Nusa Penida is a stunning and rustic island off the east coast of Bali known for its pristine white sand beaches, dramatic rocky cliffs, and lush green interior. It is also known for its excellent snorkeling and diving, especially for anyone who wants to meet the region's majestic manta rays.
Many people consider it to reflect what Bali was like before it became a major tourist hotspot. That said, many travelers to Bali will head to Nusa Penida on an organized day trip to explore its most popular beaches and get a shot of the famous Kelingking Beach with its T-Rex-shaped cliff surrounded by turquoise waters.
I actually stayed in Nusa Lembongan and took a day trip to Nusa Penida. This is another option if you like to enjoy a slower pace of life for a few days and makes for a great alternative to Bali.
Read on to find your ideal Nusa Penida day trip to discover the best of the island in just one day. Most Nusa Penida tours from Bali leave from Sanur Harbor, but many tour companies will also pick you up from your Bali hotel.
Nusa Penida Day Trip Options
1. West Nusa Penida Island Day Trip
The most popular Nusa Penida day trip from Bali takes you to the West Coast of the island since this is where you will find most of Nusa Penida's best beaches. After taking a speed boat from Sanur Port in Bali to Nusa Penida Harbor, you can expect your Nusa Penida tour guides to take you from Toyak Pakeh Harbor to Broken Beach, which is probably the island's second most famous beach.
Broken Beach Nusa Penida is a picture spot rather than a swimming spot. The cove is closed in by a rock bridge, which the water has punched several large holes to create giant archways. It kind of looks like a huge natural railway bridge. You can walk all around the cliffs to see the rock formation from different angles and look out over the ocean.
When I visited it was definitely crowded, but once you start walking around, the crowds die off as most people stay around the first picture spot.
From Broken Beach, your guide will take you to nearby Angel's Billabong. This is a natural infinity pool that looks out over the beach below.
I didn't see anyone swim in the billabong as the waves were crashing in. Apparently, at low tide, you can swim here though, the question is if you really want to, because there were hundreds of people standing watching and taking photos. I'd say you only would if you came early morning and timed it right with the low tide.
Next on your Nusa Penida trip, you'll head south to Kelingking Beach. The famous Kelingking Beach is also known as T-Rex Beach because it has a large rock formation that looks like a dinosaur roaring into the water. Kelingking Beach is another spot on Nusa Penida that is better for hiking and stunning photos rather than swimming.
For swimming, your guide might take you to Pandan Beach or Puyung Beach, which are nice sandy beaches that can be reached via a short hike. There is also Lumangan Beach, a secluded beach that is also known for cave formations that you can explore at low tide.
If you have a trip that leaves early, you might also have time to visit Tembeling Beach and Forest. The beach is another one encircled by cliffs, but you can take a short motorcycle ride through the forest to an incredible natural pool.
Without a doubt, your West Nusa Penida Tour will end at Crystal Bay Beach, as this is the best place to spend the afternoon or watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean and behind Bali. This is also a great place to swim, and there are lots of little beach hut restaurants.
Crystal Bay Nusa Penida is a shorter drive from the harbor for the return boat trip. Read my ultimate guide to Crystal Bay here.
Book your Nusa Penida West Coast Tour:
Read our complete guide to the best things to do in Nusa Penida here.
2. Nusa Penida Island East Coast Day Trip
If you are visiting Nusa Penida for a second time and you want to discover something new, then book a Nusa Penida Day tour of the East Coast.
When you arrive at the harbor, instead of heading southward, you'll head down the East Coast and your driver will take you on a relatively long drive southwest to Diamond Beach.
Upon arrival at Diamond Beach, you will head to Thousand Islands Viewpoint and look out over the tiny rocks that look like a smattering of islands in the water. You then have to descend a steep staircase to get to the white sandy beach below. But it is well worth it for the turquoise waters and the tiny rocks that shimmer like diamonds in the sun.
You can read my complete guide to visiting Diamond Beach here.
Your next stop will likely be to visit Atuh Beach, which is the East Coast's answer to Crystal Bay with calm waters for swimming and lots of bars and restaurants. There are also lots of cliffs around Atuh Beach for hiking.
Not far from Atuh Beach is Rumah Pohon Tree House, which is a small but extremely high treehouse emerging out of the jungle and looking out over the ocean. It's become an Instagram photo spot in recent years.
From here, it is not far to Teletubbies Hill, which are incredible green mounds that look like they are from the TV program.
The very best East Coast tours might also take in Goa Giri Putri temple, which is a fascinating working Hindu temple. You are allowed to enter as long as you cover your knees and shoulders.
