3 Picturesque Spots to Visit on Nusa Penida Island

Besides Nusa Lembongan and the easily accessible sister island, Nusa Ceningan, Nusa Penida is the largest and most exotic of the three Nusa Islands. On Nusa Penida, you can visit unique Hindu temples and spectacular cliff formations and lagoons. This island consists a very limited number of hotels and tourist features, but what it lacks in infrastructure, it makes up for with its unspoiled natural beauty and rare cultural highlights. Check out 3 of the best attractions to visit when you’re on the island.

#1 – Kelingking Beach

Situated in the village of Bunga Mekar on the southwestern coast of Nusa Penida island, Kelingking Beach is one of the top most visited spots on the island. I was awed by the view of a limestone headland covered in green, against the deep blue waters of the open Indian Ocean. This unique formation is reminiscent of a Tyrannosaurus Rex head, hence its nickname ‘T-Rex Bay’.

Personally, I feel that enjoying the scenic seascape and taking photos from above would be sufficient. However, if you are fit and adventurous, you can opt to go down the rugged 400-metres cliffside hike and enjoy the secluded beach. This challenging trail is not for the faint-hearted, and definitely not for those who have a fear of heights. Well, if you have made it down to the beach, you’ll have it all to yourself most of the time, since not many tourists want to risk their safety going down. Please be careful if you decide to swim because the undercurrents can be strong and there isn’t any lifeguard around.

#2 – Angel’s Billabong and Broken Beach

These are the other two popular attractions on Nusa Penida. They are within walking distance, and you should visit Angel’s Billabong first because the space is small and it gets crowded very quickly. Infinity pools are one of my considerations whenever I book a stay at hotels, so can you imagine how happy I was, upon finding a natural infinity pool at Angel’s Billabong?

If you’re there around 7am, you’ll most likely be the first one to enter the pool and have it all to yourself. Walking down to the pool on the sharp rocks barefoot was quite painful and I recommend wearing sandals or water shoes. You have to be very careful and not end up with cuts on your sole – that’s what happened to me. The water is crystal clear, but do not swim too close to the edge or stand too near the edge for photos. The waves crashing against the infinity pool can be pretty strong and you might get sucked into the ocean.

There is a path from Angel’s Billabong that leads to the Broken Beach, or you can just follow the crowd. You’ll see the waves rolling in through an arched tunnel into a cove, creating a natural pool. However, it is not possible to go down to the cove for a swim. You can admire this beautiful sight from many viewpoints from the top.

#3 – Crystal Bay

Other than the palm-fringed beach, Crystal Bay is also known as Nusa Penida’s best snorkeling and dive site. Bali has a surprisingly rich underwater life, which is mainly due to the fact that it is located between two great oceans, the Indian ocean and the Pacific. As a result of this ideal position, an enormous flow of water passes between Bali and Nusa Penida depositing plankton larvae that attract a high diversity of fish. Crystal Bay has relatively calm diving conditions. The water is crystal clear thus excellent for snorkeling.

Bali may be overcrowded with tourists, but in Nusa Penida, you can still pretend as though you’ve been shipwrecked away from the crowds on your own private island. If you’ve watched Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, you might remember the scene where the crew of the Black Pearl staged a mutiny, led by Hector Barbossa, against Jack Sparrow. They then marooned Jack on the island and left him for dead, but Jack later escaped. You can pretend to be Jack Sparrow on Nusa Penida Island (even though the actual filming location is in the Caribbean).