Did you know that there is a stunning island located 30 km east of Bali, just 45 minutes on a fast cruise? Yes, on the island of Nusa Penida, experience paradise on Earth, featuring pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, coral reefs, and a handful of water activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, river rafting, and kayaking offering a perfect getaway for beach lovers and adventure enthusiasts
Often tourists visiting Bali spend a day or two in Nusa Penida.
Blog Contents
How much does a day trip cost?
Price breakdown
| S. No | Activity | Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) | Euro (€) | US Dollar ($) | Indian Rupee (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exchange rate (Nov 2022) | 14932 | 0.9 | 1 | 82.3 |
| 2 | 'Grab' taxi to Sanur Port in Bali (approx charge per km) | 9705.8 | 0.6 | 0.65 | 53.5 |
| 3 | Axe stone fast crusie (two way ticket) | 343436 | 21.1 | 23 | 1892.3 |
| 4 | Nusa Penida car rental per day (max 8 hours incl driver, fuel, parking) | 597280 | 36.7 | 40 | 3291 |
| 5 | Every additional hour as an extra | 52262 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 288 |
| 6 | Scooter rental per day | 104524 | 6.4 | 7 | 575.9 |
| 7 | Other miscellaneous expenses like entrace ticket, government fee | 74660 | 4.6 | 5 | 411.4 |
How to reach Nusa Penida?
The only way to reach Nusa Penida is by ferry or a fast cruise. There are many fast cruise companies available operating every day.
Depending on your company, the journey takes from 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Use third-party websites like 12go.asia or bookaway to make a comparison of different companies and their operating times.
If you want to avoid this website’s commission cost, book with the fast cruise operator directly.
How much does a fast cruise to Nusa Penida cost?
We choose Axe Stone fast cruise. Their website displayed the cruise timing and price. They also had a flexible refund and cancellation policy.
Three simple steps to book
- Choose your desired time, date of travel, and the number of travelers.
- Pay using a debit or credit card.
- Download and save your QR code.
For any queries, contact the cruise company on Whatsapp at +62 889 9911 1222 or email: [email protected]
Pro-tip: With you booking, you are flexible to take any cruise from this company provided there are enough seats on that day.
Axe Stone fast cruise timings
The cruise timings start from 7:30 a.m. As the island is crowded with tourists, I highly recommend that you take the first cruise in the morning.
If you are on a day trip like us, the last one departs back to Bali at 5 pm.
Departure from Sanur port
Most of the fast cruise companies operate from the Sanur port in Bali. Arrive at least 30 minutes before the departure time. Use the taxi app Grab (similar to Uber) to get quick rides to the port.
Every company has a small cubicle set up with representatives assisting tourists. Show your QR code. The agent gives your a color tag and shows your group.
You follow your group until you reach the departure port of your fast cruise. If you choose Axe Stone, meet the agents here.
Fast cruise ride
The seats were comfortable and the cruise was equipped with life jackets. The journey was around 45 minutes with no onboard entertainment. How much can you expect on a budget cruise, isn’t it?
The ride was a bumpy one. We enjoyed the cruise’s high speed hitting the waves.
Alert: If the weather is rough, cancel or postpone your trip without having a second thought. On January 2023, a fast cruise operated by Kebo Iwa Express was hit by high waves, collapsed, and submerged in the sea. Luckily, all the passengers were safe.
Top 5 places to see in Nusa Penida
Plan your day in such a way that you finish your breakfast on the island by 10 a.m. and start visiting attractions.
The island is huge. So covering all the top attractions on the island is never possible in a day. Most of the tourists spend a night or two on the island and cover all the attractions.
But if you are on a budget and have only one day in your itinerary, you can make a day trip from Bali.
The island is divided into two sides
- the east side and
- the west side
The west side has many tourist attractions close by while the east side has some amazing beaches and water activities. So depending on your preference choose one side.
We chose the west side as it had some stunning viewpoints.
