NUSA PENIDA - 1 Day Trip

1 Day trip is definitely insufficient if you want to enjoy this picturesque island to the fullest and take in whatever it has to offer. But if time is not on your side, one day will be ideal to cover the west of Nusa Penida! Check out the activities we've covered below!

Getting To Nusa Penida

The only way to get to the island is by ferries departing from Sanur Beach Harbour. There are a lot of ferry companies that offer round trip ferry rides between these two islands as well as car rentals with drivers on the island itself. However, we wanted to save the hassle of finding ferries in the wee hours and spending time finding a driver when we get to the island, we engaged a tour service to arrange a pick up from our hotel to the harbour, the ferry ride, as well as an English-speaking driver to navigate us through the west side of Nusa Penida. 

What To Bring: 

- Sunblock

- Cap

- Sunglasses

- Water bottle (a bottle of water is provided by the driver but it would be better to have more for yourself to stay hydrated in this very sun-exposed island) 

- Cameras (Underwater cameras, Action cameras if you are going to snorkel or dive) 

If you are doing water activities:

- Swim wear 

- Extra clothings 

- Waterproof dry bag (to waterproof all your belongings)

Attire:

- Preferably in shorts as you will have to walk a short distance into the sea to get onto the ferry as shown below. 

- Water shoes 

Water boots are really a good alternative as compare to slippers, sandals or shoes because you won't have to remove your footwear while getting to the boat, risking your slippers getting swept away by the waves and at the same time they got really good soles that are anti-slip and provide enough cushion against the sharp objects in the sand. On top of that, they drains out water fast so you don't have to walk in wet, heavy shoes for the rest of the day.

Getting onto the ferry to Nusa Penida

And we are all set to go! 

Snorkelling At Manta Point & Crystal Bay

As we opted for the snorkelling option in the tour, we left our belongings with the driver in the car and was led to a speedboat to begin our underwater adventure. Our ride took about an hour before we reached the Manta Point at Nusa Penida. However, we didn't have much luck with the Manta Rays over here as there were too many tourists snorkelling at the same time and the area is pretty "enclosed" so our captain drove us to Crystal Bay after a short "paddling" session :) 

Crystal Bay offers a view of small colourful fishes and corals. It is a safe place for beginners to get use to paddling in the sea if you have yet to experience what it is like to swim among the waves. 

Lunch @ Warung D' Coconut

Lunch is included in the package! Hence, we didn't have to worry about where or what to eat :) Our driver brought to a quaint little shop for lunch which we were given a variety of mains and drinks to choose from. The local dishes were pretty decent! As we were running late on schedule, we had a quick lunch and proceed to our next destination.

Warung D' Coconut Menu

Kelingking Beach

One of the highly raved-about destination of Nusa Penida is this T-rex shaped-like rock formation at Kelingking Beach! It's 13mins car ride from our lunch place and about 45mins drive if you are going from Banjar Nyuh Port. Upon reaching, it's a short walk from the car park to the viewpoint and you will be greeted by the famous limestone formation that reaches out into the deep turquoise blue waters. 

Kelingking Viewpoint

We didn't have the time to hike down to the beach as we had to get to another 2 locations before 2pm to catch the last ferry departing at 4pm. The ideal plan is to stay over on the island so that you can have half a day here to enjoy the views and hike down to the beach during the golden hour (sunset, around 5 to 6.30pm). The hike down will take a good 1 to 2 hours depending on the human traffic. And of course, the hike back up will take another 2 hours as the cliffs are really pretty steep. 

Angel's Billabong

Another must-visit spot in west Nusa Penida will be the Angel's Billabong. Located 45mins drive away from Kelingking Beach, you will arrive at Nusa Penida's natural "infinity pool". With a tinge of imagination, the pool actually looks like it lies in between 2 rocks that are shaped like a pair of wings. With the Indian Ocean ending in the emerald pool you see below, hence the name Angel's Billabong is derived. 

It's not just another insta-worthy place to get your pictures, you can actually head down to the pool and chill/swim in it during its low-tide so do be sure to check out the tide schedules before heading there!

Angel's Billabong

Broken Beach

Here comes the last but not least part of our journey, the Broken Beach! It actually has a myth behind its formation. 

Legend has it that many years ago, the villagers who lived here found a cow that was roaming around and decided to catch and slaughter it for their dinner. Little did they know that it actually belonged to a boy who owns an animal farm there. When the boy confronted the villagers, none of them admitted to catching his cattle. Hence, the boy held a test to find out the truth. He stuck a stick into the ground and said that if they were not guilty of stealing his cattle, they will be able to take it out from the ground. However, none of the villagers were capable of doing that. Convinced that they were guilty of stealing his livestock, the boy pulled out the stick and an earthquake happened, bringing most of the villagers down together with it and causing the rock formation that we see today. Equipments that were used in the olden days such as mortar and pestle were reportedly found by divers who went diving around the area, making the legend even more convincing.  

Today, many tourists flock to this nature's artwork for its insta-worthy landscape. And again, you will want to allow yourself about 30 minutes to search or wait for good spots to take photos from even during weekdays. If you are lucky, you may even be able to spot some manta rays and dolphins from the "broken bridge".

Broken Beach

This marks the end of our one-day trip in Nusa Penida! Of course there are still a lot left to explore within the island and around it. So till the next time! We are definitely making our way back for more adventures in the South and East of Nusa Penida!