After saying goodbye to our beloved Raja Ampat (which completely stole our hearts), we made our way to Bali where we would spend two nights before making our way to the nearby Nusa Islands.
Our flight into Bali was delayed for 3 hours, so we arrived in the evening tired and excited for our first non-bucket shower in a week. We got picked up at the airport by Toy, an interesting guy who told us some of the history and points of interest about Bali on the way to our hotel, Radha Homestay. It was a super comfortable place to spend our transitional days in Bali.
I got my first taste of “Balinese style” coffee in the morning, which, as far as I’ve come to understand, is non-dissolvable coffee grounds that form a thick sludge at the bottom of your cup and a healthy ring around the rim. Not something I ever got used to, to be honest hahah.
On our one and only full day in Bali we did some errands, including a trip to the hospital for an ENT appointment for Wini’s ear, which has felt weird since she getting water trapped in it in Raja Ampat. She had the sweetest most amazing doctor of all time. Wini was prescribed a few days of antibiotics which immediately helped. Shoutout Dr. Kurniasih!
That evening we drove to Seminyak Beach on the west side of Bali, about 30 minutes away, to watch the sunset. Our time in Bali was short and sweet, so we definitely hope to come back and give it a real visit someday.
We woke up the next day ready for our next adventure: the Nusa Islands, starting with Nusa Penida. Nusa Penida is a nearby island known for its rugged coastline, dramatic cliffs, and pristine beaches. The island is home to breathtaking natural wonders. The neighboring Nusa Islands, comprising Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan, are smaller in size but pack an equal amount of beauty and tranquility.
The packed ferry ride to Nusa Penida featured a small child screaming at the top of her lungs for the entire 40 minutes, while her family each played different Youtube videos/cellphone games at full volume, not a headphone in sight. It went by quicker once we remembered our own noise cancelling headphones existed!
Once on Nusa Penida we rented a scooter and did two trips from the ferry port to our accommodation, Ped Cottage, because we have entirely too many bags to fit both of us and our luggage in one go.
Nusa Penida is an interesting place because it feels remote and rural, but also highly touristy and busy. We had several moments where we saw the odd juxtaposition of those two realities. The first was when Wini went to fill up the scooter at the gas station and waited over 30 minutes because everyone that just had crossed on the ferry also needed to fill up their tanks. What’s more, is that there were free spots, but they said they were for cars only, so even though there were no cars and dozens of scooters, they just left those spots open. It felt like it just hasn’t caught up to the kind of demand the farming island turned tourist destination now faces.
After checking into to our place and having a quick lunch, we hit the ground running by driving across the island to Diamond Beach and Thousand Islands Viewpoint. It was a long and harrowing drive.
Driving in Nusa Penida is an experience on its own due to the island’s unique terrain and road conditions. The roads on Nusa Penida are winding and incredibly steep, often carved into the rugged cliffsides. The roads are also quite narrow and made more so by the potholes that line either edge of the road, pushing each lane closer together. There were many times cars would whip past us on a road that could barely hold two scooters side by side. There are no road names so navigating our way across the island was often challenging, especially when we would lose service and access to Google Maps.
After about an hour on the treacherous roads, we pulled up to Thousand Islands Viewpoint but we couldn’t figure out how to get down to the viewpoint. Some men pointed us in the direction but said it was 15,000 IDR/person ($1 USD) for entry. We decided we’d rather go to Diamond Beach, which was just down the road, so we drove over and paid the entrance fee there, which was 25,000 IDR/person ($1.70 USD), plus 5,000 IDR (0.35 USD) for parking.
We arrived at the viewpoint of Diamond Beach in Nusa Penida just as the sun began its descent, and we were treated to the breathtaking, dizzying view. The rugged cliffs framed the scene, creating a dramatic backdrop against the turquoise waters. The sliver of white beach far below was dotted with people who had made the hike down.
There is an option to hike down the cliff to the beach, but with the sun going down fast we realized we’d have to do that treacherous drive back in the dark if we went down, so we stayed atop the cliffs. We took it in, feeling so grateful for the beautiful evening and this amazing time in our lives.
On the way home we stopped for food and then ran into another common issue in the Nusa: the ATMs. Despite being a hot tourist destination just off the coast of Bali, it is remarkably hard to take money out, and it’s best to bring enough cash with you before arriving. We, however, did not.
We tried all of the ATMs in both main towns to no avail; either they didn’t accept our card, or they were out of cash! Luckily, we were able to pay for our dinner with credit card (with a 3% fee), but we were more worried for the next day. We were all out of cash and we had planned to wake up early and go across to the more remote side of the island, where credit card may not be accepted.
We were tired after our big travel and adventure day and stressed by the new worry over our money situation. Then, Wini had the idea to ask our hotel contact if he could help. Thankfully, he was able to charge our card and give us cash! We were so grateful, relieved, and ready to explore the next morning.
