Author: Matt and Danielle
15 May 2023
Bali is a tropical paradise in Indonesia known for being one of the most Instagrammable islands in the world. It's a dreamy place full of natural beauty, amazing people, delicious food and incredible things to do. Mainland Bali is popular enough, but did you know about the other three Nusa Islands off the coast?
The Nusa Islands, although not connected to mainland Bali, are still part of Bali. It's a trio of islands about 40 km off the coast, which you can either see as part of a day tour or stay on for a few days. We would recommend staying on each, as it gives you the perfect amount of time to see all the beauty these islands offer...and there is a lot of it! Just arriving into somewhere like Nusa Penida will give you Jurassic Park vibes with the tall cliffs covered in greenery.
Here is our Nusa Islands guide full of everything you need to know to get the most out of your trip to this incredible part of Bali.
Nusa Penida is the main island of the 3 Nusa Islands. It's the largest, so schedule more time here as it can take an hour or so to visit things on the opposite side of the island. You can do a day trip from Bali however, we would recommend staying for 3 or 4 days if you want to explore the island properly. Here is everything you need to know about your trip to Nusa Penida.
The only way to get to the Nusa islands is by speedboat or ferry from Bali. It takes around 30-40 minutes and costs between 100,000 IDR to 200,000 IDR (£5-£10). There are a few different places you can catch a boat from in Bali, with the most popular route being through Sanur Beach Harbour. If you want to look at other options then check 12Go for more routes that may be closer to you.
Now that you know how to get there, here are all the things to do in Nusa Penida Island when you arrive!
This has to be at the top of your Nusa Penida bucket list as it's by far the most popular spot on the island. This famous viewpoint is one of the most Instagrammed places on the planet!
The island and beach below are often likened to a T-rex, which is likely due to the island's resemblance to somewhere like Jurassic Park. The view from the top is always full of people looking to get 'the shot', but few make their way down the steps. If you want the iconic photo from the very top then make sure to get there early, and still be prepared to queue! If you're willing to compromise and get a different picture, then walk down 20 or 30 steps and the crowds with get thinner and thinner. Eventually, you will have a spot all to yourself like we did!
If you keep going down further then you may even be one of the very few who make it all the way to the bottom. It's around 45 minutes down to the beach, and then you have to climb back up again. It's not easy and requires some rock climbing at times, but the beach at the bottom is breathtaking, and you are likely to have it all to yourself. Be wary when swimming in the water here. The current is very strong so don't go in any deeper than waist height.
Another popular place with beautiful views from the cliff tops. Like many spots around the island, you will need to go down a fair few steps to make it to the beach at the bottom. If you want the famous picture from halfway down the steps then it's best to get there early in the morning. If you do so then there should be fewer people walking up and down in the background of your photos. It's an easier walk down to the beach than Kelingking, and one of the most amazing beaches on the island. No trip to the Nusa Islands would be complete without a stop here!
This is one of our favourite places to visit on the island, and unlike a lot of the others, the walk down to it is easy! The Thousand Island Viewpoint is a must at the top. If you're happy to wait around for an hour or so then you can also get some dreamy pictures at the treehouse. This tree house is a little rickety and you can't stay there, but it makes for some amazing pictures!
If you're staying on the West side of the island then this will take a while to reach as it's on the East side of Nusa Penida. Getting there for sunrise would be difficult in this case, unless you booked a night closer by.
Tembling is a much less visited beach on Nusa Penida because the drive to get there is a little treacherous. There are guides at the top and bottom who will drive you up and down for a fee, or if you're confident on a scooter you can tackle it yourself. It's a narrow path down through the mountains, but if you're slow and careful you should be okay. At the bottom, there is a small rainforest, some natural springs and a beautiful beach. There are people who sell drinks, coconuts and snacks so you can relax here for a while.
Manta Point has to be included in your Nusa Islands Itinerary. You can snorkel here, or scuba dive and you have a very good chance at seeing manta rays! There is a cleaning station here for the mantas and we saw two or three on our scuba diving tour. If you are there between July to October then you could even see Mola Mola (AKA sunfish). You're more likely to see these when scuba diving, as it's rare they would come close enough to the surface to see them while snorkelling.
It's a great place to dive, and an amazing day out!
Although not really a waterfall, this is one of the most unique and incredible spots in Nusa Penida. There are several hundred blue steps down the cliff face towards a rockpool at the bottom. If you have a fear of heights then this could trigger that fear as you stand on the steps with a clear view all the way to the waves below. You can see them between the gaps in the steps as they crash against the base of the cliffs. If you can get past that, and work your way down then the rewards are fantastic!
At the bottom, you can relax in a natural pool and watch as those same waves crash against the rocks, but this time right in front of you. If the current is particularly strong then the waves could easily spill into the pool, so be careful when you're there! You will need to wear a sarong (which you can buy at the top if you don't have one) to access Peguyangan.
