Indonesia

Nusa Penida

Half an hour by fast boat from Sanur, Nusa Penida serves Bali's most outrageous coastline — the T-rex-shaped cliffs of Kelingking, the natural infinity pool at Angel's Billabong, mantas at Crystal Bay — at guesthouse-and-warung prices.

Best forDivers & snorkellers · Adventure seekers · Photographers
Ideal stay2–3 nights
Approx. flying time~17h 05m from Los Angeles

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Nusa Penida, Indonesia Open in Google Maps Powered by Geoapify · © OpenStreetMap contributors · © OpenMapTiles

CurrencyIDRIndonesian rupiah
LanguageIndonesian
Local time19:127h ahead of the UK
PlugsType C / FBring an adapter
Drive on theLeftSame as the UK
Dialling code+62

Why go

Half an hour by fast boat from Bali, this is a dry, rugged limestone island of high cliffs, cactus scrub and coves reached by lung-busting staircases. The coastline on the west and south is genuinely dramatic, with sheer drops into clear water and viewpoints that look invented. Inland it is poor, quiet and agricultural, with rough roads, small warungs and none of Bali's polish or traffic.

Two or three nights beats a day trip by a wide margin, because the viewpoints empty out once the boats have gone and dawn on the cliffs is the best hour of the day. April to October brings dry trails and the calmest, clearest water for diving with mantas. Roads are bad enough that hiring a driver is the sensible choice. Poor swimmers should be careful, as several beaches have strong currents.

Ideal stay: 2–3 nights
The vibe: Rough-edged, cliff-hung, spectacular

From our guides

Roads are rough, so hire a driver rather than white-knuckling a scooter. Stay two nights; day-trippers see the queues, overnighters get the dawn viewpoints alone. April to October brings dry trails and the clearest, calmest water.

Featured in Ten affordable tropical escapes that won't empty your savings

Things to do

Kelingking Beach

The headland that looks like a dinosaur's spine, with a white cove below. The staircase down is steep, informal and much harder coming back up.
Angel's Billabong and Broken Beach

A natural rock pool that fills and drains with the swell, next to a collapsed sea arch enclosing a circular bay. Both on the same short walk.
Crystal Bay

The most swimmable beach on the island, with sand, shade and good snorkelling. Also the departure point for dives at the nearby drop-offs.
Diamond and Atuh beaches

Twin bays on the east coast, with carved cliffside stairs, rock pinnacles offshore and far fewer people than the western viewpoints.
Manta Point

A cleaning station off the south coast where reef mantas gather year-round. Snorkellers and divers both go, though the swell can be substantial.
Peguyangan waterfall

A blue staircase bolted to a cliff face, dropping to spring-fed bathing pools above the sea. A working temple site, so a sarong is required.

Getting there

Fly to
Kuta, Badung (DPS)

Nearest airport to Nusa Penida, about 40km away as the crow flies.
Then
To Nusa Penida

From Bali's Denpasar airport (DPS) it is around thirty to forty minutes by car to Sanur, then roughly forty minutes on the fast boat to Nusa Penida.
On the ground
Getting around

The island's roads are steep, narrow and broken, so hire a car with a driver for the day rather than a scooter; Kelingking and Angel's Billabong are an hour or more from the harbour.

Public transport: There is no bus network on the island at all, only boats to the harbour and private drivers beyond it.

Flights

Los Angeles Nusa Penida, Indonesia

Flying from

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Roughly 17h 05m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.

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Where to stay

Bamboo bungalows, family homestays and a growing band of cliff-view villas with plunge pools. Almost no chains, few lifts, and hot water is not a given at the cheaper end.

Best base overall
Toyapakeh and Ped

The north-west strip nearest the harbour, with the widest choice of rooms, warungs and drivers, and the shortest run to the Kelingking side. Boats and mopeds make it the noisiest coast.
Find stays in Toyapakeh and Ped
Best with children
Crystal Bay

A sheltered swimming beach with shade, sunbeds and shallow entry, backed by a small cluster of simple bungalows. Limited food choice after dark and the road in is bumpy.
Find stays in Crystal Bay
Best value
Sampalan

The island's administrative town on the east coast, where guesthouses aimed at locals cost noticeably less. You are further from the famous cliffs, so factor in the driver.
Find stays in Sampalan
Quietest
Atuh and Pejukutan

The far south-east, with cliff-edge bamboo huts above Diamond Beach and almost nobody about after the day boats leave. Power can be patchy and the drive back takes an hour.
Find stays in Atuh and Pejukutan

Worth knowing before you book: Two nights minimum to get the viewpoints at dawn. Book a property with reliable water and power, and confirm the fast boat pier your host expects you at, since two are in use.

Search everything else in Nusa Penida by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.

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Good to know

Boats: Fast boats run from Sanur and take around thirty to forty-five minutes. Crossings can be rough and are cancelled in bad weather.
Roads: Surfaces are broken and steep, and scooter accidents are common among visitors. Hiring a car with a driver for the day costs little and is far safer.
Crowds: Day-trippers land mid-morning and leave mid-afternoon. Staying overnight gives you the main viewpoints at dawn and dusk almost alone.
Swimming: Currents around Kelingking and the southern coves are strong and there are no lifeguards. Crystal Bay is the safest place to swim.
Cash: There are few machines and they run out. Bring rupiah from Bali for entrance fees, drivers and warungs.