10 BEST NUSA PENIDA BEACHES – The Ultimate Guide

The Nusa Penida beaches are extraordinary gems flanked by towering green limestone cliffs and with turquoise water touching the shore. Adventuring around Nusa Penida Island will lead you along some of the most beautiful beaches you will ever see. The impressive cliffs, soft white sand beaches and crystal clear turquoise water make the Nusa Penida beaches a true paradise. The down side, (if it’s really a down side, that depends per person), is that most of the Nusa Penida Beaches are only accessible via steep stairs down the cliff. That means you will need to put some effort in before you can relax at some of the most beautiful beaches in Bali. However, there are some exceptions which I will mention in this complete guide about the 10 best beaches in Nusa Penida. 

Best Nusa Penida tours

If you want to explore Nusa Penida during a one, two or three day trip, then it is highly recommended to book your tour in advance. Because of Bali’s popularity and in particular Nusa Penida, it is highly recommended to book your tours in advance as it is likely that tours sell out. So don’t wait with booking until you get to Bali. Choose your favorite tours here and secure your booking! All of these tours include air conditioned transport with hotel pick up and drop off, certified guides and sometimes also lunch and the entrance fees. You can reserve now and pay later, with cancellation up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund.

• Nusa Penida one day tour. See all the highlights of Nusa Penida during this epic day tour. Start your day snorkeling with Manta Rays, then go to Crystal Bay, look out over Kelingking beach, visit Atuh and Diamond beach and take pictures at Thousand island viewpoint and the famous treehouse.
• Nusa Penida two day tour. During this 2 day tour you will see almost everything on Nusa Penida. You will snorkel with Manta Rays, see all the best viewpoints and swim in the most clearest waters at the beaches of Nusa Penida.
• Nusa Penida three day tour. This three day tour shows you everything of Nusa Penida underwater and on land. You will snorkel at a few locations and see the best viewpoints, beaches, waterfalls and photo spots of Nusa Penida.
• 2-Day Nusa Penida & Lembongan complete tour. This 2 day tour is perfect if you want to combine the best of both islands, Lembongan and Penida. All your transport, 1 night stay in a beachfront hotel and all activities and entrance fees are included.
• West Nusa Penida day tour & snorkelling with Manta Rays. Explore the west coast of Nusa Penida including Kelingking Beach, Angel’s Billabong and Broken Beach. Besides that you will snorkel with Manta Rays at Manta Point.
• East Nusa Penida day tour.  Explore the Instagram hotspots of Nusa Penida along the east coast. Visit the famous Kelingking viewpoint, Diamont beach lookout, the famous tree house, Thousand Island viewpoint and Atuh beach.
• Snorkel with Manta Rays tour. If you only want to go snorkeling with Manta Rays in Nusa Penida, then you can book this tour which includes 3 snorkeling sessions at Nusa Lembongan and Penida, Mangrove tour by kayak, stand-up paddleboard or private gondola and pick up and drop off.
• Find here more Nusa Penida tours.

Kelingking beach

The most famous beach of Nusa Penida is Kelingking Beach. The iconic T Rex shaped headland is truly a unique sight. If you’re going to Nusa Penida and haven’t been to Kelingking beach, even if it’s only the viewpoint, you haven’t been to Nusa Penida! Kelingking Beach is one of the most iconic and recognisable tourist attractions of the Nusa islands. And there’s a good reason for that because the views are breathtaking. It almost looks like the head remains of T-Rex have been turned into stone here. You can either marvel at the views of Kelingking Beach and the headland from the different viewpoints at the cliff. Or, if you’re feeling like a little adventure, hike down to the beach which is quite exhausting but worth it!

Read in our complete guide everything about Kelingking beach Nusa Penida

Hiking down to Kelingking Beach 

If you’re planning to spend some hours at Kelingking Beach then you have to do the strenuous hike down the 150 meters high cliff. Although the stairs of Kelingking have been improved a lot since 2019, the hike is still demanding and will be sweaty. Especially on the way back up it will feel as if it’s a straight incline upwards. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes and have enough water with you to stay hydrated. It is intense and you will feel your legs the next day. But the reward is huge. Kelingking Beach feels like a beach from a movie, almost unreal! Flanked by the towering green limestone cliffs and with the powerful, tropical turquoise ocean you will feel like a tiny little human. 

