Bali Series: A small guide to Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida is the bigger, but somewhat unexplored island of the two but it certainly doesn’t disappoint. 30 minutes away from Sanur, the island has become one of the new main reasons to visit Bali. The famous photos of Kelingking Beach and Angel’s Billabong posted all over Instagram have meant a huge increase in tourism on Nusa Penida Island. Here’s a few of our favourite places and activities we did while we were on the island!
Hiring a scooter/motorbike

There are no cars on the island apart from a few tour company trucks and with the island being so big, it is very hard to get around without a scooter/motorbike. You can pay one of the locals to take you around for the day or you can hire your own! Driving around Lembongan was our first time riding a scooter and we were absolutely fine, but Nusa Penida is a lot more difficult if you’re a beginner. The roads to Broken beach and Angel’s Billabong are very bumpy and very difficult to drive on so take that into consideration before hiring a moped.

Things to do

Kelingking Viewpoint and Beach

Kelingking beach is one of the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever seen. The view from the top of the cliff is unreal and you can see manta rays swimming around below. You can climb all the way down to the beach, which is one of the most difficult beaches to reach in Bali. It is a very steep climb and the fence isn’t the strongest. The best thing about the difficult climb is that the beach is very quiet at the bottom. It takes about 40 minutes to reach the beach and longer to go back up the cliff.

Angel’s Billabong

Angel’s Billabong is another popular attraction in Nusa Penida. It’s a beautiful natural infinity pool with crystal clear water. You can take a dip into the pool but be aware that huge waves go over the pool and going near the edge could result in people being swept away or getting hurt. Once you’ve seen the area, you can head up onto the cliff on the left of the road on the way back. We went for a short walk along the cliff before seeing Manta Rays and dolphins. There were loads of them, it was amazing!

Manta Point and Snorkelling

Manta Point is the best place for seeing the stunning Manta Rays. You can go to the cliff edge and view from above or you can do a snorkelling boat trip and swim with these gentle giants. We would definitely recommend doing the snorkelling trip, it was an unforgettable experience!

Crystal Bay

Crystal bay is a beautiful beach surrounded by palm trees and is a great place to watch the sunset. The bay is perfect for snorkelling and in front of the beach, there is a tiny island with a small temple on top that you can explore too.

Broken Beach

Broken beach is right next to Angel’s Billabong. Follow the signs around and you’ll find a rock formation shaped as a bridge where the water flows in and out, making a natural pool. You can’t get down to the beach but it is a great view point and you can walk the whole way round the pool.

 

If you have any questions or want some more tips, get in touch!

~ Megan and Rowan ~