separates Nusa Lembongan from Nusa Ceningan.
Low-cost: D´Camel Hostel Lembongan (2 nights) - I didn't stay there, but it was recommended to me by a friend who stayed there and loved it. It's quite central, at the main shopping street and right in front of Jungut Batu Beach. It's not a wonderful place to stay, but the combination of the low price (€12 per night) with the location and the services it offers makes it worth it;
Quality-price: Pondok Jenggala (2 nights) - in the same area (Jungut Batu Beach), but with better quality. These are spacious bungalows, with a very nice pool and literally in front of the beach. It costs €26 per night or €29 with breakfast included.
There are several options for renting motorbikes and there´s also a kind of shuttle to transport tourists with luggage. In addition, there are always locals willing to take you for a much lower price. Don't be shy about accepting and negotiating. As soon as they tell you the first price and you say you don't want it, they'll ask you how much you want to pay.
Any option is fine, choose the one that is most comfortable for you. From then on, if you stay in the area I recommended, you are super central and you can walk to the beach, shops and supermarkets. If you want to go to more distant beaches and Nusa Ceningan, you can use the same method as when arriving from the port.
Since this is the day of arrival and the trip from Ubud to Nusa (or wherever you are coming from) is until early afternoon, I recommend that you go to a beach near your accommodation:
1. Cristal Bay: about 8 minutes by car or 40 minutes on foot from the accommodation that I suggested you (if you prefer to walk, have in mind that in the coming way, it is a little bit painfully steep). It's a great place to relax and to have a drink at the end of the day in one of the bars while watching the sunset.
Note: Nusa Penida, compared to all the other places in Bali, is very dirty; here the rubbish is everywhere in absurd quantities, to the point of being quite shocking.
This is the only thing that makes this beach not perfect;
2. Griyatama Warung: a wonderful and super cheap local restaurant, right next to the accommodation I suggested; you can't miss out on trying Nasigoreng or Miegoreng, which are delicious, very well served and every dish costs around 35,000 rupees (€2.10).
As I mentioned before, to visit all the attractions in Nusa Penida, you need to travel a long way. The attractions are divided into:
East: Rumah Pohon Tree House, Diamond Beach and Atuh Beach;
West: Angels Billabong, Broken Beach/Broken Bay and Kelingking Beach.
Since I wasn't a big fan of this island, due to its insecurity, dirt, long distances, roads full of potholes and in poor conditions, difficult accesses, not to mention that practically everything is designed (and charged) to be a photo spot, I recommend that you only stay there 2 days.
I ended up staying 3 days, only because the last day was the "Silent Day" at the Island, which means, there were no boats entering or leaving. I would have definitely preferred to have spent that last extra day in Nusa Lembongan.
Since the first day is only for visiting Cristal Bay, take advantage of a 1-day driver (they operate for a fixed daily price of 8 hours) to visit all the attractions in Nusa Penida. In the morning, you can visit the East part and in the afternoon the West part.
Have in mind that if you divide this route into 2 days, you will have to pay the double. There are drivers asking exorbitant prices for this tour. Inicially, they asked me for 1,400,000 rupees (84€)... be careful of scams and always negotiate. With Kada, I ended up paying 800,000 rupees (47.51€).
1. Rumah Pohon Tree House: a tree house with panoramic views of the ocean and islands (on a distant horizon). To enter this area, which also includes the Pulau Seribu viewpoint, you have to pay 25,000 rupees (€1.50). After a careless walk, with steep stairs on half-abandoned cliffs, you arrive at the Tree House and realize that it is literally a photo spot. To actually climb the stairs to the house or take a photo up there, you have to pay another 75,000 rupees (€4.50).
Luckily, I went early in the morning and when I arrived, not only there was no queue but also the guy at the ticket office was on call, so I was able to get up there pretty quickly. It is open from 6am to 6pm. If you don't want to take a photo here, it really isn't worth coming to this spot. The route is too long and exhausting for the views you can get from other places that aren't even paid for;
2. Diamond Beach: not even a 5-minute drive from the Tree House. To enter the car park and then at the beach grounds, you have to pay 35,000 rupees (€2.10). From the top, you can enjoy an incredible view of the beach. The turquoise blue of the sea, the coconut trees and the cliffs are an incredible combination that makes this beach absolutely heavenly. To get to the beach, there are hundreds of steps, once again very steep, and full of tourists stopping to take photos. To get to this empty spot, you have to go very early. I highly recommend that you go down, but make sure it is low tide, otherwise the sand is very short and it is very difficult to get into the sea. The sea is quite strong, so if the locals advise you to not enter, do not ignore them. There are some very sad stories about this place, due to the sheer stubbornness of the tourists. Before reaching the beach, there is a swing suspended from the coconut trees, which, when pushed by one of the locals, quickly takes you up to the sea and the cliffs. The swing is paid (300,000 rupees – €18), as all the other activities at the top of the beach are, but this one is well worth it. The walk takes about 10 minutes and the height at which you reach it is quite challenging and provides a privileged view of that magical scenery;
Climbing all the stairs from Diamond Beach to the top again is a process, but as soon as you continue along the cliffs towards Atuh Beach, you realize that the real challenge has just arrived;
3. Atuh Beach: There is no entrance fee, as it is included in the Diamond entrance fee, but the path to the beach is quite difficult. However, as you get closer, you will realise that it is worth every second. It is perfect for sunbathing, taking a leisurely dip and enjoying its natural beauty.
