If you’ve only got one day in Nusa Penida, or are planning a one day adventure close to mainland Bali, this is for you.
Want to have an all day adventure whilst ticking off the best things Penida has to offer? We’ve got you covered.
Getting to Nusa Penida from Nusa Lembongan
8AM the boat left to Penida. It cost 150IDR for a return ticket. We got on our boat from Lembongan. Easy to get to just grab a ride down to the yellow bridge and then grab a ticket and boat from there. Apparently it is actually cheaper if you board from Cennigan rather than Lembongan but I can’t confirm this. Boat ride is about 10-15 minutes if you don’t have to wait for others to board.
Once landed it’s super easy to get transport or a scooter. We got a scooter with a full tank for 80k IDR.
The most incredible temple in the world
First destination was Putri Goa Giri. Heading North. A Hindu temple set inside a cave. It’s about a 25/30minute drive North from the port and a really nice drive through Penida. If you haven’t got a sorong, you can rent one for 5k IDR. Once you head up the stairs the entrance of the cave you’ll be required to leave a donation of whatever you think is appropriate. Then you’ll sign in, get blessed and head down into the cave.
The cave itself is incredible. Although the entrance is not for those that don’t like small confided spaces. You’ll be required to scrambled, dodge and dive through the entrance to get into the cave itself. Incredible how from such a small entrance is one of the biggest caves I have ever been in. Once inside people don’t seem to mind you wandering around whilst they’re praying. Stick to the marked paths, keep your noise down and enjoy the incredible underground temple of the Goa Giri. For me this is a must see as it was definitely my highlight of our time on Penida.
Atuh Beach
Back on the bike and our next stop was Atuh beach. Another 25/30 minute journey along the beautiful Penida coast. If you’re following google maps you will go WRONG. It’ll lead you to another beach, which is a 2km dirt road that isn’t all that fun. Once you’re close to your google destination look for signs to Atuh Beach. It’s a paved road all the way to the top of the stairs of the trek down to the beach. Atuh Beach is on your right as you head to park your scooter. You can see the famous archway and some incredible steps from the opposite side. The trek down the stairs is pretty steep and the stairs aren’t exactly what you’d find at home but it’s only a short walk down to an incredible beach. Once down on the beach there are plenty of people offering sun beds and drinks, so take your pick and relax in what hopefully is a secluded beach for you!
The Famous T Rex Beach
From Atuh we headed to Kelingking Beach which is the famous T. rex shaped formation with an incredible beach in its cove. It’s a decent hour/hour and a bit drive but in classic Bali fashion, scenic and fun. Parking at kelingking was 5k, smile and pay as it’s 100% worth the time you’d spend here. You’ve seen the typical Instagram shots and go grab it for yourself but for me and as recommended by Jackson Groves (www.journeyera.com) if you head up the path instead of down it and follow the cliff edge you’ll get in my opinion the best view of the beach and the T. rex head. We actually spent around 30-40 minutes here without a single person joining us. Take a right, head up the path, follow the cliff and sit and watch Manta Rays roll in the waves beneath you.
Angels Billabong and Broken Beach
Next stop was going to be Angels Billabong and Broken Beach. Another rough and bumpy ride through but totally worth it. Word of warning if you’re not confident driving on a scooter on mainland Bali you’re going to be challenged on Nusa Penida. Small rocks, rough roads, bumps the works. It’s not a comfortable ride in the slightest. But take your time, be confident and have fun! Another 5K IDR parking fee for Angels Billabong and Broken Beach. But oh my, was it worth it. Angels Billabong is dependant on the tide times, so if you’re lucky and visit on low tide then you’ll be presented with quite possibly the most incredible infinity pool in the world.
Heading back to the port
Unfortunately we were running out of time so decided to head back instead of rushing round to Broken Beach. We were told the last boat out of Penida to Lembongan was at 5PM, so we rushed back with an hour to go on the clock. The ride from Billabong back to the harbour is rough. Especially if you’re racing against the clock to make it back to your boat. Fortunately, not so as my scooter driving is fantastic, we made it back with 10 minutes to spare.
But in classic fashion the last boat had left early…
…not to worry though as boats were still heading out.
It would seem boats set off later than the original 5PM time so don’t worry if you don’t make it like we did. In summary, Penida has a lot to explore. The itinerary laid out above is what we wanted to see in the 8ish Hours we had on the island. If you have one day on Penida this is a great way to see all of the famous spots. If we were to go back (we are) then we will be definitely staying on the island and exploring for a couple of days. Penida is SO big and has SO much to offer that it’s a seemingly impossible task to see it all in 10 hours.