How to get to Nusa Penida from Bali (October 2024)

This comprehensive guide provides everything you need to know about how to get to Nusa Penida island from Bali. With a variety of departure and arrival ports to choose from, finding the right fast boat company can be a challenge. In this article, you will find detailed information on the different ports, fast boat companies, and their schedules, as well as fast boat price tickets. Our goal is to make your journey to Nusa Penida as smooth and stress-free as possible. This article is part of a series of articles that give practical information on Nusa Penida island.

The trip to Nusa Penida will only take 40 minutes from Sanur and 20 minutes from Kusamba. With a brand new fast boat terminal in Sanur, you can now board the boats in comfort, without having to worry about getting wet in the sea. With a total of 18 boats available every day from Sanur and 20 additional boats from Kusamba, there’s no shortage of options. To ensure your safety, all boats come equipped with life jackets and are maintained to the highest standards. So whether you’re traveling solo or with a group, rest assured that you’ll be in good hands on your journey to Nusa Penida.

What is the price for a boat trip from Bali to Nusa Penida ?

Do you need to book your boat trip in advance?

When planning your trip to Nusa Penida, it’s wise to book your boat tickets in advance, especially during peak seasons or when llocal ceremonies are taking place. Boats can fill up quickly, leaving limited or no availability on the day of travel. Additionally, during major holidays like Nyepi, Nyepi Laut, Galungan, or Kuningan, boat services may be suspended, so it’s essential to double-check schedules ahead of time.

To avoid delays or missed departures, arrive at the port early—boats typically leave on time and sometimes even a bit ahead of schedule.

For smooth planning and great deals, I recommend using BookaWay, which offers competitive prices and a user-friendly booking experience.

Fast Boat Timetable Overview

Schedule Sanur – Nusa Penida listed by departure time

6.30 am with Semabu Hills

7 am with Semabu Hills

7.30 am with Maruti Express, Semabu Hills or Axe Stone

7.45 am with Angel Billabong

8 am with Semabu Hills

8.15 am with Axe Stone or Ray Fish

8.15 am with Idola Express (to Sampalan)

8.30 am with Angel Billabong and Semabu Hills

8.45 am with Angel Billabong

9 am with Maruti Express or Semabu Hills

9.45 am with Funtastic Fast Boat

10 am with Angel Billabong

11 am with Axe Stone

12 pm with The Tanis

1 pm with Semabu Hills Express

2.15 pm with Angel Billabong

3 pm with Maruti Express or Semabu Hills

3.30 pm with Angel Billabong, Axe Stone

4.30 pm with Angel Billabong Fast Cruise

5 pm with Angel Billabong Fast Cruise

Schedule listed by departure time – leaving from Nusa Penida

7.20 am with Angel Billabong

7.30 am with Maruti Express

8 am with Semabu Hills Express

9 am with Angel Billabong

9.15 am with Axe Stone

10 am with The Tanis

12 pm with Semabu Hills Express

12.30 pm with Maruti Express

1 pm with Angel Billabong

1.15 pm with Idola Express (from Sampalan)

1.30 pm with Semabu Hills Express

2 pm with Angel Billabong

2.30 pm with Axe Stone

3.30 pm with Semabu Hills Express

4 pm with Angel Billabong and Semabu Hills Express

4.30 pm with Maruti Express, Semabu Hills, The Tanis, Axe Stone or Ray Fish

4.45 pm with Axe Stone

5 pm with Angel Billabong and Semabu Hills Express

Which port in Bali and in Nusa Penida ?

The fast boat companies have different ports of departure in Bali and ports of arrival in Nusa Penida. Even though this gives you a lot of flexibility to plan your trip, it might also complicate your choice of departure and arrival port.

The 2 departure ports from Bali

• Sanur Beach (Jalan Matahari Terbit), most fast boat companies leave from this brand new port.
• Kusamba port is located near Padang Bai. Some boat companies that serve Toyapakeh harbour and Sampalan leave from here. Boarding is from a floating pontoon. The duration of the crossing is much shorter (around 20 minutes). And the boats are very comfortable.

The 3 arrival ports at Nusa Penida

• Banjar Nyuh, which is the port close to Toyapakeh and where most of the fast boat companies arrive.
• Sampalan, located in the North-East part of the island.
• Buyuk, located in the North of the island. Only some boat companies moor here.

How to choose the right port ?

When planning a trip to Nusa Penida, choosing the right port can be crucial to ensuring a smooth and stress-free journey. If you’re coming from Amed or Sidemen, Kusamba is the best departure port. For Sanur, Seminyak, or Canggu, Sanur Beach is the ideal option. If you’re heading to Sampalan, Buyuk, Ped, or Atuh Beach, choose Sampalan as your arrival port. For Ped, Toyapakeh, or Crystal Bay, go for Banjar Nyuh Harbour.

