With the Trex rock becoming insta-famous, most Bali itineraries now include a Nusa Penida day trip.
During my first visit to the island in 2018, I did the usual West Nusa Penida route, which was Kelingking Beach – Angel’s Billabong – Broken Beach – Crystal Bay.
However in 2022, I decided to pay East Nusa Penida a visit and decided on this route — Diamond Beach – Molenteng Tree House – Kelingking Beach. We kept Kelingking Beach in the itinerary as my friend has never been to Nusa Penida before and the Trex rock is definitely a must see for first-time visitors.
Getting to Nusa Penida from Bali
To get to Nusa Penida, you’ll have to catch a 40-minute ferry that leaves from Sanur Port. Most ferries leave around 7–8am and do remember to take traffic jam into account as well. It takes about 40 minutes to get to Sanur Port from Seminyak via car without traffic.
Read: How to get to Nusa Penida from Bali
West Nusa Penida
Most Nusa Penida tours will bring you to West Nusa Penida by default because Kelingking Beach is the west and is a must-see. Sights of West Nusa Penida includes Kelingking Beach, Angel’s Billabong, Broken Beach and Crystal Bay.
Kelingking Beach
Kelingking Beach is home to the famous T-rex rock, which I’m sure everyone has come across pictures of. Kelingking Beach is also a spot not to be missed if it’s your first time on Nusa Penida.
I would totally recommend going down to the beach, if you have time, but do note that it’s a very steep climb down and would take about 40 minutes one way (probably more when climbing up). Bring proper hiking or covered shoes at least if you plan on going down to the beach. I once tried climbing down in flip flops and ended up just going barefoot (I didn’t make it all the way down, we didn’t have enough time, sadly).
Entrance fee: 10,000 IDR for carpark
Angel’s Billabong
Angel’s Billabong is a tidal pool, known for its natural infinity pool. Besides being able to take a dip here, the cliff formation is also stunning. The clear waters at this spot allow you to see the patterns and textures of the rocks in the water.
If you do choose to take a dip here, do take note of the tides. It can get pretty dangerous and there have been cases of serious injuries at this spot.
Entrance fee: 10,000 IDR for carpark
Angel’s Billabong and Broken Beach shares a carpark so you can visit both spots at once.
Broken Beach
Broken Beach (Pasih Uug) is a short 5-minute walk from Angel’s Billabong. It’s Balinese name translates to ‘damaged beach’ and as the name suggests, there isn’t actually a beach here you can get to. However, you can marvel at the beautiful arch formation and clear blue waters.
Crystal Bay
Crystal Bay is a popular snorkelling and diving location as you can often see turtles in the water here. If you’re diving, there’s also a chance you’ll get to see a Mola Mola between July and October. There are snorkelling equipment for rent at the beach for around 50,000 IDR, or you can also get your tour guide to arrange for it.
If the water is not for you, you can also hang under a parasol with snacks from the warungs on the beach.
Entrance fee: 5,000 IDR for carpark
East Nusa Penida
Famous spots on East Nusa Penida include Diamond Beach, Molenteng Tree House, Atuh Beach and Teletubbies Hill. As I only visited Diamond Beach and Molenteng Tree House, I can only share my experiences for these spots.
Diamond Beach
Located on the eastern end of the island, Diamond Beach is not on the usual Nusa Penida day trip itineraries as it is at least an hour’s drive from the ferry ports which are in the west. In my opinion, the views at Diamond Beach rivals that of those at Kelingking Beach, and similarly, there is a steep flight of stairs here that leads down to a white-sand beach. However, unlike Kelingking Beach, the hike down to the beach here only takes about 15 minutes.
Although this may not be on the usual day-tripper’s itinerary, Diamond Beach still gets really crowded. When we visited at 11am, we could hardly find a spot on the stairs for a photo.
Do also note that the walk from the carpark to the viewpoint is on a slope, which felt pretty steep for me (but I am really unfit).
Entrance fee: 10,000 IDR for carpark
Molenteng Tree House
The Molenteng Tree House, also known as Rumah Pohon Treehouse, is a short drive from Diamond Beach but this is more of an area with man-made photo spots. This photo spots here include a swing, a bird-nest looking seat and of course, the tree house. You have to pay 70,000 IDR to take photos at the tree house and top up 70,000 IDR for the other 2 attractions.
It is a steep 15-minute climb down to get to the tree house. You can stop by along the way to take pictures at the swing and nest if you have paid for them.
My biggest gripe about this location is that you only get 5 minutes to take a picture at the tree house. There is a staff member that sets a timer on his phone which rings once your time is up. I understand that this is for crowd control, but paying so much and having to climb all the way down made this spot a real let down. I’d say only visit if you really want a picture with the tree house, or if you have not gotten a photo with any swings in Bali.
Entrance fee: 70,000 IDR for tree house, +70,000 IDR for swing and nest
Getting around Nusa Penida
I’d recommend hiring a driver for the day. Not only will it be more comfortable, the driver can also ensure you get back to the port in time to catch the ferry back to Bali. The price to get a private driver for a day ranges between 500,000 to 700,000 IDR.
You can also choose to rent a scooter, which would be a much cheaper option and you can get a scooter for as little as 50,000 – 100,000 IDR a day. However, it can be dangerous as there are some roads that aren’t that smooth and well paved, so you should only choose the scooter option if you’re very confident in your scootering skills.
