GETTING TO NUSA PENIDA FROM BALI

Scuba Junkie Penida is situated on Nusa Penida, an island off of mainland Bali.  Bali airport, Denpasar (DPS) is pretty easy to get to with many domestic and international flights, so this post is going to focus on getting to Nusa Penida from Bali.   We're thrilled to have you visit Nusa Penida (and us!), and the aim of this post is to make it as easy as possible for you.

Toyapakeh Beach / Banjar Nyuh Harbour on Nusa Penida

So, we've got a couple of possibilities here...  

You're either staying with us just for your diving holiday, flying in and out of Bali just for this trip.   Or maybe you're staying with us as part of a longer trip in and around Bali, adding in some of Bali's many cultural sites, other activities and cool places to hang out. 

Whichever option you're doing, we'll be waiting for you when you arrive on Penida!

There are boats from mainland Bali over to Nusa Penida from several points:  Sanur; Kusamba and Padang Bai, so let's explore which of these departure points will be best for you.

Boat departure points in Bali

Coming for a Diving Holiday 

If you're coming to Bali and Nusa Penida just for diving with us then your best bet is to land at the airport and head to Sanur to get a fast boat over to Banjar Nyuh, our nearest harbour.  You'll need to know what sort of flight times to look for to make it over to the island on the same day: 

Domestic arrivals – If you're coming from another airport within Indonesia (maybe from Scuba Junkie Komodo or Scuba Junkie Sangalaki) then you would need a flight landing in Denpasar no later than 3:30pm. 

International arrivals – If you're flying in from further afield then you would need a flight landing in Denpasar no later than 2:30pm – This is to account for extra time at immigration and customs. 

From Denpasar airport it takes 30-40 minutes to reach Sanur, where the fast boats depart from. 

Below is a list of the fast boat companies and their departure times – You'll need to arrive at Sanur beach 30 minutes before the boats scheduled departure time.   Ticket prices range from Rp 150,000 - Rp 400,000 per person each way.  Some of the companies offer pick ups at hotels in the South of Bali or the airport, ask us for more details!

Boat times from Sanur to Banjar Nyuh, Nusa Penida

Heads Up:  There is no jetty or walkway to get on to the boat for departures from Sanur.  Getting on the boat in requires a short walk through the water to get on to the fast boat.  Wearing shorts is the best bet as you have to wade up to knee / thigh level to get on the boat.  There will be a basket for your shoes which they will tip out once you reach Penida.  Make sure any valuables or electronics are in waterproof bags or are above the waterline when you get on the boat.  The fast boat staff will load your luggage bags for you. 

When the boats reach Penida there is a floating jetty or walkway to get on to the beach.

If you can't make it happen that your flight lands in time for a direct transfer, no worries!  We recommend staying in Sanur for your first night, this way you are close to the boat departure point for the next day.  Then you can choose your transfer time from the list above.  Check in time at the resort is after lunch, but if you'd prefer to take an earlier boat to Nusa Penida and then have a day to explore the island, you are welcome to leave your luggage at reception – Check out the different fun places to visit on Nusa Penida!

TOP TIP:  If you don't want to do battle with the haggling taxi drivers at the airport then we can help to book you a private car transfer from the airport to the harbour or to your hotel.

Once you reach Banjar Nyuh harbour with any of the above companies we are a 5-10 minute walk from the harbour, or there are plenty of people offering rides or scooter rental.  A drop off in a car should be no more than Rp 50,000.

Location of Scuba Junkie Penida in relation to the harbours

For getting back to the airport after your stay with us you'll need to book a flight at the following times to allow for the recommended 18 hours no fly time after diving: 

Domestic departures – You can book a flight at 10:30am or later.   

International departures – You can book a flight at 11:30am or later. 

Allow for 30-40 minutes boat transfer time plus 30-40 minutes taxi transfer time to the airport. 

Here are the departure times from Banjar Nyuh to Sanur:

Boat times from Banjar Nyuh, Nusa Penida to Sanur 

Mixing it up as part of a longer stay

If you'll already be in Bali for some time before your stay with us begins, then there are a few more options for getting to us, depending on which part of Bali you'll be in before... 

Coming from South Bali -  Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Uluwatu, Kuta, Seminyak or Canggu 

Your nearest boat departure point is going to be Sanur beach.  Allow extra travel time to reach Sanur though as Bali roads can be heavy on the traffic!  Allow at least an hour to reach Sanur (90 minutes from Canggu). 

Coming from Ubud 

Ubud's only 25 km from both Sanur and Kusamba, and you'll need to allow for at least an hour travel time, whichever beach you plan to depart from. 

Sanur has a wider range of transfer times throughout the day, and the boats departing Sanur arrive in to Br Nyuh on Nusa Penida, which is our closest harbour. 

Departing from Kusamba you will be able to stay completely dry while getting on the boat as there's a walkway and floating pontoon.   

Here are the transfer companies and times departing from Kusamaba to Nusa Penida – Please note that these boat either arrive into Sampalan or Buyuk and will require extra transport to reach the resort (10-15 minutes by car or motorbike). 

Fast boats from Kusamba takes 20-25 minutes to reach Nusa Penida.  At the time of publishing only one boat company operated the route:  Gangga Express.  Ticket price is Rp 100,000 per way.

   

Boat times from Kusamba to Nusa Penida

Coming from East Bali -  Padang Bai, Candidasa, Amed, Tulamben 

From any of the above places then your best bet is to depart from Padang Bai or Kusamba (Kusamba is 8km from Padang Bai).   

If you're coming over from Lombok or the Gili's then you will likely arrive in to Padang Bai harbour too. 

There are fast boat departures from Padang Bai to Sampalan or Buyuk on Nusa Penida, plus the car ferry from Padang Bai to Sampalan! 

From Amed and Tulamben allow for 90 minutes to reach Padang Bai or Kusamba.

The car ferry  is called the "Ro-Ro" (roll on – roll off) and departs from the main ferry jetty in Padang Bai – depending on the time of year there can be one or two departures each day.  Passenger tickets are only Rp 31,000, so this is the cheapest way to travel to Nusa Penida, but make sure that you have a flexible schedule as the ferry times are not set in stone, and it doesn't necessarily depart at the advertised time!  It is a lovely, scenic way to reach the island however :)  Once you arrive in Sampalan you are 7km (10-15 minutes) from our resort and there are plenty of people offering rides or scooter rentals. 

Ro-Ro ferry from Padang Bai to Nusa Penida

Coming from Nusa Lembongan or Ceningan 

If you're coming over from one of our sister islands then you can take a local transfer boat from the yellow bridge between Lembongan and Ceningan.  The boats depart throughout the day from the Lembongan side of the bridge, and tickets are Rp 60,000 per person. 

The boats arrive at Toyapakeh beach which is a 5-10 minute walk from the resort or a short car or scooter ride. 

Local boat from Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Penida

If your travel questions haven't been answered in this post then you can also check out Getting Here, and don't hesitate to send us an email for further information. 

Look out for future blog posts about getting to us from other Scuba Junkie locations! 

We look forward to diving with you soon!