Looking for a great day trip option from Bali? Look no further than the stunning and natural beauty that is Nusa Penida. Located less than 20 km from Bali’s coast, the island’s idyllic beaches, dramatic cliffs and turquoise waters, as well as its fantastic snorkelling and diving spots, make it a fantastic destination for those seeking an escape from the hustle of some of Bali’s busier tourist scenes. Although deserving of a multiple-day stay, many can only allot a day to this dreamy island, so we put together this guide to help you plan the perfect day trip to Nusa Penida from Bali.
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You might also be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Best Things to See and Do in Bali
Best Things to See and Do in the Gili Islands
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Bali
Nusa Penida Location & Map
Nusa Penida is the easternmost of the three Nusa islands, roughly 20 km off Bali’s coast.
About Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida is by far the largest of the three Nusa islands, and has a population of about 50,000 people scattered throughout the island. 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.
Nusa Penida used to be a true off-the-beaten-path destination, but it is no longer a great secret amongst travellers. Some of the more popular spots (most people tend to visit the same 4-5 main attractions) can get quite crowded at certain times of day. Despite that, we still think Nusa Penida is definitely worth a visit, as its rugged coastlines and beaches are stunningly beautiful.
Though this is slowly changing, Nusa Penida isn’t quite as developed as nearby Nusa Lembongan (and even less so than Bali) and doesn’t have the same level of built-up tourism infrastructure yet, which means visiting Penida does come with some transportation challenges for those wanting to explore on their own.
While this is slowly improving with more roads progressively getting paved, many roads are still in a poor state, and it is not recommended to self-drive on the island, even with a scooter. 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 private driver for more freedom and flexibility. Both are great options when visiting Nusa Penida as a day trip, and neither is prohibitively expensive — we’ll provide more details on both of them further below.
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.
As to which fast boat company to choose, we researched the various operators to determine which of those had the best reputation regarding safety, timely departures and customer service. The are several that are near the top, but we would give the edge to Maruti Fast Boats (who also have the best Google Reviews). Their boats also disembark passengers on a dock once in Nusa Penida, while many other companies disembark passengers by the beach, where they have to wade through shallow water to get to dry land.
They have three departures per day in each direction, each of which takes about 45 minutes to reach their destination.
Sanur port departures: 7:30 am, 9:30 am, 3:00 pm
Nusa Penida (Toyapakeh) departures: 7:30 am, 12:30 pm, 4:30 pm
So if you were to book the first departure from Sanur and the last return from Nusa Penida, that would give you almost 8 hours on the island, plenty of time to see lots of sights and explore the island.
We recommend booking your tickets in advance, 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:
Tips for a Smooth Fast Boat Trip to Nusa Penida
– Note that the waters of the Badung Strait between Bali and Nusa Penida can get quite choppy. If you’re prone to seasickness, you might want to consider taking motion sickness tablets beforehand.
– It’s best to book your fast boat tickets at least several days in advance, especially during peak season. Fast boats can fill up quickly, so booking online beforehand ensures that you get your preferred travel day and departure time.
How to Get Around Nusa Penida — Do It Yourself Option
As we mentioned earlier, the roads on Nusa Penida aren’t considered safe for those who are unfamiliar with them. It’s best to leave the driving and navigating to local experts who are professional hired drivers. If you hire a personal driver for the day, you are the boss and can specify all the things you want to see and do. Your driver may recommend a specific order to optimize the itinerary and minimize time spent driving, and/or may suggest some things to add, and/or may suggest some things to drop if your ideal itinerary isn’t feasible within the booked time frame.
It’s important to keep in mind that although the island isn’t very large, the road conditions make for slow-going drives. For instance, going from Toyapakeh (Nusa’s main fast boat pier) to Kelingking Beach (T-Rex beach) requires about a 45-minute drive, even though only 15 km separate the two. When visiting Nusa Penida as a day trip from Bali, especially if you want to spend some time relaxing on a beach or doing some snorkelling, it’s best to focus on sites and attractions located within West Penida. For example, Diamond Beach, a popular beach in East Nusa Penida, is about a 1h30 drive (each way) from Toyapakeh. That’s not to say that it isn’t possible to visit some Nusa Penida East and West locations, but you might spend more time in a vehicle than visiting sites.
