Where to stay in Nusa Penida: which part suits you

Where should you stay in Nusa Penida?

Toyapakeh and Ped put you closest to the harbour. The Crystal Bay side puts you closest to the snorkelling and the sunsets. The east puts you beside Atuh and Diamond Beach, far from both.^{[2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]}

The quieter east coast gets you to Diamond and Atuh Beach for sunrise, before the day-tour crowds, and simple guesthouses sit in the Pejukutan and Tanglad area.^[7]

There is no Grab, Gojek or metered taxi on the island, so a transfer from the harbour means a driver waiting at Toyapakeh or Banjar Nyuh. A short ride averages IDR 200,000 (about AUD 16), and it costs more at the last minute when the hotel is far from the port. Arrange it before you cross.^[3]

Dark falls around 19:00 WITA and no app will get you home, so check where you will eat dinner before you book.^[3]

Which part of Nusa Penida is best for divers, families and small budgets?

Each kind of trip has a part that fits it:

• Divers and snorkellers: Toyapakeh or the Crystal Bay side, where the snorkel boats to the mantas leave from. A dive centre near Toyapakeh offers free pick-up within about 5 km, which covers hotels towards Crystal Bay.
• First trip, couples and families: Toyapakeh for the harbour, or Gamat Bay and Crystal Bay for snorkelling and sunsets.
• Small budget: the north coast, where the guesthouses and backpacker spots cluster at the lowest prices.^{[5, 9]}

The Nusa Penida guide suggests Lembongan instead for surfers and young children.^[1]

The middle of the island is the one place to skip. It looks central on the map but sits far from the coast, with long scooter rides to every beach and viewpoint.^[9]

How much does a night in Nusa Penida cost?

Guesthouses on the north coast run IDR 250,000 to 400,000 a night, boutique rooms IDR 900,000 to 2 million, and villas with a private pool start around IDR 3 million. A band does not say whether tax and breakfast are in.^[9]

Eleven guesthouses around Ped run IDR 175,000 to 1.2 million, and 7 of the 11 sit at IDR 450,000 to 750,000.^[8]

At one Ped hotel, a garden-view room runs from IDR 1.35 million (about AUD 108) a night, up to IDR 1.8 million for a beachfront villa, with 11% tax and breakfast included. Its rates carry no dates, so check your own.^[10]

Are there beachfront hotels on Nusa Penida?

Yes: near Ped, three guesthouses stand on the beachfront, and one hotel lists a villa with direct beach access.^{[8, 10]}

The postcard beaches are for looking. Swimming is banned at Kelingking and forbidden at Diamond Beach because of rip currents, so do not plan a swim at either. The dive school calls the sea off Ped's beachfront clean and enjoyable.^{[4, 7, 8]}

Are there private-pool villas on Nusa Penida?

Yes, from about IDR 3 million a night in the guide band. The risk is the listing: a pool on a listing can be the hotel's shared pool, not one for your villa.^[9]

Check that the room type says private pool.^[9]

Before you pay a deposit anywhere, ask:

How long should you stay on Nusa Penida?

Two to three nights at one base covers the island: one night is enough to see both coasts, and the extra nights add snorkelling, hiking or a slower trip. From Toyapakeh, Kelingking is 30 minutes to an hour away, Goa Giri Putri about 30 minutes and Diamond Beach about an hour.^{[4, 5, 7, 9]}

For a first visit, plan three nights if you can. Staying also gets you to the beaches before the day-trippers arrive from Bali, and the Nusa Penida guide sets the day trip against the overnight stay.^{[9, 11]}