Toyapakeh is a small harbour on the north-west coast of Nusa Penida and one of the island’s best-known ports — for many travellers it’s the first place they set foot on the island. It’s where the diving boats, the snorkelling-tour boats and the small boats to Nusa Lembongan set off. The fast boats to and from Sanur, as well as the connections to the Gili Islands, actually leave from Banjar Nyuh, right next door. (Boats using the eastern port of Sampalan mostly run to and from Kusamba.)
There’s a small beach right by the port — mostly used by boats, though some travelers do lie out a towel and sunbathe there. You’ll also find a few small warungs next to the beach (my favorite is Warung Restu) and some basic accommodation. You most likely won’t stay here, though: you’ll easily find someone to drive you to your hotel or rent you a scooter. Toyapakeh may not look very glamorous at first sight, but it’s one of the places I like a lot in Nusa Penida. Here’s why!
Scuba diving at Toyapakeh
Toyapakeh is one of the great dive sites in Nusa Penida. Currents are often strong, so you’ll usually drift along, admiring the corals and marine life as you’re carried by the current. If you’re lucky you’ll also get a superb view of Mount Agung. You can snorkel here too, but preferably under the supervision of a boat.
We really like the Toyapakeh dive site for its huge diversity of flora and fauna: many schools of platax, fusiliers, sweetlips and jacks, with tunas and giant trevallies regularly cruising in the blue. In season, you may even meet a Mola Mola from time to time. The reef is dense, with countless crabs, shrimps and nudibranchs — macro lovers will adore Toyapakeh!
The port of Toyapakeh
Toyapakeh is the starting point for snorkelling tours, which usually take you to Manta Bay to see the manta rays, then to Crystal Bay, Gamat Bay, and eventually to the Buddha statues sunk in front of Nusa Ceningan. The trip usually ends by drifting along the Toyapakeh coral wall back to the beach.
You can also walk a small path that runs along the sea and passes beneath three large hut-shaped houses. That path is how you reach the Adiwana Warnakali dive resort: 500 metres along the shore, about 10 minutes on foot. By road it’s another matter entirely — 3.8 km and a good 14 minutes, because the road loops inland. The Dune Penida dive shop is based at the port itself, and if you see a group wearing orange T-shirts there, it’s likely Dune Penida staff waiting for divers to arrive or return.
The resort has its own 3-metre training pool for lessons and discovery dives. Its dive boat is moored down here at Toyapakeh, 500 metres along the shore, because there is no beach below the resort itself: it stands on the seafront above the coral wall of the Toyapakeh dive site. Superb snorkelling, but only from a boat — the current here is no joke.
Toyapakeh is also the departure point for small public or private boats shuttling to Nusa Lembongan — a fun crossing of only about 10 minutes, though there’s less to do in Nusa Lembongan than in Nusa Penida. For the Gili Islands, the fast boats leave from Banjar Nyuh next door; a small boat takes you from the beach out to a platform between Ceningan and Lembongan, where you catch the fast boat.
Toyapakeh, the island’s only Muslim village
Nusa Penida is Balinese and Hindu almost everywhere. Toyapakeh is the exception: it is the island’s only Muslim village. Most women wear a headscarf, the men head to the mosque for Friday noon prayers, and the week has a rhythm you won’t find in Ped or Sampalan a few kilometres down the coast.
The village also marks Safar, the second month of the Islamic calendar. Coastal communities across Indonesia keep their own traditions for it — they gather at the water’s edge, pray together and share a meal — and the form varies from one coast to the next. In Toyapakeh it ends on the beach, at sunset.
The photo below was taken at the end of one. It is a Muslim ceremony, and the rest of the Dune Penida team — Catholic, Protestant, Hindu — were invited along, wives, husbands and babies included. We ate together next to the beach while the sun went down behind the Lembongan mangroves. On an island whose calendar is otherwise full of Balinese Hindu ceremonies, Toyapakeh keeps its own — and invites the rest of us. You won’t see that from a boat, and it’s a good part of why I like this place.
Leaving Toyapakeh
You’ll find all the boat times and prices, and how to choose your port, in our guide on how to get to (and back from) Nusa Penida.
Toyapakeh FAQ
What is the name of the port in Nusa Penida?
Nusa Penida has several harbours. Toyapakeh, on the north-west coast, is the best known — dive boats, snorkelling tours and the small boats to Nusa Lembongan leave from here. The fast boats to and from Sanur, plus the Gili Islands connections, use Banjar Nyuh right next door, while Sampalan on the east coast mainly serves Kusamba.
Where do the fast boats from Bali arrive on Nusa Penida?
Most fast boats from Sanur arrive at Banjar Nyuh, right beside Toyapakeh, while boats using Sampalan mostly run to and from Kusamba. The exact port depends on the company, so check before you book — full timetables are in our guide on getting to Nusa Penida.
Is there a beach at Toyapakeh?
Yes — there’s a small beach right next to the port. It’s mostly used by boats, but some travellers do lay out a towel and sunbathe. The Toyapakeh coral wall just offshore is superb for snorkelling, but go with a boat rather than swimming out from the sand: the current through the strait can run hard. For a proper swimming beach, head to Crystal Bay, Atuh or Kelingking instead.
Can you dive or snorkel at Toyapakeh?
Yes — Toyapakeh is one of the best dive sites on Nusa Penida, known for strong currents, dense coral and superb macro life. Snorkelling tours start from the port; because of the currents, snorkel under the supervision of a boat.
Can you get from Toyapakeh to Nusa Lembongan or the Gili Islands?
Yes. Small boats shuttle from Toyapakeh to Nusa Lembongan in about 10 minutes. For the Gili Islands, the fast boats leave from Banjar Nyuh next door, and you can book the connection here.
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