Renting a car
I hired a car for 600k IDR ~ 40 USD as we were 4. Initially, my plan was over-ambitious and I planned to explore both the east and west sides.
But Nusa Penida being huge and with narrow roads, the speed hardly exceeds 35 km/hr. So, you can only visit one side keeping in mind 2 hours for breakfast and lunch together.
I used the services of Mr. Indra from Bali hire driver. He has contacts in Nusa Penida. You can reach him through Whatsapp at +62 859-6112-1222
To know more, read my blog ‘Your complete guide to renting a car in Bali‘
It includes rental prices, what is included, and how to get discounts.
Alternatively, one can rent a scooter for 7$/day.
For breakfast, I recommend Sunny Cafe. It is a vegan cafe with multiple options.
1. Kelingking Beach
Post breakfast, we drove to our first tourist attraction – Kelinking Beach. From the top, the views are stunning. Crystal clear water, green lush, and sunny weather make this view, the best Instagram-able spot on the entire island.
Sit down with a cold drink and enjoy the views of the island.
It takes around an hour to walk down the narrow steps and reach the beach. Unless you are seeking some adventure, don’t trek down completely as it may be dangerous. Some tourists have even fallen and hurt themselves.
Alert: Swimming on this beach is prohibited as several people have lost lives or injured themselves due to the rough nature of the waves. These serious incidents have occurred throughout the island.
Some even call Nusa Penida the ‘cursed island’
2. Paluang Cliff
A few hundred meters from the Kelingking beach, you reach another scenic view of the beach but from the other side. I found this Cliff to have better views than the view from the Kelingking beach.
You will never need a photographer as your driver always knows the perfect angle for a great photo.
Entrance fee: 2 USD or 30000 IDR (mainly for clicking pictures)
3. Broken Beach
A 20-minute car ride takes you to Broken Beach where you have to descend a few steps down.
Unlike the name suggests, the broken beach can’t be accessed from any direction.
It is a major viewpoint with the bridge in the shape of an arch allowing the waves to come in. This gives us the perception that the bridge at the beach is broken.
4. Angel Billabong
From the broken beach, if you further walk a hundred meters, you reach two sea cliffs. In between them, there are a series of infinity pools where one can take a dip during low tides.
This spot gets its name from the myth that it was Angel’s bath place.
Alert: Few tragic incidents have been reported. The pool looks calm and all of a sudden huge waves crash into these cliffs. Some have been injured and some were taken away by the waves. Some call this spot the death trap.
If you don’t believe it, watch this Instagram video.
5. Crystal bay beach
Post our delicious lunch, we drove down to Crystal bay beach. The journey was around 20 minutes.
This is one of the safest accessible beaches. The beach’s length is hardly a few hundred meters and the waves are mild. Countless tourists and too many local shops make this place a bit overrated.
Skip this beach if you don’t have time.
When is the best time to visit?
The short answer is any time of the year.
I visited during the rainy season. The weather was crazy. Few hours it poured continuously and some days the sky was clear. If rain is predicted, postpone your visit by a day or two.
If you want to visit during the dry season, it is from May to September.
Is there a complete package from Bali?
If you don’t want to go through the hustle of booking a cruise or renting a car on Nusa Penida, choose travel agents like Klook or get your guide who offers a standard package (~ 30 to 40 USD/person) that includes
- hotel pick-up in Bali
- assisting at Sanur port in Bali
- fast cruise trip (to and fro Nusa Penida)
- group tour by car on the island
Should I include Nusa Penida in my Bali itinerary?
Definitely yes. The island is incredible with beautiful beaches, stunning viewpoints, friendly locals, and tasty restaurants.
Compared to Bali, the prices are on the higher side which is understandable due to the island’s remote location and challenging logistics.
One should take all the precautionary measures while doing any water activity. If the signboard says don’t swim or don’t enter, never break the rule.
Time of visit: November 2022
Overall experience: 