Visiting the gorgeous Island of Bali from Australia is on many people’s travel itineraries. The Island of Gods has many stunning beaches, epic locations for sunsets, amazing food, and warm, happy locals who are always smiling, and ready to share their Island home with us.
But it is the islands that are just a little further on the horizon that strike in the hearts of a traveler and ensure a special place in your heart for Bali. Nusa Penida is one of these places. It is an island bustling to the brim with holidaymakers but what is the best way to enjoy a Nusa Penida day trip?
How do you get to Nusa Penida?
One thing about trying to organize a day trip in this part of the world is the uncertainty of getting transport and being able to get around the island to all the big sites. Bali relies heavily on tourism but getting to some of the most popular sites can be fraught with scams, unreliable drivers, and in some cases a language barrier.
Whether you’re traveling with family, in large groups, or solo, the plethora of options can be overwhelming and at times downright confusing. Public transport is nearly non-existent, and then you run the gauntlet of having to deal with vendors on the beach looking for the next foreigner to overcharge.
A Nusa Penida adventure with Klook
We were able to take all these issues out of the equation when we went on a Nusa Penida day trip through Klook. For those that are not familiar with Klook, they are one of the biggest tour booking sites in the world. Klook has the extra advantage of a money-back guarantee if you have to change your plans for some reason.
Nusa Penida was made famous by Instagram shots such as this.
We settled on the Nusa Penida day trip with a photographer, yes our guide doubled as a photographer giving us the added bonus of someone capturing our amazing family travel moment for us. Having a photographer with you takes out all the hassle of worrying about getting great pics during your best day trip to Nusa Penida. After the Nusa Penida tour package, you will get access to all the digital copies of the amazing photo taken.
Nusa Penida in one day
The Nusa Penida tour guide for Klook (in our case, his name was Putu), along with a driver will pick you up at your hotel in a car suitable for your traveling group. For our day trip to Nusa Penida that was 7:30am because we were staying in Sanur.
Pickup times will vary by where you are staying in Bali as you have to catch the 8am fast boat to Nusa Penida for your Nusa Penida day trip.
The Port of Sanur is best described as chaotic. You will find a row of booths selling tickets to Nusa Penida with what seems like hundreds of people scrambling to get tickets to the boats powered by 5 giant outboard motors off the back lined up along the beach.
When you arrive for your Nusa Penida day trip with Klook you breeze past the chaos straight to your boat, all with the help of your personal Klook guide.
Traveling from Bali to Nusa Penida can only be done by boat
Boarding the boat is where the Nusa Penida day trip fun begins! Much like a military beach landing, you must judge the waves right as you step up on the back of the boat to avoid getting too wet. It’s the sort of organized madness you only see in Asia but it is made easier with the help of the men manning the boat. They help you climb aboard and if you have luggage they load it on for you.
In happier news, the Government is currently building a proper harbor at Sanur which will alleviate the need to board the boats from the beach through the waves.
Tips for boarding the boat to Nusa Penida:
- Remove your shoes
- Try to stick together for boarding
- Listen to the men helping you
- Don’t rush or be rushed by other travelers
- Have all electronics in waterproof bags
- Wear shorts or clothes than can get wet
- Bring a travel towel to dry off if you need
Once on board, you can either sit downstairs in the rows of seats provided, or you can climb a ladder attached to the side of the boat and sit upstairs. The sometimes rocky boat ride to Penida takes between 45 minutes to 1 hour.
A word of warning you will get wet if you sit at the back of the boat near the motors.
The boat to Nusa Penida.
Arrival at Nusa Penida
The Penida boats are reversed into shore at Toyapakeh Nusa Penida Port. People disembark once again trying to avoid the waves and scurry up the beach to be met by drivers, tour operators, and people selling sarongs and sunglasses. Putu from Klook Bali who was already off the boat and waiting for us directed us to our new driver Made, who will take you to all the best sites on Nusa Penida with Klook.
Our driver Made and guide Putu explained that the first stop on the tour would be Angel Billabong and Broken Beach. Driving through the main street at Toyapakeh you pass stalls, restaurants, guest houses, and more tourists as you head into the hills of Nusa Penida. The shops and people give way to forests and luxury villas in the mountains to the epic Nusa Penida beaches.
Nusa Penida day trips include the best locations for pictures.
Angel Billabong
After reaching Angel Billabong, our driver Made got us to the best spots to get memorable photos. Made took photos with our mobile phone as well as some short videos while Putu took pictures with his bigger DSLR camera.
The Nusa Penida Angel Billabong is a breathtaking location on the island of Nusa Penida. The ocean is a deep blue and the cliffs are high, making it a popular tourist spot on Nusa Penida. The photos taken here are simply stunning.
Broken Beach Nusa Penida
Just a few hundred meters away is the popular Broken Beach, which you easily walk to from the Angel Billabong. In reality, you can not swim at or even get to this Nusa Penida beach here, but it makes for amazing memories in the form of photos.
Part of a cliff face has given way forming that has created a small cove. Nusa Penida Broken Beach is a great place to watch the waves crash on the rocks and have some wonderful pictures taken.
You will also find plenty of places between Angel Billabong and Broken Beach to stop and have a drink, or purchase one if you need to while you explore Nusa Penida.