At sunrise, we headed out for our early morning adventure to Kelingking Beach on the other side of the island. We drove the long and winding roads to Kelingking Beach. To our surprise, we didn’t have to pay any parking or entrance fees, leaving us wondering if it was a stroke of luck or simply a free experience.
Standing at the breathtaking Kelingking viewpoint, we were immediately captivated by the stunning scene before us. The iconic towering cliffs, resembling a T-Rex, framed the turquoise waters and sandy beach below.
Our excitement soared when we spotted a giant manta ray gracefully gliding in the crystal-clear waters below. Wini quickly launched the drone to capture the moment while I snapped photos and pointed out the manta to fellow tourists.
Eager to explore further, we headed on the challenging hike down the steep stairs to the T-Rex-shaped rock formation.
At the end of the stairs, you can either turn around and go back up, or take the trail to the beach below.
We decided to take the path leading to the beach. The steep uneven terrain and occasional slippery spots demanded our full attention as we carefully navigated our way down, holding onto the ropes and rickety rails provided along the path. It was a thrilling and somewhat arduous journey that offered stunning views the whole way down (though I’m not sure how much we looked up to enjoy them honestly).
Finally, stepping onto the softest sand we had ever felt, we enjoyed the sense of accomplishment on getting down the steep cliff.
We met a funny little sand puppy that a local brought down in his backpack.
We were also welcomed by the sight of the manta ray still gracefully swimming in the turquoise waters. Wini seized the opportunity to capture closer drone videos, and captured an unexpected moment of a fellow traveller swimming alongside the manta. It turned out he had no idea he was so close to one! We showed him the footage after he came out and he was so excited and grateful for the photos. We thought it was amazing how tiny he looked near the giant ray.
Leaving behind the beauty of Kelingking Beach, we drove to our next destination: Manta Point. The 40-minute scooter ride took us to a majestic cliff viewpoint overlooking the ocean. Luckily, there was no entry fee, allowing us to soak in the beauty without any additional cost. Although we didn’t spot any mantas at this location, we were still buzzing from the mesmerizing encounter we had earlier at Kelingking Beach. We took advantage of the quiet to take in the gorgeous surroundings.
With hunger gnawing at our stomachs, we found a nearby restaurant down the road. After eating, our server suggested we visit a nearby waterfall. However, when we arrived (and had already paid the parking fee), we found out that women were required to rent a sarong in order to enter. We were tired and not in the mood for the double standards (a shirtless man was allowed by with no issue). So we turned around and headed back to our accommodation for a much-needed relaxation session.
On our last morning in Nusa Penida, we packed up, left our bags with reception, and headed out to explore Broken Beach, another 50-minute drive on the narrow island roads. We paid for parking, but not for the experience, and again, we’re not sure if it was free or if we just somehow missed the area to pay. Wini posted up with her drone, and I went off the explore the area.
As I walked along the path, I stumbled upon an incredible sight — multiple mantas gracefully swimming near the arch. I followed the rocky cliffs to get a better view and could count 5 from the ledge I was on. I hurried back to tell Wini and she followed me back. It was a surreal experience, witnessing the beauty and grace of the mantas in their natural habitat. From her drones-eye view we were able to count EIGHT! It was so magical to watch them glide by right below us, waving their little wings.
After we enjoyed the show put on by the mantas, we went back to catch a boat to Nusa Lembongan, only 15 minutes away. We rented scooters and again had to do two trips to get all our stuff to our accommodation, Isola D’oro.
We had again run into the issue of money. There were even fewer ATMs on Nusa Lembongan, and they also didn’t work. Luckily, our hotel lady pointed us in the direction of a weirdly placed but working one!
That evening, we headed out for sunset at a popular spot, Devil’s Tears. Nusa Lembongan is much smaller than Nusa Penida, and the longest drive you’ll have, even going across to Nusa Ceningan will be less than 20 minutes. The drive to Devil’s Tears was an easy 6 minutes from our place!
We positioned ourselves near the edge, feeling the mist on our faces as the waves collided against the rugged cliffs. We watched as the sun dipped below the horizon, bidding farewell to yet another day of our incredible journey.
The next day we went out for a day of exploration, which took us to various sites around Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. From Jungutbatu Beach, to the Mangrove Forest, Yellow Bridge, Secret Beach, and Blue Lagoon, we traversed this small islands to take in as much as we could. We were somewhat low on energy as we bounced from place to place, as we’ve kept extremely busy these last few weeks, but we took a moment to enjoy each stop before moving on to the next one.
For our last evening in the Nusa Islands, we decided to return to Devil’s Tears for sunset. The last rays of sunlight reflected a rainbow in the sea spray — HA, GAY!
We headed home, honestly exhausted from our jam-packed few weeks in Indonesia, but looking forward to our final stretch on our boat trip from Lombok through the Komodo Islands.
Click here to view our Bali photo gallery
Click here to view our Nusa Penida photo gallery
Click here to view our Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan photo gallery