This post may contain affiliate links. I will earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you.
In the last post, I talked about how to get to Nusa Penida, where to stay and a little about Crystal Bay. So while I’m finishing up the Nusa Penida guide, I thought I would share some of my favorite photos from the trip. I’m a very visual person and often get obsessed with one photo I see on Instagram or Pinterest and just have to go there myself.
So I hope these photos can tempt you to visit this beautiful island the next time you are in Indonesia. It’s such a nice break from the craziness of Bali, only 30 minutes away by boat. Arriving in Nusa Penida is like stepping back in time!
After posting some of these photos on social media I got a lot of emails from you asking about my camera gear. I have tried to answer all of you, but just in case I missed some I have written a little overview of my camera and lenses at the bottom of this post.
🌟 If you don’t want to plan the trip yourself, check out this amazing full-day tour departing from Bali. Experience Instagram highlights such as Kelingking Beach and Angel’s Billabong, snorkel and swim with the mantas. So much fun!
Instagrammable places west Nusa Penida
1. Kelingking Beach
Above you see me enjoying the sunrise from the best seat in the house at Kelingking. This old tree sits right in front of the parking area and there is usually a queue to climb it. So get there early in the morning like we did, about 8, to have it all to yourself. And yes, I was about as comfortable as I look trying to strike a pose on that branch haha.
Kelingking Beach looks incredible even in gloomy weather. I was so frustrated about the bad weather and didn’t expect much when we got there. But when I looked over the edge I was amazed by the incredible color of the water. Even with little light coming through the clouds, the turquoise color was so intense! And by the way, do you see the T-Rex with foam around its mouth?
2. Angel’s Billabong
Previous to our visit I had seen so many photos on Instagram of people frolicking in turquoise water at Angel’s Billabong, so I was so excited to experience it for myself. But when we finally got there I was very disappointed because the water kind of looked like old urine. Yellow water with green areas and lots of dead bugs.
However, after a couple of minutes, the disappointment went away and I realized that it looked kind of cool anyway. And the photos turned out much better than I thought. So even though I didn’t feel like going in the water as I had planned, it was fun to see Angel’s Billabong in real life. Keep in mind when climbing down to the water that the rock is super sharp.
Must read >> The ultimate 2-week Bali itinerary (including Nusa Lembongan & Penida)
3. Broken Beach
Angel’s Billabong and Broken beach are located within a couple of minutes of each other. We had the area almost all to ourselves due to rain, which of course started just as we got there. But I’m pretty happy with this shot we got after hours of waiting for the rain to subside.
The road out to Broken Beach is so bad that we didn’t have the option to leave and come back. It’s mostly rocks and mud so it goes without saying that motorbikes are not the best mode of transportation. It took forever to get there and I almost gave up. But that’s an entire story in itself, I’ll talk more about it in the Nusa Penida guide coming up next.
4. Bintang Bungalows
Oh my, what a gorgeous place! This is me chilling in the pool at Bintang Bungalows. Definitely one of the most charming hotels I’ve ever stayed in. Four nights were not enough, I didn’t want to leave.
5. Palm Alley (road to Crystal Bay)
This is a shot from our very first day on the island going back to Bintang Bungalows after a day at Crystal Bay. There’s no secret that I love palm trees, so Nuda Penida was like paradise to me. Lush green nature and rows of majestic palm trees everywhere.
6. Crystal Bay
We didn’t quite get the focus right on this one, but you still get a sense of Nusa Penida’s beauty. Green and blue for as long as the eye can see. Just how I like it!
I will talk about all these places in more detail along with how to get there in a complete Nusa Penida guide soon.
7. White Temple
On our way to Atuh Beach on the other side of the island, I suddenly spotted this gorgeous white and orange temple and of course, had to stop and shoot some photos. I can’t find the name but it’s located along the main road east on the island.
My camera gear
And lastly, here is a little overview of my camera gear. To be honest it’s nothing that fancy. I spent quite some time researching mirrorless cameras before I decided on the Olympus om-d e-m10 mark ii, and I couldn’t be happier with my choice! It’s so easy to use and the Olympus app connects the camera to your phone so you can use it as a remote. So helpful if it’s only you and your tripod trying to get the shot! And it doesn’t hurt that it is so pretty to look at, a black and silver retro design.