Posing for pictures on the Nusa Penida Island Tour.
Lunch on the Nusa Penida day trip
By this time it was nearing mid-day so we headed to lunch at Restaurant Penida. There were lots of people doing the same sort of Nusa Penida day trip eating here and it was a popular spot. The restaurant had a good choice of meals and we had chicken satay, potato curry, and crispy Ayam for lunch which filled us up for the rest of our Nusa Penida trip.
We spent around 30 minutes having lunch which was enough time for us. There wasn’t a set time frame and we found our drivers before heading off to the number 1 attraction on Nusa Penida.
Kelingking Beach
Kelingking Beach is probably the reason you are visiting Nusa Penida beaches. It is the location of thousands of popular Instagram photos and adverts for exploring Nusa Penida. You will find people posing on cliff tops stairs leading to the Kelingking beach and on the beach itself, and believe me some photo locations at Kelingking are breathtaking.
This Nusa Penida Beach at Kelingking is the most popular.
For those who want to head to the bottom of Kelingking Beach, the walk is around a 2-hour return, so you will have to check with your guide to see if time allows for you to visit this Nusa Penida beach. I would not even consider this unless you are very fit and healthy as the steps are steep and can be dangerous.
Our guides Putu and Made got us into position near the steps to catch the iconic picture at Kelingking Beach. The blue waters, the cliff faces, and sunny skies make these images great memories of our Klook day trip to Nusa Penida.
Pictures of us as a family will be put on canvas and hold pride of place in our home for years to come. The best thing about having experienced guides is they are in the know. Made then took us away from all the people and along an adjacent cliff face for more great images from our Nusa Penida day trip. Be aware there will be crowds at most of the sites.
There are plenty of shops between the car park and where the best pictures of Kelingking Beach are taken. We took this opportunity to grab ourselves and our guides some ice creams to cool down since it was nearly 30 degrees.
Crystal Bay
The last stop on our Klook Nusa Penida day trip tour was at Crystal Bay,
For this one you can bring your bathers and have a swim, or go snorkeling if time allows, Crystal Bay reminded me of the Virgin Beach in Bali. It is set in a picturesque cove with a sandy beach, sun lounges with umbrellas, restaurants, and bars bring your food and drinks while you relax.
Nusa Penida diving with a snorkel can be done with equipment hired from off-the-beach stalls.
Crystal Bay is a popular Nusa Penida beach.
The crystal clear waters look so inviting and the rocky outcrop in the water gives it the feeling of being in Thailand. Our kids enjoyed paddling in the water and having some fun winding down on this Nusa Penida day trip. We took the time to chat with Putu our guide and learn some about his life in Bali while enjoying some cool drinks beside the water.
Crystal Bay is certainly popular with the young crowd and day trippers from Bali as well as people who are staying in Nusa Penida accommodation close to the beach. After enjoying the afternoon sun on the beach we headed back to catch our boat back to Bali. Putu had a driver waiting for us in Sanur who dropped us back at our hotel where we started 9.5 hours earlier. Why did we choose a Nusa Penida day trip?
Sitting on the beach at Sanur in Bali, we have always gazed out at that island on the horizon. If you are at the beach early the sun rises nicely over the hills on Nusa Penida as it lights up the vast holiday island of Bali. It has left us wondering what draws people there, what makes them return, and what epic locations it would have in store for any visitor.
Also, some of the most amazing pictures of Kelingking Beach and other Nusa Penida beaches made us take the plunge and choose a Nusa Penida day trip.
Top tips for visiting Nusa Penida
We found it to be much hotter on our Nusa Penida trip than Bali as there is no shade when visiting these locations. You will find shops selling drinks etc at Broken Beach, so make sure you stay hydrated and put on some sunscreen for this tour on Nusa Penida. We spent around an hour or so at Angel Billabong and the Nusa Penida Broken Beach.
The Nusa Penida Islands are picturesque
The roads on Penida are not very good, to say the least, so the journey will be slow and filled with bumps and turns to avoid potholes and get around other cars.
Be aware that Nusa Penida is a very popular destination and there will be plenty of other people on the island doing the same set of sites you are. Be prepared to have to wait your turn for the best locations to get a picture. Your team from Klook will take you straight to the best spots, so hopefully, you will not have to wait too long.
Things to take with you to Nusa Penida sights:
Going on a day trip to Nusa Penida you should consider taking:
- Sunscreen
- Travel towel
- Smaller notes for the stalls
- Waterproof bag
- Hat
- Sarong
Is Nusa Penida worth visiting?
We totally enjoyed our day trip to Nusa Penida, it had a real feel of an Asian experience from boarding the boats off the beach, to jostling for the best selfie positions. This Nusa Penida Tour and travel with Klook gives you a real look at the scenic highlights of Penida and Klook are the best people to book with.
The outstanding tour guide Putu and our driver Made were first class. They knew their jobs well and did what they could to make exploring Nusa Penida amazing for us all. Book with Klook today!
We hope this article from us here at Wyld Family Travel has you inspired to visit Nusa Penida with Klook. There are so many things to do in Bali that will have you entertained for your family’s whole stay, and a trip to Penida should be at the top of your list.
This guest post is contributed by Mark from wyldfamilytravel.com.
