Nusa Penida is an island on the southeast of Bali. With an area of 202 km² (78 sq. miles), Nusa Penida Bali is popular for its majestic beaches and scenery, including some hills and cliffs. This island is also surrounded by beautiful open water and has been very popular among divers for the sunfish or “mola mola” season between July and November.

Separated by the Badung Strait, it needs 45 minutes to ride on the speedboat from Sanur beach to reach Nusa Penida Bali. It is easy to get the boat tickets due to many boat companies lining up along Sanur Beach at the end of Hang Tuah street; you can buy either one way or return tickets. Each boat companies usually have speedboats which run two times daily, unless there are heavy rain and strong waves sometimes happening between December-January, making it too hazardous to take off. To get around the island, you can rent a car with a driver, going with the tour company, or rent a motorbike. Since there is only a few ATM on the entire island, make sure you bring enough cash, though most hotels and restaurants accept card payments.

Nusa Penida Bali Point of Interest

A lot of tour companies offering one to two-days private tour to Nusa Penida Island to explore some destinations and beaches around the island, such as:

Western part of Nusa Penida Bali:

Kelingking Beach
Broken Beach or Pasih Uug
Angel’s Billabong
Crystal Bay
Tembeling Beach and Forest
Peguyangan Waterfall

Eastern part of Nusa Penida Bali:

Pura Goa Giri Putri
Atuh Beach
The Tree House (Rumah Pohon)
Thousand Island Viewpoint
Molenteng Hills
Diamond Beach
Teletubbies Hills
Suwehan Beach
Thousand Islands Viewpoint

Scuba Diving in Nusa Penida Bali

With a strong current, Nusa Penida Bali has one of the most beautiful dive sites in Bali as the home for colorful reefs, manta rays, numerous pelagic fishes, including the legendary Oceanic Sunfish or also known as Mola Mola, one of the wonders of the deep. Nusa Penida Bali is lucky to be one of the best natural places to witness mola mola close by the island, because this species, which has a flattened body, usually lives in the open ocean. Mola mola, also known as a heaviest bony fish, is best seen on July to October when the water is quite cold. Although they like cold water, they usually would surface up from the deep to get warmed up in their cleaning station where reef fishes help them get rid of bothersome parasites, and that is when scuba divers could encounter them.

All dive centers around Bali usually has Nusa Penida as their diving destinations, including tons of dive site of toyapakeh, manta point, manta cave, crystal bay, GT point, gamat bay, malibu point, batu abah, SD point, ped, buyuk, etc.

Strong current in Nusa Penida Bali can be quite challenging for beginner divers to dive there. Therefore, it would be wise to discuss with local dive centers, and follow their recommendations regarding the suitable sites according to your diving level and experience.

Accommodations in Nusa Penida Bali

Nusa Penida Bali has wide option of accommodations on the island, such as Ananta Bungalows, Semabu Hills Resort, Hostel Nusa Penida, Pandawa Beach Resort, Asoka Bungalows, Penida Bay Village, Kompyang Cottage.