ONE-DAY ITINERARY TO NUSA PENIDA

All you need to know about Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida is rather new on the radars of tourists going to Bali. The island became a hot spot thanks to all the influencers and bloggers that were looking for some hidden gems, or some peace, away from the agitated and crowded Bali. Nevertheless, Nusa Penida is a beautiful island with high cliffs, turquoise waters, and breathtaking waterfalls. Even though Nusa Penida is a relatively undeveloped island, there are numerous activities to do on the island and spots worth seeing.

If you got used to Bali’s luxurious beach clubs, infinity pools, and bespoke service in their luxury hotels, know you won’t find in Nusa Penida fancy beach clubs all over the island, or organic farms that will prepare a bio breakfast. But rest assured, you have plenty of nice places where to enjoy a day at the beach or eat a good dinner in a traditional restaurant.

How to plan a trip to Nusa Penida as a Solo Traveler

When planning a solo trip to Nusa Penida, you should establish first how many days you can allocate to this island. You have several options, but know that if you want to discover and take advantage of all it has to offer, three days would be recommended.

If you only have one day to spare, you can either book an organized trip, or plan it on your own. You can go to Nusa Penida via a speedboat that you will take from Sanur in Bali in the morning and come back in the afternoon. Nevertheless, the majority of travelers who don’t have enough time to spare will book a Tour from Bali. For a Solo Traveler, as I was, I recommend this option, as you don’t have to worry about anything. The transportation is insured from your hotel to Sanur and back by car, then you hop on a private fast boat and head to Nusa Penida. Some tours will include snorkeling and spotting Manta rays in the morning and an island tour in the afternoon. It’s what I did and I loved it.

HOW TO GET TO NUSA PENIDA AS A SOLO TRAVELER

As a Solo Traveler, you have two options: you book a private tour with a trusted tour operator like GetYourGuide or you plan it on your own. Let’s cover both options here and you can choose what’s best for you.

1. Book a Private Tour to Nusa Penida

Day Trip to East Nusa Penida, Atuh & Diamond Beach
Explore the stunning natural scenery of East Nusa Penida on a day trip from Bali. Enjoy the craggy cliffs and clear waters of the island, stroll up to Thousand Island Viewpoint and relax on the white sands of Diamond Beach.
Bali & Nusa Penida 2-Day Flexi Combo Instagram Private Tour
Day 1: Bali
Make your first stop at the Gates of Heaven at Lempuyang Temple. Visit Tirta Gangga, known as the most beautiful former royal water palace in Eastern Bali. Move on to Tukad Cepung waterfall. Fly over the jungle and experience incredible views on a jungle swing.

Day 2: Nusa Penida
Climb aboard a fast boat at Sanur Beach and cross the sea to Toyapakeh on the small island of Nusa Penida. Visit the famous Kelingking Beach. Snap magical pictures at Batu Molenteng Tree House, marvel at the cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean, and then continue to Pasih Uug (Broken Beach) and swim at the natural pool of Angel’s Billabong.
West Nusa Penida & Snorkeling Small Group Tour
You will snorkel at some of the popular watering holes such as Manta Point Nusa Penida, Wall Point Nusa Penida, and Mangrove Point Nusa Penida.
You’ll also get to cover three beaches: Kelingking Beach – where you can spot more manta rays and turtles riding the waves below, Angel’s Billabong – a natural blue and green infinity pool, and Broken Beach!

2. Plan a Solo Trip to Nusa Penida on your own

Check out these three ways of planning a Solo Trip to Nusa Penida:

By Speedboat from Sanur Beach
By Speedboat from Tanjong Benoa
By Public Ferry from Padang Bai

By Speedboat from Sanur Beach

The most practical way is to board a speedboat from Sanur Beach in Bali. Several operators run speedboat transfers from Sanur Beach to Nusa Penida. You can take the one you prefer, there’s no difference.

Speedboat timeline from Sanur: 7 AM – 10 AM and 2 PM – 5 PM. If you are doing a day trip, try to catch the 7 AM boat.

You can book tickets online or at the cash register, but you should be there at least 30 minutes before the departure to insure you will find a place. The price is the same for both options. Locals and Indonesians pay a reduced price of 200 000 IDR for a roundtrip (13 €/$) while foreigners pay 300 000 IDR for a roundtrip (19€/$).

Speedboat transfer from Tanjong Benoa

If you are far from Sanur and want to take the speedboat from another side of the island, there is a speedboat from Tanjong Benoa, closer to Nusa Dua. Slightly cheaper than Sanur, but they only operate on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with one departure each day.

Public Ferry from Padang Bai

There is also a public ferry that leaves from Padang Bai, used mostly by locals and can transfer vehicles. The ticket is very cheap, but no defined timeline. Better leave this option only as a last resort.

How to get around in Nusa Penida

Once you arrive in Nusa Penida, you have a few options to get around on the island, no worries. here are just a few:

Rent a Motorbike – from the harbor. The price is around 75 000 IDR (5€/$) a day. Get your tank fuel full while you are still close to the harbor.
Rent a Car with a driver – for around 500 000 (31€/32$), up to 5 people.