Atuh beach Nusa Penida

Atuh Beach was our favourite Nusa Penida beach for a day of relaxing. Located in a remote cove under steep green cliffs on the east coast of Nusa Penida island you will find Atuh Beach. The crystal clear water is inviting to take a dip in and the reef offers great snorkeling opportunities. With plenty of local warungs and sunbeds for rent you can have a comfortable day of relaxing at Atuh Beach. At most of the other Nusa Penida Beaches are no facilities because they are simple too untouched. (Let’s hope it stays like that!). Therefore you can find enough beach shacks, sunbeds with umbrellas and food on Atuh Beach. The perfect ingredients for a chill beach day. 

Read in our complete guide everything about Atuh beach Nusa Penida

The Atuh Beach cliff

What makes Atuh Beach so unique is the stunning arch and rock formations out in the water. If you’re at Atuh Beach for sunrise you might be in for some great photographs. But also during the morning when the ocean gets it bright blue color thanks to the sunshine, the interesting shaped rock formations make a fantastic point of interest for photos. The contrast between the turquoise blue water, light yellow sand and green cliffs creates the perfect tropical setting! If you’re an adrenaline junkie you can go cliff jumping from the cliff with arch. But you must have experience, be a great swimmer and it must be high tide as well. 

Diamond beach Nusa Penida

Diamond beach is one of the most beautiful beaches on Nusa Penida with towering limestone cliffs and bright turquoise blue water. When exploring Nusa Penida island you can’t miss visiting this beach which is located on the east coast of the island. The viewpoint on Diamond Beach is already picture perfect, but to get down to the beautiful and rugged beach you have to hike along a pretty steep and narrow path with is cut out from the limestone rocks. The hike even involves a little bit of climbing with a rope, but nothing too dangerous to skip it. However if you’re short in time and just want to snap a quick picture of this iconic beach with diamond shaped rocks, then you can easily get to the viewpoint.

Hiking down to Diamond beach Nusa Penida 

The hike down to Diamond beach is sweaty and tough. The stairs are cut out from the limestone cliff and are at some parts very narrow. You have to make a few sharp turns which involves a good coordination as well a short part where you need to hold yourself to a rope. You can do the hike on flip-flops but make sure to walk with caution. All together it won’t be more than 10 – 15 minutes until you get down. The way up is the same route so you might encounter some ongoing traffic walking down which could slow down the hike as the path is so narrow.

Exploring Diamond beach 

Once arrived down on Diamond beach you will feel really small with the towering limestone cliffs surrounding the beach. The soft white sand and beautiful silky turquoise water make you feel you’ve entered a tropical paradise. The waves aren’t usually too big at Diamond beach, but always be careful if you plan to swim in Nusa Penida. The current and waves at some places in Nusa Penida can be daunting.

Read in our complete guide everything about Diamond beach Nusa Penida

Crystal Bay beach Nusa Penida

Crystal Bay is just like Atuh beach some of the best beaches in Nusa Penida for a day of relaxing. With some sunbeds and local beach shacks where you can order cold drinks and basic food you can have a super chill day at Crystal Bay. And if you’re into snorkeling or diving, then Crystal Bay is a perfect spot to go to with it’s colourful reef and plenty of marine life. The backyard of Crystal Bay is full of palm trees so the drive towards it is just incredible. You get those real island life vibes. 

Read in our complete guide everything about Crystal Bay Nusa Penida

Diving and snorkeling at Crystal Bay 

If your thing is snorkeling or diving then Crystal Bay is some of the best places on Nusa Penida to do this. If you decide to go snorkeling at Crystal Bay but don’t have your own snorkel gear, you can rent it at one of the beach warungs. But please always be very careful when going into the waters around Nusa Penida. The current along the island can be very strong. Don’t go too far out in the bay because the current only gets stronger. Use the boats that are parked in the bay as reference point. If you go beyond that point it might get super dangerous. Use fins for extra swimming power or just book a snorkel tour to be with a guide who knows the best and safest spots. 

Tembeling Beach

Tembeling beach & natural pools is a stunning off the beaten path location on the southwest coast of Nusa Penida. It’s a unique place to visit and offers natural shade by the forest, crystal clear water to have a dip in and a gorgeous secret beach. Visiting Tembeling natural pool is a must when you’re adventurous and like to see the lesser known spots on the island. However, the way down to Tembeling beach forest is risky and only recommended when you are really skilled in riding the motorbike. Although Tembeling beach is not really a beach to relax all day, it is definitely some of the most impressive Nusa Penida Beaches, and therefore worth a visit! 

