Hey peeps!

Since we got back from our Indonesia trip, we've received so many messages from you guys asking where we went, what we did, how much we spent, where we stayed, when we're getting married (wait, that last one might've just been our families...), so we thought it was about time we shared our experiences with you.

Indonesia makes planning a holiday an absolute nightmare (in the best way imaginable). There are so many places to choose from in this amazingly diverse archipelago that you could probably plan the holiday of a lifetime by blindfolding yourself in front of a map of the country and sticking pins in places at random! But since we don’t endorse using sharp objects while blindfolded, we’re here to help you plan your much-needed Indonesian summer vacay.

We covered Denpasar, Nusa Dua, Gili T, Gili Air, Ubud and lots of other places in-between, but for our very first Indonesia blog we're going to start with one of our favourite places in the whole world: Nusa Penida.

Blogs on our other travel adentures coming reeeeeally soon - stay tuned!

All the photos you see in this post were edited by us in Adobe Lightroom Mobile with our Love and Borders Bali Collection of presets. Sale on NOW, link here.

Follow us on Instagram: @saerahstamps

Presets: @byloveandborders

Nusa Penida

We hardly knew anything about this breathtaking little island before we arrived but it ended up being the highlight of our Indonesia trip.

If Indonesia’s on your travel bucket list, think beyond the shores of Kuta and Seminyak and plan your own unique adventure on Nusa Penida - before the rest of the world finds out. We’ll definitely be heading back as soon as we can!

Before we get into our top 5 things, here's a bit of background about the island to help you plan your trip.

Getting there

We took the Ekajaya fast boat from Padang Bai on Bali to Nusa Penida (Toyapakeh) departing at 3pm.

At the time of this post, you can pre-book a ticket online for around ₹1,350 (IDR 275,000) but we would suggest getting to Padang Bai in the late morning / around lunchtime and buying a ticket from the harbour. There are lots of vendors which means that you can get them to outbid each other to give you the lowest price and bag a decent discount if you're lucky!

Where to stay

We stayed in an area called Batununggul on the north-eastern side of the island, about a half hour drive from Toyapakeh ferry terminal.

It's one of the more developed parts of the island, with lots of little bars / restaurants, hotels and supermarkets but still peaceful by Indonesian standards. We even got to listen to gamelan music and watch dance performances at the local temples one night on our walk back to the hotel.

If you want to stay somewhere that's a bit more lively, you might want to check out the options near the Toyapakeh ferry terminal.

Getting around

You’ll definitely need a private vehicle to navigate this island paradise. All the sights are very spread out and there’s no public transportation or shuttle services to get you around.

Two wheels

For maximum mobility and to give yourselves the freedom to explore the secret sites of this place that the big tour groups don't get to see, we’d suggest you get 2 wheels instead of 4. Most hotels offer scooter rental at reasonable rates.

TIP: Don't be an idiot; wear a helmet. This is a given everywhere, but a remote Indonesian island is the last place you'd want to suffer a serious injury. Don't risk it - ask for a helmet when you rent your two wheeler.

Four wheels

For cars, you might be able to arrange pickup and drop off at specific points on the island through your hotel for a fee - but it won't be cheap. Depending on where you're staying, a return car trip to Kelingking (see below) is likely to cost you upwards of ₹3,000 if you book through your hotel!

Be safe

Be careful travelling around the island, especially if you’re on 2 wheels: the road quality is highly variable, there’s little in the way of signage and lighting, and given that it’s a secluded island, don't expect the same level of compliance with road rules that you’d find in a bigger city. Driving or riding at night in particular could be dangerous so only rent a vehicle if you’re confident.

TIP: If you’re travelling around December / January, make sure you remember to pick up a rain jacket because you might get soaked - we did!

Need help planning your trip?

We contacted Nusa Penida Travels to help us plan our trip. They gave us suggestions for places for us to visit, organised our transport to various sites and even arranged our snorkelling trip (details below!).

Visit their website here or message them on Instagram for more details.

Alright, alright, get to the list already! 

Okay, FINE.

(Whatever you do, don't skip number 5!)

1. Crystal Bay

Google Maps (opens in a new window): Crystal Bay Nusa Penida, Sakti, Nusapenida, Klungkung Regency, Bali 80771, Indonesia

One of the most gorgeous vantage points you’re likely to find on the island for sunset. Palm trees all around, cliff faces covered in vegetation stretching towards the horizon on either side of the bay, framing the pink and orange sky.

