A short boat ride from Bali lies three small but stunningly beautiful islands. Collectively known as the Nusa islands, the two most popular among visitors are Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. While there are many fun things to do on each island, one of their main draws is their collection of spectacular beaches. To help you plan your visit and get the most out of your time on these islands, we put together this travel guide on the Best Beaches in Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida.
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Planning a Trip to Bali?
You might be interested in these pages:
Best Things to See and Do in Ubud
Best Things to See and Do in Gili T
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Best Things to See and Do in East Bali
We also highly recommend these travel guidebooks:
Lonely Planet Bali, Lombok & Nusa Tenggara
Bali: The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide
Rough Guides: Bali and Lombok
Nusa Islands: Location & Map
The Nusa Islands are a series of three islands (Lembongan, Ceningan, and Pineda), located just off the southeast coast of Bali. Depending on your port of departure from Bali, and which island you want to visit, fast boats can get you to your destination in 30-45 minutes.
About the Nusa Islands
The Nusa Islands are officially part of Bali. Nusa Lembongan is the westernmost of the three Nusa islands, just 12 km from Bali island, and is just over twice the size of the middle island, Nusa Ceningan. Nusa Penida, the easternmost island of the trio, is by far the largest and the most populated (it has a population of about 50,000 people scattered throughout the island). In contrast, Nusa Lembongan only has a population of about 5,000 people.
Nusa Penida is quite hilly, much more so than the other Nusa islands, with a maximum altitude of 524 metres, and the climate is typically drier than that of Bali. Nusa Penida is a particularly popular destination for divers and snorkelers.
Although less populated than Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan is the most developed of the islands and has the most accommodation options (though Nusa Penida is slowly catching up), the best roads, and the best tourist infrastructure.
While Nusa Lembongan is relatively easy to explore on your own by renting a scooter, it is not recommended to self-drive on Nusa Penida. Several roads are notorious for being pothole-filled, with uneven surfaces (dirt and gravel roads), along with various hidden hazards such as narrow and winding roads with nearby cliffs and a lack of guardrails. The best and easiest ways to visit Nusa Penida are to either join an organized tour or hire a local private driver for more freedom and flexibility (you can read more about these options further below)
To learn more about what the best things to do and see are when visiting these islands, be sure to check out our travel guides: Best Things to See and Do on Nusa Lembongan and The Perfect Day Trip to Nusa Penida from Bali.
About the Nusa Islands Beaches
Both islands have beautiful beaches. Nusa Lembongan’s are generally easier to get to, and it’s also where you’ll find the longest continuous stretch of sandy beach. The beaches of Nusa Penida tend to be more spectacular due to the dramatic cliffs that surround them.
For swimming, though neither is ideal, your best bet is Nusa Lembongan. Apart from a few secluded coves, the waters around Nusa Penida’s beaches are notoriously dangerous to swim in due to the strong waves and sneaky rip currents. The waters around Nusa Lembongan are generally calmer, particularly along the Bali-facing coasts, but they aren’t always the best swimming locations either due to the presence of sharp corals or small-boat traffic.
Best Nusa Lembongan Beaches
Jungutbatu Beach
Jungutbatu Beach is the longest beach on the island (link to Google Maps). When you are standing at the southern tip of the beach, near the harbour, you can’t really make out its northern end, which lies nearly 2 km away. The beach is large enough that you’ll rarely feel crowded, as you can see in the pictures below, which were taken mid-September.
Jungutbatu isn’t the best beach for swimming, as there is a lot of coral making it difficult to walk out into the water, especially at low tide. The south side of the beach is also where many of the ferries and fast boats come in and out. However, it’s a great place to relax and enjoy the views, and it’s also where you’ll find the majority of oceanfront cafes, bars, and hotels.
Jungutbatu is also home to Lembongan’s 4 surf breaks (Playgrounds, Lacerations, Razors & Shipwrecks), which are located about 100 m from the shore. Jungutbatu is also a great place for SUP boarding as the waters along the beach are fairly calm compared to those on the southwestern side of the island.
Dream Beach
One of the most scenic and secluded beaches on Nusa Lembongan is Dream Beach (link to Google Maps), tucked away along the island’s southwest tip. It’s not a particularly large beach, but we never saw it get too busy. It has beautiful soft sand, and the views are hard to beat. There’s also a nice café and restaurant by the beach, each offering fantastic views of the beach.
Unfortunately, it’s not ideal for swimming due to large waves and strong rip currents. Also, like all the beaches around the island, there generally aren’t any lifeguard services around, so you would be swimming at your own risk.
The beach is a short 5-minute walk from one of the island’s main attractions, Devil’s Tears.
