6 convincing reasons to visit Nusa Penida: Is it worth it?

The Nusa Islands are located Southeast of Bali. The most popular among the three islands is Nusa Penida, sometimes known as Bali’s little sister. Nusa Penida is an absolute dream destination in Indonesia and a must-do while visiting Bali. While most tourists simply decide to book a day-tour, Nusa Penida can best be explored if you stay on the island for some days. And yet, in the past years tourism really took its toll on the island. Where once was a beautiful beach only reachable through numerous stairs, there will soon be an elevator taking people down into the bay. Is Nusa Penida still worth it? This guide will share the best reasons to visit Nusa Penida, despite its massive change.

It’s more of a local experience compared to Bali

While Bali is very much controlled by the many tourists, Nusa Penida is more local. Surely, the hotspots such as the Kelingking Beach are crowded (and this will even get worse in the future), but the hotels and the restaurants invite you to experience the island from another perspective. Tourism is not as present in every corner on Nusa Penida as it is on Bali and this allows you to have a special experience.

The local villages give you a better insight into what life on the island is really like and some beaches are still really quiet and more or less remote. You can find traditional hotels and home stays on Nusa Penida, which allow you to connect with the people and get to know more about their perspective. The restaurants are run by locals and even though, you will meet many tourists, the island still has this special and unique character. If Bali is too busy for you, you will for sure love Nusa Penida right away!

I have visited Nusa Penida first in 2018. For sure, the experience back then is totally different to what it will be if you visit it now. But still, I am convinced that Nusa Penida has still its local and original character. It is more laid-back than Bali and will allow you to explore a little bit off the beaten path.

It is fairly easy to travel to

From Bali, it is one of the easiest journeys. The boat trip to Nusa Penida takes about 40 minutes. You can book a ticket from basically everywhere as most of the tourist centers sell them. The boats leave from the docks of Sanur, which is located on the eastern coast of Bali. You can also buy your ticket directly at the dock, which might save you some money. Most of the boats are known as speed boats and take you to Nusa Penida in the fastest way possible. Be aware of sea sickness though, the journey can be quite bumpy!

Arriving on Nusa Penida, you will most likely get picked up by your hotel or home stay. You can book a shuttle if a free service is not included. Taxis are not common on the island, so this is the best way to reach your accommodation. Compared to Lombok or the Gili Islands, Nusa Penida is easy (and shorter) to travel to and therefore a must-do for any traveller coming to Bali.

The beaches are insane

The beaches are definitely on top of the best reasons to visit Nusa Penida. The island is home to some of the most spectacular places Indonesia has to offer. The beach which made the island popular in the first place, is the Kelingking Beach. The T-Rex is one of the top places to visit on Nusa Penida. Even though, it has turned into a tourist hotspot pretty fast, it is always worth a visit. Make sure to arrive super early. This will help you avoid the crowds of the day tours coming from Bali around midday.

In 2024, they started building a glass elevator down to the beach. This will make the beach accessible for everyone. Before that, you could only reach the beach by climbing the numerous stairs down. As the path is quite challenging, you could still expect a pretty empty beach down there. This will for sure change with the new construction, but again: If you arrive early, you could still be lucky and enjoy this special place in peace. Because despite its popularity, it is an incredible piece of art from nautre.

Another sightseeing highlight is the Diamond Beach, in the Southeastern part of the island. Since 2019 the beach is open for the public and attracts the travellers. And hands down, this is probably one of the most beautiful beaches in all of South East Asia.

These are the best beaches on Nusa Pendia:

Kelingking Beach: Make sure to hike down to the beach around midday and come up long before it is getting dark. Swimming is forbidden and it is advised to respect this rule for your own safety.

Crystal Bay: The best place on Nusa Penida to enjoy the sunset and a Bintang. The beach is well-known for the beautiful plam tree forest and the clear water.

Diamond Beach: A beautiful scenery and a long beach – the Diamond Beach is not made for swimming though and you can only relax in the sand and enjoy the view!

Atuh Beach: The beach is located next to the Diamond Beach. You can rent a sun chair and enjoy some lunch after getting a cool-down in the ocean.

Nusa Pendia is home to beautiful nature and hidden spots

Are you a lover of the untouched nature? Of hidden places and deep jungle adventures? If this is what you are looking for on a trip, then Nusa Penida is your place to be. The island is known for its rather rough and partly untouched nature. If you are willing to explore off the beaten path, Nusa Penida will have some unexpected surprises for you!

Waterfalls, jungle walks and hidden beaches – these places can best be explored on your own. Hire yourself a scooter and off you go! Be aware of the bad road conditions on the island though and only drive as far as you feel safe to. Another option is to hire a driver who will take you down the steep roads into the hidden places. It is absolutely worth it and something only Nusa Penida has to offer!

The food is cheap and delicious

Welcome to foodie’s paradise! Same as Bali or other Indonesian destinations, Nusa Penida is known for its delicious cuisine. As more and more tourists came to visit the island, more restaurants began to open. Today, you get to choose between a great variety of different restaurants, cafés or Warung (the traditional Indonesian restaurant). An absolute highlight is the price in most of the places. You can enjoy a delicious lunch directly at the beach at Crystal Bay for just a few euros. Other cafés offer an amazing breakfast in a traditional way and in some of the bars in the main area, you can enjoy some cheap cocktails.

Nusa Penida does not only convince with beautiful views and paradise beaches, but as well with good food and an interesting culinary side. Do you really need any more best reasons to visit Nusa Penida?

It’s the perfect place for a more quiet vacation

And lastly on the list of best reasons to visit Nusa Penida: It’s the quiet and peaceful place you’re looking for. Compared to Bali, you can still find some tranquility on Nusa Penida. The best way to explore the island is to stay for a few nights. This will allow you to see all the highlights Nusa Penida has to offer, as well as getting to know the people and the place better. Plus, you can ideally combine it with visiting the other Nusa Islands as well. I recommend staying two to three nights on Nusa Penida and then take the boat to Nusa Lembongan. Here you can book yourself a nice stay and rent a scooter to explore both Lembongan and Ceningan.