Almost in an hour drive, you reach the west part of the island;
4. Angels Billabong: to get into the parking zone you have to pay 10,000 rupees (€0.59). After a short walk between shops, you will reach the top of the cliff and be able to see the waves crashing against the rocks, which form a stunning natural pool; the esmerald water allows you to see the corals at the bottom of this pool, which makes this landscape unforgettable. Depending on the occasion and the state of the sea, it is or it is not possible to dive and swim in this dreamlike setting. But be careful, do not do so if there is no safety. Unfortunately, there were many accidents (even fatal ones) in this location, especially involving tourists;
5. Broken Bay/Broken Beach: less than 5 minutes walking from Angels Billabong, you will arrive at Broken Bay, a unique bay that looks like a huge swimming pool surrounded by strong rocks, where the turquoise blue of the water is inexplicable. There is a bridge made of rocks that allows you to dive into this turquoise blue water, but you should only do it if the sea is calm and safe. Don't risk your life just to get the perfect photo;
6. KelingKing Beach: I had high expectations for this beach, but they quickly faded. As soon as I arrived at the parking (for which I paid 10,000 rupees – €0.59) and started walking to the beach, I was immediately disappointed by the amount of rubbish, the state of the roads and the general neglect of what is the most emblematic point of Nusa and one of the best known in Bali.
I went there at the end of the day, and there was practically no one, which made the experience a little more special. As soon as I reached the top of the staircase that offers a privileged view for the famous dinosaur-shaped rock, I was breathless by the amazing natural beauty. The path to the beach is difficult and long, so I recommend that you make sure that it is low tide and the sea is calm, so that you can enjoy the beach. If you just want to take a typical photo, go at the end of the day, as you will have a better chance of seeing fewer people and you will also be rewarded with an unique sunset.
Make sure to visit this beach until the summer of 2025, as a lift is currently being built from the top of the cliffs to the beach, which in my opinion will not only ruin the natural beauty of this place, but it will also draw even more crowds.
Note: keep in mind that none of these places accept card, so carry enough cash to cover the fees of these places.
After checking in, take the day off to relax. Stroll through the center of Jungut Batu and go to my favorite beach:
1. Jungut Batu beach. It is huge, the water is super clear and the sand is white. There are several snorkeling options on this beach, but I recommend that you do it at Gili Islands (if you go there). Also drink a coconut water and eat something at one of the beach bars/beach clubs: La Bianca or Ohana´s.
1. Bali Eco Deli: a great café for breakfast. They are currently undergoing renovations, but they will reopen in early January;
2. Go to Nusa Ceningan: go back to the Yellow Bridge and cross it to Nusa Ceningan. There are several beautiful cafés, bars and restaurants, with direct access to the crystal clear water. It is a truly paradisiacal setting and in almost all spots, you just need to eat something to enjoy the space in its entirety (from hammocks to swings and even the pool). Check the tide, as it is much more worthwhile at high tide;
I recommend:
Sea Breeze - without a doubt the one I liked the most. The bowl is delicious, the view is incredible, the staff is very friendly and the prices are super cheap;
Le Pirate - the most beautiful of them all, but also the least affordable. You can use the space if you eat, with the exception of the pool;
The Sand - the most well-known on social media. I didn't go in just because the others seemed more interesting, but it's also very nice from what I saw from the outside;
Take advantage of these spaces to relax a little bit and sunbathe all morning. The atmosphere is very young and relaxed, it's great for meeting people and sharing experiences.
Back to Nusa Lembongan, it´s time to visit Mushroom beach and Dream beach. They are very close to each other, so if you want to save time, go to both of them on the same day.
3. Mushroom beach: with fine white sand, the sea is usually very calm, it's perfect for swimming. The rock formations that make it up form a mushroom along the coast, which is why the beach gets its name;
4. Dream beach: a small bay surrounded by cliffs on both sides, with several bars and hotels lining the beach. It's probably the most touristy beach in Lembongan, so be prepared for crowds. After enjoying the beach, take the opportunity to have a beer (did I mention Bintang? It's great!) and even eat something at Dream Beach Bar.