This is somewhere with more incredible views from the top of the cliffs around the coast of Nusa Penida. There are a few different lookouts here, but the main one is of the 'broken' Bridgeway. You can see straight away when you arrive. It's not somewhere that will take up much of your time, but a great view to stop off at.
A nice, easy-to-reach beach where you can rest up after all the treks down the cliffs you will have likely done by now! You can ride right up to the beach, and spend a day here snorkelling and sunbathing. We saw lots of turtles while snorkelling here, but be very careful of the current. If you're looking at the ocean then stay on the left side, otherwise, the current can take you out a little too far. The water here is clear, beautiful, refreshing and inviting. You can also buy food and drinks, so it's easy to spend a few hours or even a day here.
Where to stay on Nusa Penida: The West side of the island is the place to stay in Nusa Penida as it's the most popular part of the island. There are a bunch of restaurants and accommodation options here that will suit a variety of budgets. We recently stayed at The Banana House, which is in a great location and price. Check here for other accommodation options too.
Where to eat: There are a bunch of great places to eat around Nusa Penida. Our Favourites are:
How to get around: As always we love exploring places on our own schedule by hiring a scooter. People may tell you the roads in Nusa Penida are terrible, but many of them have been mended and they are now quite good. If you aren't confident on a scooter then you can hire a driver during your stay. If you've booked a day trip to Nusa Penida, your transport will be included in the tour.
The best time to visit: The Dry season is the best time to visit the Nusa Islands in Bali, which is from May to September. You won't be guaranteed amazing weather, but you give yourself the best chance at least!
That covers all the amazing things to do on Nusa Penida! Now it's time to look at Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan.
While Nusa Penida is the largest of the three islands, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan still have so much to offer! If you are doing a Nusa Penida tour then you will likely miss out on these two smaller islands. If you have the time then 7 days on the Nusa Islands would allow you to explore them all so well.
These two islands are much smaller and connected by a yellow bridge. This means it doesn't matter which island you stay on because you can see both super easily! One of the best things about Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Lembongan is that it's much quieter than Nusa Penida. If you're looking for somewhere a little bit slower-paced, and more laidback then these could be the islands for you.
Here is our guide to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan.
This natural wonder on Nusa Lembongan is also the best spot on the island for an epic sunset. It's a place on the Southeast side of the island and right on the cliffs. You can stand or sit here and watch as the waves crash against the rocks below. The amazing thing about The Devil's Tears is that the powerful waves force themselves into a cave in the rocks. This causes pressure to build and build, and after a short while the water then forces itself back out in the form of a huge spray! It's amazing to see.
If you love activities and exploring then kayaking through the mangrove forest is one for you. It's full of great sights, and you can work your way through the snake-like paths back out to the open ocean. We rented a kayak and had so much fun guiding ourselves through the beautiful forest.
This is the yellow bridge that connects Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Ceningan. It's a great bridge for some colourful and vibrant pictures if you can find a spot in between the traffic where no one is in the background. A short cruise across gives you some amazing ocean views too.
Blue Lagoon on Nusa Ceningan Island is a beautiful lookout over the ocean from high atop the cliffs. You can stop by Klyf Club for some lunch or a drink, and look at the incredible views from the bar perched right on the cliffs. From this view, at the far end of Blue Lagoon, you can see a spot from which you can jump off the cliffs. It's a 13-meter jump into the ocean below. We managed to jump...but it took a while to build up the courage!
Top Tip: There is now supposedly a person there who advises when it is safe to jump based on whether the tide is far enough in. We didn't know this at the time as there was no one there due to the island being very quiet towards the end of covid etc. Always be safe when cliff jumping!
How to get around: The same as with everywhere else, we find it best to rent a scooter. That way you can explore on your own schedule and work through your perfect Nusa Islands itinerary at your own pace. If you aren't comfortable riding a scooter then you can hire a driver.
Where to stay: Our Nusa Islands trip was a very different experience from most. We visited in late 2021 when people weren't travelling due to covid. This meant a lot of accommodations, restaurants and bars had closed while they waited for more tourists. That limited our options, but we did still stay somewhere that we would recommend. 221 Garden Cottages was a lovely little place and at a very reasonable price. Check here for other accommodation options in Nusa Lembongan.
Where to eat: We will need to update this section in a few months when we have visited again. As mentioned above things were very different when we visited these islands. over 90% of the restaurants on the island were shut, so we don't have recommendations...just yet!
Best time to visit: Same as above, between May to September. These islands are close to each other, and very close to Bali so they share the same climate.
Looking for more information on different places in Bali? Check out our other blogs and guides here.
Have we given you the travel bug? Book your flights, accommodation and travel insurance all here.
This blog may contain affiliate links. If you book or buy something through these links, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you).
Travel