Book your Nusa Penida East Coast Tour:
Combine West and East of Penida and go to the most famous Instagram spots with this tour: One Day Private Tour East & West Nusa Penida
3. Nusa Penida Snorkeling Day Trip
If you love the ocean as much as I do and are fascinated by the world underwater, the waters around Nusa Penida are excellent for snorkeling with colorful coral and fish, plus majestic manta rays swimming close to the shore.
Several snorkeling day trips leave from Bali, and you will travel around the coast by fast boat stopping at the best snorkeling spots.
The highlight of the trip is always Manta Point, where the famous manta rays that call the island's waters home are most likely to be. Exactly when this will occur in your trip depends on the day and the movement of the mantas.
You can also expect to stop and explore the waters near Broken Beach and Kelingking Beach, and if the tide is low you may be able to go on land to take a dip in Angel's Billabong.
A lot of snorkeling also happens at Gamat Bay in the North of the island, and from here you will also check out the waters around the smaller neighboring islands of Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan as some snorkeling tours combine various spots in both Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan.
This is a great opportunity to see the other Nusa islands from the water as well.
All snorkeling gear is included and you'll have an experienced instructor with you to help you and keep you safe.
Book your Nusa Penida Snorkeling Tour:
4. Scuba Diving in Nusa Penida Island
For experienced scuba divers, Nusa Penida also has an exciting underwater world to discover.
You can book a private tour from Bali to Nusa Penida that will take you to the best diving spots for ocean sunfish, and to Manta Point to see the famous manta rays.
Most will require a minimum of an open-water diver certificate, but all necessary scuba gear is provided as well as fast boat transport to the best diving spots.
Book your Nusa Penida Diving Tour:
5. Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan Island Tour
Nusa Penida is part of a trio of closely linked islands, that also include Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. Many people, including me, think that the two smaller islands are more beautiful and interesting than Nusa Penida.
My day trip to Nusa Penida was nice to see all the spots but to me, lots of time was spent in the car driving to the spots as the island is pretty big and the roads are pretty bad. If I were to visit Nusa Penida again, I would find accommodation on Penida island and stay instead of a day tour.
You can find out more about the trio of islands here.
You can book a multi-island trip from Bali that will take you along Nusa Penida's North Coast via fast boat, but then cross over to the small islands.
You can expect to take in the spectacular views from Panorama Point Nusa Penida before crossing over the famous Yellow Bridge that connects it with Nusa Lembongan. Expect to visit Dream Beach for swimming and the Devil's Tear for spectacular views.
You will cross further over to Nusa Ceningan where you can enjoy several virtually deserted beaches and the iconic Blue Lagoon.
Book your multi-island day tour:
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The Best Nusa Penida Day Trips – Frequently Asked Questions
⭐ Is Nusa Penida worth visiting?
If you are staying in Bali, Nusa Penida is worth visiting as Bali's more rustic neighbor. A coastline of stunning beaches surrounds a green interior. It is great for swimming and hiking as well as snorkeling and diving. While many say it's less overrun by tourists than popular Bali, I found that the famous spots like Broken Beach and Kelingking Beach had a lot of traffic and tourists queueing up to take pictures.
📅 Can you see Nusa Penida in one day?
You can't explore Nusa Penida fully in just one day and will have to choose between exploring the East or the West Coast on a Nusa Penida day tour. But if you have the time to stay overnight, you can see all of Nusa Penida's highlights plus enjoy both the West Coast sunset and East Coast sunrise.
If you choose to stay overnight in Nusa Penida, find the best accommodation recommendations here.
💸 How much do you pay to enter Nusa Penida?
To visit Nusa Penida there is a small fee on arrival to help pay for the preservation of the island's natural beauty. You will be asked to pay in cash as you get off the boat, IDR25,000 (US$1.70) for adults and IDR15,000 (US$1.00) for children. Individual beaches do not have entrance fees, but there are often parking fees. Most of these fees should be covered in the cost of your tour, be sure to check when booking!
❓ Can you do a day trip to Nusa Penida from Ubud?
You can do a Nusa Penida day trip from Ubud, but you will need to wake up early and first head to one of the ferry terminals on the East Coast, Sanur Beach or Padang Bai. Some Nusa Penida tour operators will include hotel transfers to the terminal as part of their package. This makes a day trip from Ubud the most hassle-free.
The Best Nuda Penida Day Trips – Final Words
While Nusa Penida is a small island compared to Bali, it has a lot to offer. However, it's big enough and not as developed which makes it impossible to see all of it in just one day, though you can certainly see many of the highlights in a day trip from Bali.
The best Nusa Penida day tours depend on what you love and want to see. For the best beaches choose the West Coast, for more points of cultural interest and adventure, choose the East Coast.
If you want to explore under the water, choose a snorkeling or scuba diving tour. You can even choose a Nusa Penida itinerary that takes in all three of the Nusa islands, Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan.
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