Read in our complete guide everything about Tembeling beach

Tembeling natural pools 

Besides the secret beach, Tembeling forest offers another hidden gem. Here is the Tembeling natural pool set below the large orange brown cliff which gives a beautiful contrast with the beautiful blue water of the sweet water natural pool. Here you can have a swim and cool off after the adventure coming down.  

Broken beach Nusa Penida

Broken beach is not a beach where you can relax on, you can actually only see it from the cliff above. But that doesn’t mean its not worth it to visit. When you explore Nusa Penida you should definitely check out Broken beach and Angels Billabong which can be visited on the same site. Broken beach is a remarkable spot with its natural rock archway which is a result of the erosion of earth over millions of years. The spectacular cove of Broken beach with the crystal clear turquoise waters is one of the must see spots on Nusa Penida island. You can walk around the cove over the natural bridge to see all the different angles of Broken beach. 

Read in our complete guide everything about Broken beach

If you have a drone you should definitely fly it at Broken beach. Then you will see that Broken beach is circular and looks like a closed off beach. Only from the side you can see the beautiful arch where sometimes even boats sail through to see Broken beach from closer by. 

Angels Billabong at Broken beach

Angel’s Billabong is right around the corner of Broken beach. You passed this spot on the way to Broken beach from the parking lot. This crystal clear tide pool looks almost like an infinity pool when the waves are calm. The water is then like a mirror and reflects the sky perfectly. You can dip and float in this natural pool, but not when the ocean is rough. The waves will then come easily over the side and the current gets too dangerous. There have been incidents here when people got pulled into the wild ocean. So use your common sense and don’t go too close to the end and don’t go in when the waves splash over.

Suwehan beach

Suwehan beach is one of the hidden gems of Nusa Penida. This wild beach is not the easiest to access and is located on a secluded part of the island. But, if you want to explore the non touristy places on Nusa Penida, then you should go for Suwehan beach. The towering limestone cliffs and pristine white sandy beach with silky turquoise water make Suwehan beach a picture perfect place. When we visited Suwehan beach we were lucky to spot a few manta rays during our hike down the stairs. It was absolutely mesmerising to see these beautiful creatures from far away. With my zoom lens I could capture them from up very close. 

Make sure to check the tides before visiting Suwehan beach. During high tide it is a bit tricky to visit this beach as the waves come up very far onto the beach and aren’t forgiving. It might even get dangerous if you get caught by a strong wave, so be careful! 

Gamat Bay

Another hidden gem is Gamat Bay which isn’t easy to access. This bay is perfect for snorkelling, scuba diving and to enjoy an off the beaten path beach. But you have to put in some effort to get there. You can either go by boat from Crystal Bay for a snorkel day trip or hike to the beach when following the signs Gamat Bay at the intersection towards Crystal Bay. We shot this photo from Nusa Ceningan which had a great view on Gamat Bay, and as you can see it looks pretty wild! No facilities around, so only for the adventurers a nice Nusa Penida beach to visit. 

Kutampi Beach

The northern coast of Nusa Penida is basically one long sandy beach with many restaurants and beach clubs facing the ocean. Because there aren’t high cliffs at this side of the island, the beach is very accessible. You park your scooter at one of the venues and can be laying on the beach in seconds. You’re facing Bali on the east coast, so on a clear day you will have impressive views on Mount Agung. The water is very shallow and calm here, a huge difference compared to the east and south coast of Nusa Penida. Therefore it’s a perfect beach for families with young children and couples that like to relax and swim at a beach without strong waves. 

Lumangan Beach

Lumangan Beach might not be the first beach you think of for a day of relaxing on Nusa Penida. However, it is a quite an interesting hidden beach with a huge cave. With low tide there are tidal pools where you can relax in. There is not much more to explore here, but because it is such an unknown beach, it is worth it to mention when you have time left and want to explore some off the beaten path beaches in Nusa Penida. 

More Nusa Penida travel inspiration

I hope you enjoyed this complete guide about the 10 best Nusa Penida beaches.

For more Nusa Penida travel guides, read our other Bali Nusa Penida blog posts for many more tips.

25 best things to do on Nusa Penida Bali

Kelingking beach Nusa Penida

Diamond beach Nusa Penida

Atuh beach Nusa Penida

Broken beach Nusa Penida

Tembeling beach and natural pools

Teletubbie Hills Nusa Penida

Crystal Bay Nusa Penida

For more Bali travel inspiration, head over to our other guides about Indonesia here