For lenses, I sometimes use the 14-42mm that came with the camera, but for the most part, I use my fixed f1.8 25mm which creates the most stunning photos with blurry backgrounds. And if you’re a solo traveler you should definitely get yourself this Gorillapod. You don’t want to drag around a large tripod everywhere, so a Gorillapod is your best friend!
Hi Charlotte,
First of all, I wanted to tell you your website is very useful! I’m very happy I found it 🙂
I’m going to Bali for 15 days, I have already been there but never visited NUSA PENIDA. How many days should we stay here? Is this island better than GILI’S? “less touristy” than Gili Meno? I really want to find nice beaches with less tourists as possible!!!!!! 🙂
Many thanks!!!!
xx
Monica
Thank you Monica, I’m happy to hear that 🙂 Meno is the least touristy of the Gili Islands, but I did feel there were even fewer tourists on Nusa Penida. Maybe because the island is much bigger than Meno. There aren’t really that many easily accessible beaches on Penida, so for that Meno might be better. But if it is those white-sand paradise beaches you’re after I would recommend you to go to the south coast of Lombok. It truly is paradise! So many beaches to choose from that you will most likely find one you can have all to yourself. Mot fast boats stop in Lombok before the Gilis so it doesn’t take that much longer to get there either 😉
Your photos are stunning. You’ve clearly got a good eye and great skill. I’m convinced I want to go here now too!
Thank you so much for the nice comment Lisa 😀
Wow, your photos are amazing. If I wasn’t on my way to Hawaii tomorrow you’d have given me serious island envy 🙂
Thank you Lisa 😀 Ah Hawaii, can’t wait to go back there one day. Happy travels!
i love the way you capture the nature. It is so beautiful xxx
Thanks Yuliya 🙂
The photos you have captured are absolutely stunning! I’ve yet to visit even Bali, but it looks like Nusa Penida will have to be included on my list as well. Was it easy to get around on a scooter?
Thank you Tina! Not as easy as on Bali and Lembongan. Some of the roads are good and some are really bad. But then again there is very little traffic, so you can take your time which is nice 😉
I’ve been planning to visit Bali since ages. Now, Nusa Penida is in my list too. All thanks to your stunning captures! Absolutely love your post and your blog. Sleek and stylish. <3
Thank you Shalini 😀 I’m so happy to hear that you liked it!
You have such a good eye. Great photos
I was on Bali this summer and really liked it.
Sadly I dod not visit Nusa Penida….hopefully the next time I visit Bali 🙂
x
Yes! 100% convinced, it’s on my list! Beautiful post and photos x
Omg such a beautiful place. Feels and looks like you have been in Heaven lol. Thanks for sharing this post with us. x
Ahhh every one of your posts makes me more and more excited to be going to Bali in May!! Thank you for sharing all the beautiful photos and information. We are staying at Nusa Lembongan for 5 days, do you happen to know if it’s easy to get a boat from Lembongan to Penida?
I’m so happy to hear that Tanya! 🙂 And I’m glad you’re staying for 5 nights on Lembongan, one of my favorite places. Yes you can easily get a boat to Penida. I think we paid 200k Rp one way for a private boat from the yellow bridge. Just ask at your hotel the night before when and where the boat departs from. But keep in mind that Penida is much bigger than Lembongan so you probably won’t be able to see it all in one day if you drive by yourself. There are many organized trips you can join or just get a driver 🙂 Happy travels!
Beautiful photos ! Nusa Penida is now on my
Wish list too. Thank you! .
Thank you, Olga! I’m happy to hear that 😀
Thanks for sharing, I am in love with Nusa Penida and can’t wait to explore. How many days do you think I’ll need between the Nusa islands? I was thinking 2 in Lembongan and Cenigan and 2 in Penida.
Thanks, Caitlin, I’m so happy to hear that! Because of the bad roads, you won’t be able to see all the attractions on Nusa Penida in two days if you drive a motorbike by yourself. We had four days and didn’t manage to cover everything, but then again it was raining quite a lot. Also, remember that it’ll sometimes take about half a day getting there from Bali 🙂