Mushroom Bay Beach
Mushroom Bay Beach (link to Google Maps) is another scenic, secluded beach, but a much busier one than Dream Beach. For starters, the small harbour on the western end of the beach also serves as the drop-off point for some ferries from Bali (even though most drop off at Jungutbatu). Also, since there are several resorts around the beach, this is likely where you’ll see the most people on a Nusa Lembongan beach (but even then, it’s not that many).
Although there are typically several boats anchored along the western end of the beach, it’s still one of the best beaches for swimming due to the calm waters, particularly along the eastern end of the beach, where there is a reserved area for swimming. The beach is also another great spot for paddleboarding.
The cliff face at the eastern end of the beach is actually very narrow, about 10-15 feet wide. Beyond it is another small beach known as Hidden Beach or Secret Beach.
Sandy Bay Beach
A short walk north of Dream Beach is Sandy Bay Beach (link to Google Maps), a scenic beach and cove that is often empty due to the large waves that crash into it and the fact that it is generally only accessible during low tide.
Best Nusa Penida Beaches
Kelingking Beach
The cliffs above Kelingking Beach (link to Google Maps) provide visitors with one of the most spectacular overhead views of any beach in Bali. It’s renowned for its unique, iconic, T-Rex-shaped cliff formation that overlooks the turquoise waters.
The beach itself is accessed by a challenging but rewarding hike down about 400 steps, which typically takes most people about 25-35 minutes to descend, and significantly longer to come back up. If you are visiting as part of a group tour, you probably won’t have enough time to get down and back up from the beach.
Again, swimming is not recommended here due to the strong rip currents.
To visit Kelingking Beach, guests must pay an entry fee of 10,000 IDR per person (2025), which roughly corresponds to 0.75 US$/€. There is also a parking charge for scooters (2,000 IDR) and vehicles (5,000 IDR); these fees are generally covered if you are visiting as part of a group tour.
Broken Beach
Broken Beach (link to Google Maps) gets its name from its distinctive arch that was formed by the collapse of limestone cliffs over time. The natural archway allows seawater to flow towards the coast, creating a stunning circular cove. Again, swimming is definitely not recommended here due to the strength with which the waves come crashing in. Also, it’s impossible to get down to the beach below by land.
However, there is a nice circular trail that goes around the cove and allows you to walk over the natural cliff arch.
Broken Beach is free to visit, but parking fees are required for scooters and vehicles (5,000 IDR and 10,000 IDR). These fees are generally included in what you already paid if visiting with a tour or with a private driver.
Crystal Bay Beach
Though not the most scenic beach on this list, Crystal Bay Beach (link to Google Maps) is hands down the best place to both swim and snorkel amongst fantastic marine wildlife. The water here is quite calm as the bay is sheltered, and there’s generally very little current. The Crystal Bay beach is lively and lined with warungs and stalls, many of which rent out snorkelling equipment. Much like all snorkelling spots around the island, the water will be at its calmest in the early morning. There’s a small fee to park in the car park.
Bonus: Best Nusa Cenigan Beach
The beach (Secret Point Beach) at Mahana Point (link to Google Maps) isn’t as scenic or beautiful as the other beaches on this list. However, it does a few things going for it. It is a popular spot for both cliff jumpers and surfers. Even if you aren’t into either, it’s fun to watch the adrenaline seekers and surfers do their thing.
A short 5-minute walk from Mahana Point is the Blue Lagoon. Note that you can’t swim here; the waves are simply way too violent as they crash into the rocks below.
How to Travel Between the Nusa Islands
Between Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan
Crossing from one island to the other is relatively easy thanks to the Yellow Bridge, which connects the Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. Do take care when crossing, whether on scooter or on foot (large vehicles aren’t allowed), as the bridge is quite narrow and you’ll cross both pedestrians and scooters going in the opposite direction.
Once across the bridge, if not on a scooter, you can either continue on foot (about a 30-minute walk) or take a taxi (there are usually several waiting on the other side) towards Nusa Ceningan’s Mahana Point.
Between Nusa Lembongan/Nusa Cening and Nusa Penida
You can easily reach Nusa Penida via a short 10-15 minute boat ride that departs from the Yellow Bridge (on the Nusa Lembongan side). There are several operators that run boats, but if you want to book a transit in advance, you can do so here. This company offers at least three departures per day in each direction.
For travel on Nusa Penida, it’s best to hire a private driver, as the roads aren’t considered safe for tourists unfamiliar with the roads, many of which are notoriously in bad condition. You can book a private driver here, with whom you can decide on a specific itinerary together:
Alternatively, you can visit Nusa Penida with this tour that departs from Nusa Lembongan and will handle all of the travel logistics and decisions for you:
How to get to Nusa Lembongan
Getting to Lembongan — Do It Yourself Option
The best way to get to Nusa Lembongan from Bali is to get a ride on one of several fast boats to Nusa Lembongan, which are offered by several different private companies (including Rocky Fast Cruises, Scoot Fast Cruises, Tanis Fast Cruise, Arthamas Express and D’Stars Fast Ferry). While public ferries are slightly cheaper, the journey from Bali to Nusa Lembongan is nearly three times as long and significantly less comfortable, as these boats tend to get overcrowded.