Please note that the road is not like in Bali. It’s very bumpy, like on an unpopulated island, let’s say. very narrow and the cars are very big and large, for 5 people, so when you pass at the same time and the road is super narrow and on your left, you see an abyss and I can tell you get goosebumps. But those drivers are so professional they go at some millimeters close to each other. Never seen something like it.

ultimate-travel-guide-to-nusa-penida-broken-Beach

ONE-DAY ITINERARY IN NUSA PENIDA

If you’ve decided to get adventurous and plan a Solo Trip to Nusa Penida, rest assured it is possible.

Here are two ways of planning a one-day itinerary to Nusa Penida:

1 Day itinerary to West Coast Nusa Penida

The west coast has beautiful sights and I think you should start exploring this part if you only have one day to spare in Nusa Penida.

For a full day filled with incredible viewpoints and jaw-dropping nature, I suggest getting up early and taking the first ferry that leaves Bali.

Arrive in Nusa Penida around 8:00 am.
Rent a scooter or a driver with a car.
Go for a quick breakfast at Greenkubu Clifftop Bar & Pool.
Head to Crystal Bay Beach to see the clear crystal water.
Drive about 55 minutes to Broken Beach. If you are on a scooter, know that there is only one road that will take you from one beach to another.
Visit Angel Billabong as it is very close to Broke Beach.
Tip: you can replace Broken Beach and Angel’s Billabong with Tembeling Natural Pool.
Drive about 30 minutes to Kelingking Beach to see the famous T-Rex coastline. Taking pictures from the viewpoint should take you no more than 30 minutes. If you want to descend to the beach, plan around 3 to 4 hours, to make sure you enjoy some time down there. To win some time, take your lunch on the go with you and have it while laying on the white sandy beach in Kelingking Beach.
Go back to the harbor to catch the last fast boat back to Bali.

1 DAY ITINERARY TO EAST COAST NUSA PENIDA

The east coast is more savage, untouched by human hands.

You know the drill. I suggest getting up early and taking the first ferry that leaves Bali.

Arrive in Nusa Penida around 8:00 am.
Rent a scooter or a driver with a car.
Visit Atuh Beach and Diamond Beach. Park at the Diamond Beach parking lot to access both Diamond Beach and Atuh Beach. Thousand Island Viewpoint is close by, two minutes drive from the Diamond Beach parking lot.
Thousand Island viewpoint, where you can the coral reefs lined up in the ocean, and just below the Batu Molenteng tree house
Batu Molenteng Tree House. In the background, you can see Atuh Beach perfectly and experience breathtaking sunrises.
Underground temple Giri Putri or Teletubbies Hill.
Go back to the harbor to catch the last fast boat back to Bali.

Angel’s Billabong, Nusa Penida

Best time to visit NUSA PENIDA

Situated in the Asian continent, Nusa Penida is an island located in the southeastern Indonesian island of Bali and a district of Klungkung Regency that includes the neighboring small island of Nusa Lembongan and twelve smaller islands.

Asia is divided into three major climatic realms: Boreal Asia in the North, Desert Asia in the West and Center, and Monsoon Asia in the South and East. Being in the monsoon part, the Climate in Indonesia is tropical: hot, humid, and more moderate in the highlands. Natural hazards may occur in Indonesia, starting from occasional floods, and severe droughts and finishing on a more dramatic note with tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, and forest fires.

This doesn’t mean that Nusa Penida is not a safe island to visit. On the contrary. If you plan according to each season and get informed about the potential natural disasters, you are good to go on the most beautiful island in the world. Bali can be experienced all year round. Nevertheless, the best time to travel to Nusa Penida is during the dry season. The dry season is from May to September, and there’s no rain during this period.

Nusa Penida’s wet season is from October to April, the rain only lasts an hour or two. Regardless of the season, you will rarely need anything more than a light jacket. Despite the rain that puts people off from traveling to Nusa Penida, it is warm even in the wet season. You may still enjoy hours at the beach, with lesser crowds. It is the perfect time to experience how to live like locals.

The dry season is from May to early December! August is the driest month. You can leave your raincoats or umbrellas at home! The rain usually lasts 2 hours maximum. In August, the southern monsoon is ramping up the winds, making it the dryest month of the year.

Due to the absence of rain and the fact that it is winter in Australia, the dry season is the busiest and most popular time to go to Nusa Penida. It is warm, and the humidity level is low all summer. I was so happy to see that my body does not retain water and I don’t have swollen feet due to low humidity. As the weather is so nice, you have a lot of choices in terms of activities.

Also, check the Best time to visit Bali.

Broken Beach, Nusa Penida

Angel’s Billabong during low tide in Nusa Penida

CHECK OUT THE BEST ACTIVITY TOURS IN NUSA PENIDA

DID YOU FIND THIS ARTICLE USEFUL?

Tell me in the comments section if you’ve been to Nusa Penida and what was your experience. If you are planning to go on solo travel to Nusa Penida ask me for some useful tips that are not in this article.

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