Nusa Penida 2 Day Itinerary & Travel Guide
If you’re looking for something new to do in Bali and you love a good adventure, then why not add Nusa Penida onto your itinerary! Situated just a 30 minute ferry ride from Sanur in Bali, Nusa Penida is the largest of the three islands that make up the Nusa Penida district and is a real off-the-beaten-path destination for Bali lovers.
Whilst most people visit Nusa Penida as a day trip, I definitely recommend spending at least one night on the island. In fact, it’s better if you can spare two nights on the island to really get a feel of the place, as well as see all of the attractions. Whilst a day trip can provide a convenient way of visiting a few of the spots here on Nusa Penida, there is so much more to see and do on the island which you simply cannot cover in a day. So I would recommend dedicating at least one full day to Nusa Penida, but better, 1.5 days to 2 days.
After we arrived on Nusa Penida, we realised that when most locals talk about sightseeing on the island, they talk about visiting the west side and the east side. For some reason, this didn’t cross my radar when planning the trip but now after having visited Nusa Penida ourselves, I do agree, that you should organise your trip so that you visit all the west side attractions on one day, and all the east side attractions on the other, so as to not waste time backtracking.
Here’s my recommended two day itinerary for exploring Nusa Penida.
Day before:
Afternoon: Arrive by ferry from Sanur Harbour
It took me a while to figure out how to get to Nusa Penida but I finally have and the best way to get to Nusa Penida is to take the ferry from Sanur Boat Pier to Nusa Penida. We booked our return trip for the Sanur > Nusa Penida in advanced via Klook and this ended up being really convenient as all instructions were spelt out to us beforehand making it stress-free on the day. Do note that in order to get onto the ferry at Sanur Boat Pier, you will have to climb across some large boulders and wade through water that is up to knee-high, so if you can, dress accordingly and wear flip flops/thongs and shorts. The staff help you carry your luggage on board & off, so no need to worry about that.
Check in AT YOUR ACCOMMODATION
If you’re looking for our recommendation, we stayed at Batan Sabo Cottage - a gorgeous boutique-style accommodation that was situated on the west side of the island. I definitely recommend this spot, but do know it is a cabin-style accommodation so rooms are quite basic (though more than sufficient!). They only have a handful of cabins available making it a wonderfully intimate spot, so be sure to book early to avoid disappointment.
Batan Sabo had a gorgeous pool and also provided daily complimentary breakfast for guests. They also offered reasonably priced in-room dining / dinner as well, so we had dinner every night in.
DAY 1 (West side focus)
Note: We highly recommend hiring a driver instead of renting a motorbike when visiting attractions around Nusa Penida. Whilst there are roads, they are extremely bumpy even in a car, so it’s much safer and comfortable to hire a driver - they’re very reasonably priced as well. You can easily book one for a reasonable price via Klook.
Morning: Kelingking Beach
Kelingking Beach is actually a popular spot for sunset however as it is so crowded at sunset, I recommend visiting in the morning if you prefer a more quiet experience. However of course, if you’re keen on the sunset and don’t mind crowds, then go for that instead!
Kelingking Beach is popular due to its T-Rex head formation from the top, making it one of the most photographed beaches on the island. Most people come for the viewpoint overlooking the limestone formations, however if you are interested in more of an adventure, you can hike down the steps all the way to the beach which takes about an hour - I would have loved to have visited the beach however unfortunately we didn’t have time to this time round!
Day: Angel’s Billabong & Broken Beach
Also on the western side of Nusa Penida is Angel’s Billabong and Broken Beach. These two attractions can be visited together as the share the same carpark and are only about 10 minutes walk from each other. When you first park your car, you will see Angel’s Billabong, which is a natural infinity pool framed by rocky cliffs. Be careful if visiting the pool itself, as the tide can get very strong and dangerous.
After checking out Angel’s Billabong, take a short walk to Broken Beach to check out the picturesque little cove. There are plenty of spots around here to also grab an ice-cream, drink or snack!
Afternoon/sunset: TembEling Beach & Forest
Tembling Beach & Forest is one of those hidden gems found in Nusa Penida, however, a visit to this spot is not for the faint-hearted! To get to Tembling Beach is quite an adventure as cars cannot reach the location directly and so you will have to make your own way down via motorbike or foot.