There are plenty of shacks by the beach selling all sorts of snacks and refreshments, so bring your beach towel and make your way here by late afternoon to give yourself enough time to find a spot, take a dip, and get comfortable before the sunset.

The drive to the bay is very picturesque so make sure you take your time getting here. Think narrow, winding roads, steep hills, greenery all around, small villages, beautiful temples. Once our driver found out that we were Indian, he started playing Hindi music on the car speakers. Having our Indonesian driver enthusiastically playing us songs from Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai on the rainforest roads in the fading afternoon light, was a special moment of our trip.

2. Kelingking

Google Maps (opens in a new window): Kelingking Beach, Bunga Mekar, Nusapenida, Klungkung Regency, Bali 80771, Indonesia

Going to Nusa Penida and not visiting Kelingking would be like going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower. Or Agra and not seeing the Taj Mahal. Okay sure, maybe we’re being a little dramatic because there are so many stunning vistas on this little island - but this is the place that made us go 'wow' when we first saw it in photos. This, is the place that made us want to visit Nusa Penida.

The surrounding location is very commercialised and touristy. You’ll be fighting hordes of other people and their selfie sticks so we didn’t stay here too long. But this dinosaur head-shaped beach is absolutely breathtaking and has to be part of your itinerary - at least do it for the ‘gram!

3. Night Market

Google Maps (opens in a new window): Night Market, Jl. Nusa Indah No.11, Batununggul, Nusapenida, Klungkung Regency, Bali 80771, Indonesia

This one’s for those of you who love sampling local street food delicacies wherever you go.

At the Night Market you’ll find all kinds of tasty treats, but a word of caution: for the health conscious traveller, this market certainly is not - most things on the menu are deep fried and served with a generous dose of chilli (but you can ask them to make it less spicy if you prefer). Nor is it really for vegetarians as non-meat options are fairly limited.

Having said that, if you’re in the area, the night market is definitely worth checking out. You’ll get to rub shoulders with lots of locals and in our experience, everyone was quite friendly and welcoming - plus the food is really cheap! Throw in a few words of Bahasa when placing your order for extra brownie points.

TIP: If you're not sure what to order, we recommend trying the chicken skewers or a veg nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice).

4. Diamond Beach

Google Maps (opens in a new window): Diamond Beach Nusa Penida, Pejukutan, Nusapenida, Klungkung Regency, Bali 80771, Indonesia

On top of a hill on the easternmost tip of the island you’ll find yourself faced with two paths.

On the right side - past a staircase that spirals down a limestone cliff face, getting narrower and narrower until it’s barely one foot wide and suddenly you have to grab on to a rope to get down further - is Diamond Beach, a secluded place where the water is turquoise blue. And if you’re lucky, you might even get it all to yourself - we basically did:

There’s not much to do on Diamond Beach, per se, other than take a dip, relax on the sand and feel the tide go in and out - which is a pretty good way to spend an afternoon, don't you think?

On the left side...is a normal path that leads to Atuh Beach which, as you can probably tell, we never got around to visit. We got a little preoccupied with the path on the right side - but can you really blame us?

5. Swimming with manta rays

Picture the scene.

You’re swimming in warm tropical waters. Above your head is a spectacular coastline and some of the most stunning cliffs you’ve ever seen. All around you, schools of bright, colourful fishes of different shapes and sizes. Then suddenly, right underneath you, you notice a massive shadow from the corner of your eye. Other swimmers rush towards you. You turn your head towards the direction of their muffled cries of excitement until there, right in front of you, is a gigantic manta ray, gliding majestically through the water.

Did you know that adult manta rays can grow to be more than SEVEN metres wide! But don’t worry about their size - they're harmless to humans. Snorkelling with these gentle giants was, without a doubt, the most surreal and incredible experience of our stay.

There are lots of companies that offer manta ray snorkelling tours at various locations around the island, including the appropriately named, Manta Bay.

We booked our snorkelling tour with Nusa Penida Travels (details at the top of this post) and we couldn't recommend them enough. They have all the equipment you'll need (including snorkelling masks, fins and life jackets) and experienced instructors who’ll look out for you which is great if you’re only an average swimmer like the both of us. Plus, if you have a camera they’ll even take photos and videos for you!

As at the time of this post, Nusa Penida Travels runs all day snorkelling tours for approx. ₹4,000 (IDR 800,000) per adult and ₹2,500 per child (IDR 500,000).

So...what did you think?

Are you guys convinced about Nusa Penida yet?!

Do you have any suggestions for things we should do next time?

Let us know in the comments below! We'd love to hear from you.