Drop off your scooter in Sanur or rent your scooter in Nusa Penida

If you have rented your scooter from Bikago, you can drop it off at the Sanur port. Bikago is a reputable company that has been offering high-quality scooters and motorcycles with insurance and efficient customer service since 2014. You can also rent a scooter from Bikago in Nusa Penida. You can pick it up and then drop it off at the Toyapakeh port without any charge.

It is also much safer, especially for insurance coverage, to get an international driving permit (IDP) if you rent a motorbike. You can an IDP on line in less than 8 minutes here.

Ferry boat to Nusa Penida

It is also possible to reach Penida by ferry from Padang Bai, especially if you want to travel with your scooter. But it is normally easy to rent a scooter in Nusa Penida for a slightly higher price than in Bali. The ferry boat is called Roro. It crosses from Padang Bai to Nusa Penida twice a day, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. except on Sundays when only the 10 a.m. ferry operates. The price is around 120k for a scooter and two passengers and the crossing takes around 90 minutes, but the ferry is often late.

You need to book the ferry for a car but this is not necessary if you are traveling with your scooter. Try to arrive around 9 a.m. and get your ticket from one of the agents that displays “on line ticket”. He will give you a ticket with a QR code that you will have to show to enter the port. And the (long) wait will begin. The last time I took the ferry boat to bring my scooter to Nusa Penida I waited until 10:45 a.m. to board (after the trucks and cars). The ferry left Padang Bai at 11:15 a.m. and arrived in Sampalan around 12:45 p.m.

Ferry boat from Nusa Penida

To take the ferry boat from Nusa Penida to Padang Bai you must arrive at Sampalan port before 7am. You will board around 7:30am. The ferry will then leave around 8:15am to arrive near Padang Bai around 9:45am. The ferry then waits to have its landing dock available to dock around 10:30am.

What to do, where to go in Nusa Penida ?

There is a lot of things to do once you’re on the island. It is a paradise for scuba divers, the landscape is great and there are many adventures and tours available! I recommend you to read my guide on the 15 favorite places to visit in Nusa Penida. You can also check out my top 6 places directly:

• the iconic T-Rex Kelingking Beach
• the amazing Broken Beach & Angel’s Billabong
• Crystal Bay, perfect spot for diving, snorkeling and awesome sunsets.
• Atuh Beach, a wonderful and still off the beaten track beach.
• Warnakali PADI 5 star dive resort, to stay in a brand new boutique resort and/or dive with a PADI 5 star IDC.
• Amok sunset bar and restaurant, a cool place to see the sunset with a cocktail during happy hour.

The flexible boat schedule allows you to have a full day in Nusa Penida, but I would recommend you to stay a bit longer. With just one day you’ll most likely spend a lot of the time on the road, rushing from one viewpoint to the other. I would suggest to stay at least one night, in one of the many hotels on the island, enjoy a sunset on this beautiful island, and maybe even go snorkeling or diving with manta rays at Manta Point the day after, or enjoy a swim at Crystal Bay!

Inside a fast boat

Where to stay in Nusa Penida ?

When I first came to Nusa Penida in 2015 there were only 2 hotels on the island. There are now 450 listed on Booking.com. Read the selection of my favorite places to stay in Nusa Penida. They are all located in between Toyapakeh and Crystal Bay because it is more authentic and less busy than the north coast.

Many hotels are offering Getaway Deals for stays by January 7 2025.

How to get from Nusa Penida to the Gili Islands?

If you’re planning a trip to both the Gili Islands and Nusa Penida, there are several fast boat companies that connect the Gilis and the Penida islands. One of the best options is Eka Jaya, which offers daily service between these islands. Eka Jaya uses spacious and comfortable fast boats that are equipped with four powerful engines, so you can travel quickly and comfortably. The boats are 23 meters long and can accommodate up to 210 passengers.

Eka Jaya fast boat departs from Nusa Penida at 10:30 am and makes stops at Padang Bai and Sengiggi before reaching the Gilis around 2 pm. On the return journey, you’ll leave from Gili Trawangan at 11 am and arrive at Nusa Penida by 3 pm.

Direct boats between Penida and Gili islands

If you prefer a direct trip from Gili to Nusa Penida without stopping at Padang Bai, another good option is Semaya One. This boat also offers daily service and can get you to the Gilis quickly and efficiently. The direct trip leaves Nusa Penida at 10 am and arrives at the Gilis by 11:45 am. On the way back, the boat leaves the Gilis at 12 pm and arrives back at Nusa Penida by 2:30 pm. If you don’t mind stopping at Padang Bai, Semaya One operates another boat that leaves the Gilis at 9 am and arrives at Nusa Penida by 11:50 am, then departs from Nusa Penida at 1 pm and arrives back at the Gilis by 3:15 pm.

Other options

In the 1950s, cartoonist Bob de Moor created a series of comic strips about the adventurer Barelli. Arrival on the island was then made by sailboat. The ferry should go a little faster… or not.

There are also public or private boat connections to go from Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Penida (about 60k per person).