Your driver will drop you off at the carpark at Tembeling Beach & Forest. From here, there will be a few locals with motorbikes hanging around at the carpark offering you a paid motorbike ride down to the beach - after reading online reviews and our own experience, I super recommend having a local on a motorbike take you down. We paid 50k IDR (about $5 AUD) per person for a return trip down. The drive down is about 3 kms and is extremely bumpy and a little bit adrenaline inducing as you ride down narrow paths with a drop down the side - I begged for us to drive down slowly (LOL) and it ended up be just-ok. If you were to walk it, it would take a really long time and I don’t think it would be safe with motorbikes whizzing past on narrow roads. If you were to ride your own motorbike down, I really don’t think it would be a good idea as it is really hard to navigate and I read many others saying how dangerous it looked.
Once you reach the bottom, you will need to head down a number of stairs. Here, you will walk past numerous gorgeous rock pools, before arriving at a stunning and secluded beach. It’s the perfect place to watch the sunset with few people around.
Day 2 (East side focus)
Morning: RUMAH POHON Treehouse & Thousand Island Viewpoint
On Day 2, we explore the eastern side of Nusa Penida. Most of these attractions are situated right next to each other so if you want to visit them all in one go, then you’ll most likely end up having a late lunch so plan your stomachs accordingly!
First stop, Rumah Pohon Treehouse & Thousand Island Viewpoint. These two spots share the same carpark so I’ve grouped them together. To get to Rumah Pohon Treehouse, you will have to walk down a series of steep stairs (maybe around 15 minutes?).
Rumah Pohon Treehouse was actually one of the first visuals I saw of Nusa Penida. This magical treehouse perched amongst the treetops overlooking the ocean quickly became a must-visit place for me and which was one of the reasons why I really wanted to visit Nusa Penida. However, after doing some research later, I read that this famous treehouse was somewhere someone actually paid to stay at night and to enjoy the view in the morning, so when it came to visiting this place, I wasn’t really sure if it was a good idea as it was kind of venturing into a paid guest’s personal space. I couldn’t believe how many photos I had seen of people climbing a paid guest’s stairs without being the guest! I asked our driver this to clarify and he didn’t seem phased about it or was confused as to what I was talking about - he said it was fine to visit!
Turns out, that this picturesque treehouse which once used to be available for guests to stay overnight, is now no longer an accommodation treehouse but a viewpoint in itself. Entrance is 5000 IDR to visit the treehouse viewpoint and thankfully, with this new scheme up and running, tourists are no longer venturing into a paid guest’s personal space. This treehouse viewpoint is however on the grounds of Rumah Pohon Treehouse accommodation and there are two other treehouses a bit further back from the cliff edge which you can still indeed pay to stay in.
After visiting the treehouse viewpoint, you can head on up to see Thousand Island Viewpoint. To get to Thousand Island Viewpoint, simply head up the rocky stairs next to the treehouse where you will find a beautiful view of the beaches and rock formations in the ocean below. Here, you can actually see Diamond Beach, which is your next destination.
Diamond Beach
Diamond Beach is another one of those popular beaches in Nusa Penida. To visit, you’ll need pay a 10,000 IDR entrance fee/donation. The beauty of this beach can be seen from the top of the staircase however if you want to head on down, you can take the recently constructed (slightly questionable!) stairs down to the water. It looked absolutely amazing and we had every intention to head down, however with all our camera equipment swinging precariously from our shoulders, we ended up heading back as the stairs were quite slippery. Next time if we visit, I’m definitely heading down.
Late Lunch @ Secret Penida Cafe
If you love a good Bali-esque style cafe, then be sure to head to Secret Penida Cafe. This cafe is actually on the northern side of the island so it makes for a good last stop for the day. It has gorgeous pastel painted walls and such a relaxing vibe here that you’ll want to stay for hours!
Afternoon: Ferry back to Bali
Catch the ferry back to Bali as you say goodbye to two wonderful days on Nusa Penida Island!
Other suggestions
Note: if you are planning to stay longer on Nusa Penida, you can also check out the below attractions which we chose not to visit or did not have time to see.
Bukit Teletubbies (Teletubbies Hill) - east side, chose not to visit as didn’t have time
Crystal Bay - west side, recommendation from a local, did not know about this spot prior to visiting, good for sunset
Atuh Beach - east side, shares same carpark as Diamond Beach, but was under construction when we were visiting
If you’re currently planning a holiday on Nusa Penida, then be sure to keep a look out on my upcoming post where I will share travel tips for visiting the island and how to make sure your trip is as smooth and fuss-free as possible!