If you’re looking to get from Bali to Nusa Penida then you don’t have a huge number of options for doing so.
There’s no airport in Nusa Penida and thus, you’re looking at a boat trip to get there either on a fast boat or with a ferry ticket that will get you there, but a bit more slowly.
Our guide to the journey from Bali to Nusa Penida will give you all the information you need to get to Nusa Penida and enjoy the manta rays at Manta Point, Crystal Bay, Broken Beach, Kelingking Beach, Angel’s Billabong and all the other attractions in Nusa Penida.
Which Parts Of Bali Have Boats Leaving For Nusa Penida?
There are ferry terminals in Sanur (on Sanur Beach) and in Padang Bai. You will also find most fast boat services run from these two ports, though there are fast boats that run from other parts of the island which are operated by private tour operators.
So, for example, you will find that a fast boat departs from Nusa Dua to serve the guests of the hotels in that area.
How To Get To Nusa Penida By Ferry
The cheapest way to get to Nusa Penida is on the ferry. The ferry out of Sanur runs every half hour throughout the day and sometimes even more frequently.
There are also two services each day from Padang Bai that run in the late afternoon. This is the Eka Jaya Fast Boat service, even though it’s not that fast and takes up to an hour.
We’d recommend that you book your ticket online or through the Bali Res Centre (see the FAQs for their contact details) rather than trying to arrange it on the day.
It’s much easier to arrive with the proof of booking and just get on a boat than to run the gauntlet of touts, etc.
You can arrange a hotel pickup with these services through Bali Res Centre and it makes it much easier to get to the ports.
We recommend leaving early to get to the port as the ferries will not wait for you when they’re ready to go – they go.
How To Get To Nusa Penida By Fast Boat
If you want to opt for a fast boat, they leave both ports on a regular basis and they can also go from other parts of the island.
You will need to book in advance for these services and they tend to be quite frequent in the dry season, though less so in the rainy season.
It’s not essential to use a fast boat as the ferry trip is only an hour long but you will save some time on a fast boat and arrive in 20-30 minutes.
We should note that it doesn’t cost much more than a ferry and you won’t spend much more than 250,000 IDR unless you have some sort of special request that the operator has to fulfil.
Nusa Penida Day Tours
You can also enjoy day tours to the island and Angel Billabong Fast Cruise, Arjuna Fast Boat, Gangga Express, Gili Getaway and many other services provide coach tours to Penida Island.
It’s worth noting, however, that means a fixed itinerary and no chance of visiting Nusa Lembongan or Ceningan, the other two islands near Penida.
If you can only squeeze in a single day in this part of Bali, then it’s better than nothing but we’d recommend taking your time and it’s definitely worth seeing Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan if you can too.
Can You Get To The Other Nusa Islands From Nusa Penida?
Yes. You can get to Nusa Lembongan on a small local boat service that runs from the main harbour in Penida.
It’s not expensive (about 50,000 IDR – that’s $3 USD or $5 AUD) and the service is reliable and efficient.
You get the tickets on the beach at the entrance to Toya Pakeh Harbour and there is no fixed schedule for departure, it leaves when there are enough people there waiting to go.
The final trip is around 4 p.m. each day, so you want to get there earlier in the afternoon if you want to be certain of getting to Nusa Lembongan.
Be warned, your luggage is likely to get splashed with sea water on this journey, so make sure you’re not carrying anything likely to get damaged by water.
If you want to visit Ceningan Island, you can walk or take a motorbike to the other island from Lembongan as they’re connected by the famous Yellow Bridge.
Can You Get To The Gili Islands From Nusa Penida?
Yes, you can get a ride to the Gili Islands from Penida but we would note that this journey can be very rough and takes much longer than the trip from Bali to Penida.
The fastest boats can do this trip in 2 hours and the ferries take 3 hours or more.
The journey is more expensive than the one from Bali to Penida too and prices range from 300,000-700,000 IDR (that’s about $20-50 USD and $30-$70 AUD).
However, it’s definitely more convenient to head to Gili Trawangan from here than return to Bali and then get a boat from there.
How Do You Get To Nusa Penida From Bali?
You can either take a fast boat or a ferry to Nusa Penida from Bali. The ferries leave from Sanur Port and Padang Bai and there are various fast boat services around Bali.
