The Best Nusa Penida 2 Day Itinerary

After having a mediocre time in Bali, I was eager to move on to Nusa Penida; a much smaller island east of Bali.  Thankfully, my time in Nusa Penida changed my mind about traveling to Indonesia (I was more than happy to make the trip all the way to Bali if it meant that I could take a quick boat to this tropical island).  I loved everything about the island from its small charm to white dusted beaches and crystal clear waters.  And after spending five nights on the island, I’ve put together the best Nusa Penida 2 day itinerary.

 

If you’re visiting Bali, don’t miss…

• How to Spend One Day in Ubud
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• 25+ of the Best Tours in Bali

 

How to Get to Nusa Penida

If you want to book a trip to Nusa Penida the best way is to go by boat from Bali.  I recommend 12Go so you can compare different options and choose the one best for you.  Make sure to check which port you’re departing from in Bali and arriving to in Nusa Penida so that you aren’t wasting time going to a port too far away.

 

BOOK YOUR BOAT FROM BALI TO NUSA PENIDA HERE!

 

By the way, if you aren’t interested in spending the night in Nusa Penida, you can book a private boat tour from Bali here.

 

How to Get Around Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida is very challenging to get around, and unless you’re an experienced motorbike driver – I would be very careful about renting a motorbike.  While it could be tempting (bikes go for around 75000 IDR for one day) – the island is very hard to drive around.  Most roads are one way so when you go around sharp turns or you are going straight uphill you can’t see who is coming from the other side.  If you rent a motorbike, please wear a helmet as many tourists have died navigating the roads.

If you want to do a full day tour of the island (or just be transported from one beach club to the next), I would recommend Ketut.  He is very knowledgable about the island, speaks great English, and is both timely and friendly; I couldn’t recommend him enough!  The best way to get in touch is to send him a message on WhatsApp – +62 812-3670-269.  If you hire him, make sure to tell him I (Kylee from Nebraska) said hello!

 

Traveling to Indonesia?  Don’t miss…

• Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Indonesia
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Where to Stay in Nusa Penida

I stayed at Meket Bungalows in the west of the island and would highly recommend it.  These no-fuss bungalows are incredibly charming and the hotel staff were so kind.  Plus you have an incredible view of the jungle and on a clear day you can see the ocean.  You can rent motorbikes from here or one of the staff members can drop you off and pick you up from Crystal Bay for free.  However, other than that there are limited things to do near the hotel and if you aren’t comfortable driving a motorbike, that limits your options (especially at night).  More hotels that I was eyeing in Nusa Penida include…

• Santen Beach Bungalows
• Merta Beach Bungalow by Bukit Vista
• Surya Chandra Beach Bungalow
• MAUA Nusa Penida
• Sea La Vie Resort

 

BOOK YOUR STAY IN NUSA PENIDA HERE!

 

Day 1 in Nusa Penida

When you arrive in Nusa Penida, I suggest already having a driver waiting for you to take you to your hotel.  Grab is not available on the island and taxi drivers waiting at the port charge significant fees.  I would either ask your hotel to help you reserve a ride or contact Ketut (who I mentioned above); his WhatsApp number is – +62 812-3670-269.

 

SPENDING THE AFTERNOON IN NUSA PENIDA

Assuming you don’t arrive to Nusa Penida in the afternoon, I recommend taking it slow and having a relaxing day at Crystal Bay, Pandan Beach, or one of the fun beach clubs around – Cactus, NOME, or Penida Colada.  (For information on accessing these beaches make sure to read this post!).

I don’t necessarily recommend hitting the ground running as the island is small (you’ll be able to see almost every attraction your second day) and the afternoons get crazy crowded with tourists who are day tripping from Bali.  It’s best to settle in and relax and wake up early on your second day to start sightseeing.

 

SPENDING THE EVENING IN NUSA PENIDA

Before the sunsets, head to AMARTA Penida for poolside cocktails to watch the sunset before sitting down to a nice dinner.  The food at AMARTA Penida is incredible and I would highly recommend anyone visit.  They are also open for lunch if you’d rather have lunch by the pool and spend the day swimming too!

 

Day 2 in Nusa Penida

There are a few different ways to go about exploring Nusa Penida.  You can spend a (very) full day seeing as much of the west and the east as possible.  You can spend the day exploring the west in depth, or the east in depth, or further more you can see one or two attractions and then spend the day snorkeling or diving.