You can book your driver here with GetYourGuide:
Getting to, Snorkelling and Sightseeing in 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 Lembongan 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:
Most snorkel tours will provide speedboat transport to reach the various snorkel spots, in addition to all necessary snorkel gear (snorkel, mask and fins).
Best Nusa Penida Activities and Attractions
West Penida
Nusa Penida has a lot more to offer than just snorkelling, with its beautiful, rugged coastlines and stunning beaches. It has too many attractions to visit within a single day trip. These are some of the more popular and scenic spots in West Penida:
Angel’s Billabong
Here, a stunning natural infinity pool hangs out over the ocean and is bordered by limestone cliffs that get pummeled by powerful, towering waves. (Note that it’s not safe to go into the infinity pool, particularly during high tide when strong waves can smash against you before pulling you out back to sea.)
Broken Beach
Broken Beach 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 and Angel’s Billabong are both 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. Both sites share the same car park, as you can walk between Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong in about 5-10 minutes.
Kelingking Beach
The cliffs above Kelingking Beach 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.
East Penida
Popular spots in East Nusa Penida include the Nusa Penida Treehouse (link to Google Maps) and Diamond Beach (link to Google Maps), and the Goa Giri Putri cave temple (link to Google Maps). Diamond Beach is a stunning beach surrounded by jagged rocks with crystal blue waters. Getting to the beach requires a 20-minute hike down narrow stairs. The Nusa Penida Treehouse is a popular Instagram photoshoot spot to get a stunning background that includes Diamond Beach as seen from above. Goa Giri Putri is a popular destination among Balinese to complete a purification ritual with priests at each of the five temples in the cave.
Snorkeling Spots
Gamat Bay and Crystal Bay
Cystal Bay is probably the most popular and safest place to snorkel on the island. This is definitely the best place to go if you are not an experienced snorkeler. The water there 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.
Gamat Bay is another beautiful sheltered bay that can be accessed by the beach. However, there aren’t (as of 2025) any facilities here where you can rent equipment, so you’ll have to have to bring your own. You will also find far fewer other snorkelers approaching from the beach, but you are likely to see several dozen coming from tour boats further out in the bay. Parking is still free as of 2025.
Manta Bay, Manta Point
These spots are more difficult to reach on your own, and there are no beaches nearby. To (hopefully) see and swim with Manta Rays, your best bet is to join a snorkelling tour that visits these spots that are known to be regularly visited by manta rays.
It’s important to know that specific weather and ocean conditions may affect the tour’s ability to take you to Manta Point, as strong ocean swells might make it unsafe to swim & snorkel there.
If you do make it to Manta Point, know that the waves and currents can still be quite strong, so don’t feel obliged to dive in the water if you are not a confident swimmer (or wear a life jacket). Most tours will continue towards easier spots for snorkelling, such as Gamat Bay and Crystal Bay.
Also, Manta Ray sightings aren’t guaranteed, but regardless of whether you see any or not, you’ll enjoy a fun boat ride with some beautiful scenery along the way.
Best Time to Visit Nusa Penida
Time of Year
The best time to visit Nusa Penida 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.
Time of Day
Most snorkelling tours will aim to hit all the snorkelling spots in the morning to enjoy calmer waters, and then later hit the sightseeing spots in the afternoon. We would suggest that you do the same if you want to build your own itinerary.
Planning a Trip to Bali?
You might be interested in these pages: (coming soon)
Best Things to See and Do in Bali
Best Things to See and Do in the Gili Islands
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Bali
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Bali: The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide
Lonely Planet Bali, Lombok & Nusa Tenggara
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
SafetyWing is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travellers. Includes Medical Insurance and Travel Insurance. Primarily geared towards long-term travellers, digital nomads, and expats.
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 guide on Perfect Day Trip to Nusa Penida from Bali and that it will prove useful for planning your trip.
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