How Long Is The Boat Ride From Bali To Nusa Penida?
The fast boat to Nusa Penida from Bali takes about 20-30 minutes and the ferry can take up to an hour.
The journey is usually uneventful and while it is possible to get caught in choppy weather, particularly in the wet season, the short nature of the journey means that you’re unlikely to be too troubled by the sea conditions.
We should note that this is not always true if you’re taking the longer journey from Bali to the Gili Islands, that journey can be very rough, indeed.
Can Nusa Penida Be Done In A Day? Is One Day Enough For Nusa Penida?
Can you visit Nusa Penida from Bali in a single day? Yes, you can see some of the highlights on the island and there are plenty of day tours from Bali to make that happen.
However, we don’t think that one day is enough to see the whole of the island or to explore its companion islands Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan.
We’d recommend taking 2 or 3 days in Nusa Penida to really enjoy everything the island has to offer and it’s best around sunset when all the day tours leave the island and you get Nusa Penida almost all to yourself.
Is It Worth Visiting Nusa Penida?
Yes! Nusa Penida is a very beautiful place and it’s one of the few places on earth where you can swim with manta rays or see the mola-mola (giant sunfish).
It’s home to some lovely spots too such as Crystal Bay, Atuh Beach, Thousand Island Viewpoint and more.
The relaxed pace of life on Nusa Penida gives a lovely contrast to busy Bali and the fast boat trip to Nusa Penida is so short that it’s not going to eat into your day very much.
Is Nusa Penida Safe?
Yes! In fact, it’s probably even safer than mainland Bali which is a very safe spot.
Can You Do A Day Trip To Nusa Penida From Bali?
Yes, in fact there are many companies that offer day tours to Nusa Penida such as Angel Billabong Fast Cruise, Arjuna Fast Boat, Axe Stone Fast Cruise, Eka Jaya Fast Boat, etc.
However, as we’ve said above, Nusa Penida is an amazing place and if you want to see all the best beaches and visit nearby Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan too, you’ll want more than a day there.
It’s only a short trip from Bali on a fast boat, but we’d spend 2-3 days in and around Nusa Penida at a minimum.
There are only two ferry ports that serve Nusa Penida the first is the port on Sanur Beach (Jalan Matahari Terbit or Sanur Port) and the second is Kusamba Port near Padang Bai.
Ferries arrive in Nusa Penida at Sampalan which is the only ferry port on the island.
The fast boat can arrive at any of Toyapakeh, Buyuk or Sampalan harbours depending on which company you choose to get to Nusa Penida with.
How Much Is The Ferry From Nusa Dua To Nusa Penida?
There are several options for ferry tickets and thus, the ticket price varies a little bit but you can expect to pay around 180,000 IDR (that’s about $12 USD or $18 AUD) at a minimum for a ferry from Nusa Dua to Nusa Penida.
The most you are likely to pay is 270,000 IDR (that’s $18 USD or $27 AUD).
It’s worth noting that if you want to bring a scooter with you to the island,t then the ferry is the only option as you cannot get a bike on board a fast boat.
Does Grab Work In Nusa Penida?
No. In fact, neither Grab nor Gojek services are available in Nusa Penida. This is a bit annoying for many visitors to the island as you may well find that getting around Nusa Penida is quite expensive if you want to use a local driver.
Annoyingly, because Nusa Penida is a pretty big island, there are often no hotel transfers or pick-ups from the local dive resorts.
That means you need to function the cost of transport into a trip to Nusa Penida and not just the ticket prices for the boats that bring you to the island and its beautiful beaches.
How To Book A Trip To Nusa Penida?
We’d recommend that you book your trip to Nusa Penida through the Bali Res Centre.
They can arrange everything from your fast boat tickets to your accommodation and any tours that you might want to undertake while you’re there.
As a locally owned and operated travel service, they can get great deals in flights, hotels, etc. too.
Final Thoughts On Get From Bali To Nusa Penida Island
Nusa Penida is only about an hour from Bali but it’s a very different place and you can get a pick up and drop off at your Bali hotel to a fast boat that takes you right there.
If you’d like to experience the classic laid-back island life and some of the most spectacular beaches in Indonesia, it’s very much worth getting out to Nusa Penida during your Bali holiday.