The quickest routes depart from the Sanur port, along Bali’s southeast coast. As to which fast boat company to choose, we did a lot of research to determine which of those had the best reputation regarding safety, timely departures and customer service. The hands-down winner in our view was Rocky Fast Cruises, which can also provide hotel pickup in Bali and hotel drop-off on Nusa Lembongan. We provide further details on the transport process and why we prefer to use Rocky Fast Cruises in our Nusa Lembongan Travel Guide.
Getting to Lembongan — Organized Tour Option
If you are only planning to visit Nusa Lembongan as a day trip from the Bali main island, the simplest way to go about it might be to join an organized tour, as this lets someone else handle all of the transport logistics allowing you to maximize your time on the island while hitting all of the highlights.
Organized tours to Nusa Lembongan also generally offer pickup and drop-off from hotels in select Bali locations, generally including most of southern Bali and Ubud.
This particular tour hits most of the main highlights we describe further below in our guide:
This guided tour is similar to the one above, but while it hits fewer spots, it allows for more time in each of those it visits:
Finally, this organized tour allows you to visit both Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida within a single day trip:
How to get to Nusa Penida
Getting to Nusa Penida – Do It Yourself Option
The best way to get to Nusa Penida from Bali is to hop on one of several fast boats that connect both islands, which are offered by several different private companies (including Angel Billabong, Arjuna Fast Boat, El Rey Fast Cruise, Tanis Fast Cruise, Maruti Fast Boat). While public ferries are slightly cheaper, the journey from Bali to Nusa Penida is significantly longer and less comfortable, as these boats tend to get overcrowded.
Though the quickest routes depart from Kusamba and Padang Bai, we recommend departures from Sanur along Bali’s southeast coast. This is because there is a brand new fast boat terminal in Sanur, which makes it easier to board the fast boats without having to get into the water yourself. The main ports of Nusa Penida are Banjar Nyuh, Buyuk, and Sampalan, with Banjar Nyuh being the main port of arrival in Toyapakeh, near the northwestern tip of the island. We provide further details on the transport process and the various operator options in our Nusa Penida Travel Guide.
We recommend booking your tickets in advance with Maruti Fast Boats, as they are generally cheaper online than in person at the ticket office. Also, this way you guarantee your preferred departure and return times. You can prebook your fast boat tickets here:
As we mentioned earlier, for travel on Nusa Penida, it’s best to hire a private driver, as the roads aren’t considered safe for tourists unfamiliar with the roads, many of which are notoriously in bad condition. You can book a private driver here, with whom you can decide on a specific itinerary together:
Getting to Nusa Penida – Group Tour Option
If you are only planning to visit Nusa Penida as a day trip from Bali, the simplest way to go about it might be to join an organized tour, as this lets someone else handle all of the transport logistics, allowing you to maximize your time on the island while hitting all of the highlights.
Organized tours to Nusa Penida also generally offer pickup and drop-off from hotels in select Bali locations, generally including most of southern Bali and Ubud. There are also several great tours to choose from, so we put together this list of the best ones:
1) This organized tour combines the best of Penida West attractions with some snorkelling adventures, including a stop at Manta Point to (hopefully) see some Manta Rays. For this tour, however, you have to make it to Nusa Penida yourself:
2) This tour is quite similar to the previous one, except this one includes transport and pick up from Bali:
3) This tour also leaves from Bali, but primarily focuses on snorkelling activities in both Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida:
4) Finally, this tour is ideal for those who aren’t keen to spend so much time in the water and want to focus on the site and attractions on land. This tour will hit the main attractions in both East and West Nusa Penida:
Best Time to Visit the Nusa Islands
The best time to visit the Nusa Islands is during the dry season, which typically runs from late April to mid-October. This period offers the most favorable weather with less rain and lower humidity. During the dry season, the seas are also generally calmer, which is ideal for those wanting to snorkel, dive, or surf.
Consider off-peak months like May-June or September-October for a more personal experience with fewer crowds.
Planning a Trip to Bali?
You might be interested in these pages:
Best Things to See and Do in Ubud
Best Things to See and Do in Gili T
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Best Things to See and Do in East Bali
We also highly recommend these travel guidebooks:
Lonely Planet Bali, Lombok & Nusa Tenggara
Bali: The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide
Rough Guides: Bali and Lombok
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
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e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Bali travel guide on Best Beaches in Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida and that it will prove useful for planning your trip.
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