Nusa Penida is a relatively undeveloped island north of Bali. You won’t discover restaurants, pubs that are organic or the beach clubs here. Still, Nusa Penida remains worthy of a visit. It houses some of the sights in Bali.
Do not worry if you have one evening to spare! A day trip to Nusa Penida in Bali is doable. You can get to Nusa Penida through a speedboat and come back in the day. But you should enjoy your stay and here are all the things you need to know about this stunning island.
Brief History of Nusa Penida
Nusa means “island”, and Penida means”priests” in Balinese. For that reason, it isn’t required to consult with this island as “Nusa Penida Island”.
The island is known as the black magic island to local Balinese. Long before it became a tourist attraction for its natural beauty, Nusa Penida was once believed by locals to become occupied by spirits. However, Nusa Penida remains a significant destination that is spiritual. That is because equilibrium is dictated by the religious belief of Bali in the universe.
The Way to Get to Nusa Penida
- By Speedboat from Sanur Beach
The easiest and most popular way is to hop on a speedboat out of Sanur Beach. Three operators do transfers from Angel’s Billabong Fast pub and rear: Maruti Express, Sanur Beach to Nusa Penida and Mola-Mola Express. It doesn’t matter which one you go together, provided that you are suited by the time.
- Speedboat transfer from Tanjung Benoa
Another great choice is to take a speed boat, which is slightly cheaper; however, the drawback is it leaves Monday, Wednesday, and Friday only. They also have one timing each day. The ship’s condition looks to be somewhat better compared to Sanur boats we obtained.
- Public Ferry to Nusa Penida in Padang Bai
It is online, but we have noticed there’s a ferry which can transfer vehicles, used by locals and leaves from Padang Bai. The ticket is just Rp 30,000 / person. But, we would recommend this for those who have sufficient time to kill — the ferry does not own a set schedule. It leaves if passengers are waiting, typically by 11 am.
Off the harbour — It is possible to rent a motorbike straight by Lease Motorbike, fuss-free. We got a bicycle literally within minutes of getting off the ship! Renting a bike costs you Rp 75,000 (US$5.25) a day, precisely the same price as Bali mainland. You might need to top up gas that will be somewhat minimum, roughly Rp 10,000 — 20,000. We recommend topping your fuel up while you are near the harbour. Because we got deeper into the island, we didn’t find many sellers. However, in case you decide to rent a bike, you need to be confident and comfortable with riding the motorbike leading around Kelingking Beach and also Angel’s Billabong is extraordinarily bumpy and broken.
Google Maps — we all relied on Google Maps for direction. Just be sure to store the Nusa Penida map offline, because we lost the connection in some specific areas. Order a 4G SIM Card on the internet and pick it up in Bali.
Rental Car — The other option is to get a car rental for Rp 535,000 (US$37), which includes a driver and maybe around five people. The road would nonetheless be bumpy, however, so don’t expect a comfortable ride… but at least you’ll be in an air-conditioned car?
What to do in Nusa Penida
When you are on the island, heading straight to Kelingking Beach and it is easier to work that way back later. Here’s a listing of attractions:
- Kelingking Beach
After obtaining our bike, we immediately pushed down into the southwest part of this island to locate Kelingking Beach. In the sanctuary, it requires to get to this shore thanks to the street that is partly broken.
Kelingking Beach is relatively new, just “found” in 2003 by a few tourist divers who reached the beach by boat. Kelingking Beach is probably the most Instagrammed place on Nusa Penida.
- Attu Beach (Diamond Beach)
You’ll need a little bit of effort to reach this beach. It would have taken us 2 hours on the road one way, so we had to bypass this moment. Nonetheless, it looks terrific!
- Tembeling Forest & Beach
It’s more challenging to reach, although Tembeling Beach is nearer to the vent compared to Attu. The beach path can only be reached by motorbike, but if you come by car, you’ll be able to employ a few “ojek” (bike for hire) to get Rp 50,000. Walking down is also an alternative.
Whenever you will be travelling in Bali, let the Balinese spirit in: chill out, breathe, and enjoy the ride. Explore Bali more and visit Wonderful Indonesia.