If you don’t feel comfortable renting a motorbike, your best bet is to hire a driver.  If possible, I would hire someone who allows you to customize your own tour.  Below I’m going to share the itinerary that I would do if I only had one day and then I’ll share other attractions on Nusa Penida if you’d rather put your own itinerary together.

 

BOOK A PRIVATE SNORKEL TOUR HERE!

 

Hiring a Driver

If you want to hire a driver, I would suggest reaching out to Ketut (his WhatsApp is – +62 812-3670-269).  If he is busy for the day, here are some more options…

• West part of the island
• East part of the island
• “Instagram” tour of island
• Customizable tour of island

 

SPENDING THE MORNING IN NUSA PENIDA

Start your day sightseeing on the west side of the island at Kelingking Beach.  I recommend starting here because Kelingking sees the most tourists of any attraction in Nusa Penida.  Day trippers begin to roll in around 0900 which makes Kelingking almost unbareable.  I recommend showing up around 0600 for the best chance at getting Kelingking to yourself (I arrived at 0700 and there were already people there and once I left at 0800 tons more people were arriving).  If you plan to go all the way down to the beach please wear sturdy shoes and bring water!

To park at Kelingking, you’ll need to pay 10,000 IDR.

 

Add ons:  Depending on whether or not you went down to Kelingking Beach and how much time you have, from here you can head to Broken Bow.  There’s also Tembling Beach and Forest (with natural swimming ponds), and Guyangan Waterfall nearby.  Please note:  I did Guyangan Waterfall and would not recommend it as the steps were not sturdy, the climb up and down was quite frightening, and I didn’t think the waterfall was worth it.

 

SPENDING THE AFTERNOON IN NUSA PENIDA

Once you see the west of the island, make your way to the east to see Diamond Beach (my favorite attraction in Nusa Penida).  At Diamond Beach you’ll be required to pay 35,000 IDR and then you can head to the lookout point.  In my opinion, the lookout point is the highlight of Diamond Beach, I personally don’t think it’s worth it to hike down to the bottom.  I say this because both the hike down and up is very dangerous.  There are parts of the hike that you’re required to rock climb, using ropes to reach the beach and get back up.  Not to mention, once you reach the beach you aren’t “allowed” to swim (of course you can get in, but there are locals there that whistle if you go too far) because of the dangerous currents and sea rocks.  If you’re still set on going down, please wear sturdy tennis shoes, go very slowly, and bring adequate water.

 

From the west to Diamond Beach you can get out and stretch your legs at Teletubbies Hill!  Furthermore, if you want to take some time to relax on a beach, after viewing Diamond Beach head to the other side of the cliff where you’ll find Atuh Beach.  There are chairs and umbrellas here and it’s more adequate for swimming.

 

SPENDING THE EVENING IN NUSA PENIDA

For the evening, I would request that your driver drop you in the north where there are tons of restaurants and beach clubs around.  Just make sure that you have a ride home or that your driver is okay waiting for you.  (Some beach clubs I’d recommend include Cactus, NOME, or Penida Colada).

 

FAQ

Q:  “Can you do a day trip to Nusa Penida?”

• A:  Of course!  It only takes 30-minutes by boat to get from Bali to Nusa Penida.  However, if you have the time I would highly recommend spending the night so you’re able to spend more time on the island and you can beat the day trippers to some of the most visited attractions.

Q:  “How many days should you spend on Nusa Penida?”

• A:  Anywhere from 1-4 days.  If you spend four days, you could spend one day relaxing, one day exploring the west, one day exploring the east, and one day at a beach club.

Q:  “What is there to do in Nusa Penida?”

• I listed tons of thing above, but as a recap:  Kelingking Beach, Pandan Beach, Crystal Bay, Diamond Beach, Broken Beach, Paluang Cliff, Atuh Beach, Goa Giri Putri Temple, Angel’s Billabong, Manta Point, and Teletubbies Hill (to name a few).

 

Indonesia Essentials – What You Need & Need to Know About Visiting Indonesia

 

Nusa Penida is a truly special island and I hope that this Nusa Penida 2 day itinerary helped guide your travels.  If you have any questions about visiting the island, let me know in a comment below!

 

For more islands in Indonesia, don’t miss…

• 10 of the Best Things to Do in Gili Air
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For more information on things to see and do in Nusa Penida, make sure to check out my Instagram page/highlight reel by searching “#ppinindonesia” or under my highlights for “Indonesia”; alternatively, head to my TikTok and search for the saved “Indonesia” highlight

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