The Nusa Islands are a group of 3 islands about a 20-30 minute boat ride from Bali, Indonesia. Their official names are Nusa Lembongan (the most populated), Nusa Penida (the largest) and Nusa Cenigan (the smallest). Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Cenigan are connected by the cutest, skinniest yellow bridge. Robin and I spent two days exploring these islands and I would’ve loved at least 1 or 2 more days, if not more. It truly is a small paradise out there and we did some of my favorite things in all of Bali here.
I have a guide to Bali, the main island, that has all the best things do, eat, and stay. We visited Canggu, Ubud, Uluwatu, and Amed. So if you’re spending time there make sure you check it out. We loved experiencing Bali so much. The people are amazing, the country is beautiful and the culture is so different.
How to Get There
All of the ferry’s to the islands leave from Sanur, a city on Bali. You can book a ferry online or there will be many many people selling rides there on the beach. All of the ferry rides stop around 3-5 in the afternoon depending on which direction you are going. So if you have a later flight you will need to stay overnight in Sanur.
Our flight got delayed and so we missed our ferry, we got on a later one that was dropping off the ferry workers and they ended up taking us to the wrong island and it was frustrating and annoying. One of the fun parts of being in a foreign country where you don’t understand the locals well is when things go wrong. Or they try and take advantage of you, which does happen. I recommend just getting a cheap hotel and go in the morning.
Anyway, getting to Sanur from the airport in Denpasar is not to difficult but the traffic is HORRIBLE. so even though google maps says it will take 20 minutes it WILL take an hour. Just be sure to budget that in time wise. The ferry tickets cost about $45 each. They will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel if you book ahead of time too which is nice.
The Islands
Nusa Penida
So like I mentioned earlier this island is the biggest of the three but it is also the least populated with lots of remote villages and really bad roads. Traveling on the island is done almost exclusively by motorbike (moped). We rented one for the first time here and ended up getting a flat. But We figured it out and had an amazing time. Motorbikes should cost you between $4-$5 a day including gas for reference.
This island is definitely the one I wish we had much more time to explore. It is so large and so untouched by man there are so many amazing natural landmarks to see!
Crystal Bay
This was the first beach Robin and I headed to and it was gorgeous! Soft white sand in a moon shaped cay, the small cliffs in the water and off to the side add great backdrops for photos.
There was a small charge to park and use the beach (like less than a dollar U.S) this happened at several locations where locals stand at the entrance and you have to pay a small fee to park. I have no idea if this is legitimate or a way for the locals to make some extra money, either way it was small enough we just payed it each time.
Kelingking Beach
This was probably my favorite stop of the day and maybe even of our entire trip! The dino head formation is cool but the views from the top of this cliff are stunning! You can see for miles!
BRING TENNIS SHOES. The hike down to the beach is a must if you enjoy nearly empty pristine beaches but it is rocky and a bit sketchy at times. We did it being completely out of shape and wearing sandals so it is doable but better hiking shoes would’ve helped a lot.
The beach is the best part. Perfect soft white sand, HUGE waves, very few people. There are small caves you can use to get out of the sun when you burn as easily as my husband and I haha. Really its just the most perfect place to relax.
Broken Beach and Angels Billabong
Here we went to Broken Beach which is really just a picture spot more than anything but it is very beautiful. Definitely worth the stop if you have the time.
We didn’t really know what Angels Billabong was and it was getting close to the time we needed to head back for our boat so we left. I looked it up later though and it looks really cool! Its basically a natural infinity pool. There is a place to swim and it overlooks the ocean. They are super close together so I recommend going ahead and doing both!
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Nusa Cenigan
This island is the smallest and can definitely be done in a day or less depending on what you want to do there. We combined sight seeing this island with Nusa Lembongan due to time constraints.
Blue Lagoon
I wish I knew what caused this phenomena because it was stunning. The water in this cove was SO BLUE! Like bubble gum fake coloring blue and it is stunning! You can see the contrast between where the lagoon meets the ocean and all I wanted to do was touch it. The lagoon is surrounded by cliffs and we didn’t see any way to get down so all you can do here is take pictures. I loved going though.
It is kind of tucked away though so moped onto the island and take your first right after getting off the bridge. Then follow that road all the way down, past the restaurants and cute swings in the water until you get to a bend in the road with a small parking lot and a small spray painted bar. Walk back around the bend and up onto the dirt path leading toward the ocean. Follow the path all the way through the small group of bushes/trees to the porous rocks and there you are!
Yellow Bridge
This cuuuuteee yellow bridge connects Nusa Cenigan to Nusa Lembongan. I felt a little bad about taking a picture on it because it is a tiny two lane road that mopeds go across. We were very careful to move out of the way whenever people came through and we were lucky enough to catch an opening to snap some photos. I love how they turned out.
Nusa Lembongan
This island is the most populated and busiest by far which is still not as bad as the main island although it is getting busier everyday. That also means it has the most hotels and restaurants too which can be nice.
Devils Tear
This is a small cove that would be completely unremarkable except that every time a large wave comes in it acts as a huge blowhole. It’s really very impressive and a great show of the oceans power. We spent a while watching the waves and taking pictures. There are many shops set up that sell drinks and snacks so its a good place to rest and get ready for the rest of your day.
Dream Beach
Dream beach is right next to Devils Tear so after getting all hot and sweaty from the motor bike rides and walking and the direct sunlight come here to cool off. It is a pretty rocky beach and the waves carry waves that crash against your ankles, I found it painful but the water was refreshing and it was a good beach for seashell hunting.
Nusa Islands: Vacation away from Vacation
I 100% recommend visiting the Nusa islands. I loved our time there and would love to go back one day. Make sure to bring sunscreen because the sun is STRONG and you’ll want to make sure you are covering up. We got sunburnt pretty bad the first day because we didn’t wear enough. So go have some fun, relax, and enjoy the beaches.
Beautiful Pics.
Thank you very much!!