CRYSTAL BAY NUSA PENIDA – The Complete Guide
Crystal Bay is one of the best beaches in Nusa Penida if you want to relax for the day. 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 this complete guide everything you need to know about Crystal Bay Nusa Penida.
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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 fastboat tickets. 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 & Snorkel 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.
How to get to Crystal Bay Nusa Penida
Crystal Bay is located on the west coast of Nusa Penida Island and is easy to reach via paved roads. From the main town of the island, Toya Pakeh, it is only a 20 minute drive to the beach.
The drive itself to Crystal Bay is already impressive. While you make your way along local villages you will get a bit higher and see the stunning green landscape of Nusa Penida. When you’re almost at Crystal Bay you will drive through a beautiful palm tree lined road which is the dead end road that brings you to the parking of Crystal Bay.
How to get around in Nusa Penida
In general the best way to explore Nusa Penida Island is by scooter. But you have to be confident driving one when you’re planning to rent a scooter on Nusa Penida. Not all roads are flat and there are quite some hills and steep roads across the island.
For about 70 000 IDR – 100 000 IDR per day you can rent a scooter depending on the amount of CC. If you’re planning to be with two people on the scooter I’d suggest renting an NMax for example with 150 CC. You will need that in the mountains!
Another option is to book one of the Nusa Penida tours so you can relax in a car with air conditioning while your driver rides you to the highlights of the island. This will give you less flexibility and is less adventurous on the other hand, but it might be a great option for people who are not confident driving a scooter.
Best time to go to Crystal Bay Nusa Penida
Just as with every other beach on Nusa Penida, Crystal Bay also gets influenced by the tides. So if you want to be sure to have blue water to swim in, check the tides beforehand. With low tide you can expect the beach to be more exposed with rocks.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Crystal Bay is facing west, so it’s actually a great sunset spot on Nusa Penida!
What to expect at Crystal Bay Nusa Penida
As the name suggests, Crystal Bay Nusa Penida has some of the most beautiful clearest waters of the island. The beautiful secluded cove has a palm fringed white sandy beach that stretches for about 200 meters and is flanked by green hills. In combination with the crystal clear turquoise waters will Crystal Bay give you those real tropical island vibes.
In the bay is a small island which is called Turtle island. Usually many boats are docked in the water because Crystal bay is considered to be one of the best snorkel and dive sites on Nusa Penida. With the colourful reef there is plenty of marine life in the bay. You can even have encounters in the deeper waters of Crystal Bay with the rare Mola Mola fish! This huge but graceful sea creature can be usually only found in deep and cold oceanic waters, but if you’re lucky you can spot them in Crystal Bay between July and September.
Diving and snorkeling at Crystal Bay
Some of the best places for snorkeling and diving in Nusa Penida is without a doubt Crystal Bay and Gamat Bay. 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.
Sunset at Crystal Bay
Another great thing to do at Crystal Bay is watching the sunset. Facing east, this beach is one of the best spots in Nusa Penida to watch the sunset. With the restaurants having their tables in the sand, you can enjoy a cold beer, coconut or local meal with a million dollar view. Ending your day at Crystal Bay is a great idea!
More Nusa Penida travel inspiration
I hope you enjoyed this complete guide about Crystal Bay beach Nusa Penida. If you can, go at least once to Crystal Bay, either to relax during the day or to watch sunset.
For more Nusa Penida travel inspiration, head over to our other travel guides.
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