When Ben and I visited Bali in September 2022, we knew we wanted to tack on a snorkeling trip somewhere. Beautiful beaches, deep blue waters, it was going to be the perfect setting. We decided on Nusa Penida because it had snorkeling, a visit to few other spots that looked IG-worthy (emphasis on IG worthy), and we would be picked up from our hotel in Nusa Dua, where we were staying for a friend’s wedding. Instead, it was just a long day of being shuttled around – first on an almost 2 hour ferry ride, then around the island in a jeep on bumpy/narrow roads, rough waters where we were not able to see much fish, and hoards of tourists EVERYWHERE.
We booked the ‘Nusa Penida Day Tour with Optional Snorkeling from Bali’ via Klook, which connects you with the local tour operator, for about $40 USD per person. Originally, I booked for four people because we were planning to go with two of our friends. They were staying at a different hotel than us but I had confirmed weeks before that the operator could do two pick-ups. The day before, they told us that it couldn’t be done and that we had to cancel and rebook. Ok fine, so we cancel and rebook and requested to be on the same tour, and they said it couldn’t be guaranteed. It just seemed so simple – they could have just contacted their drivers to let them know since each booking gets their own private car. We ended up following the same itinerary anyway for most of the day, although we got split up for lunch.
The day starts with a driver picking you up from your hotel and bringing you to the marina, which is about a 20 minute ride from Nusa Dua. The boat ride from there is about an hour and a half and it’s sort of like a large speed boat. Once on the other side, the boat lets you out onto the shallow beach, where another driver with your name on a sign is waiting for you. He then brought us to a local restaurant where we could purchase food/drinks, and use the bathroom/facilities before bringing us to the snorkeling boat. The driver waits on the island the whole time you’re snorkeling.
The snorkeling portion at Gamat/Crystal Bay was short but I think it was also cut short due to some rough waters. I did get seasick even after taking a motion sickness pill but being hungover (since the wedding was the night before) also did not help. I don’t know if it was because of the water conditions or just the area they brought us to, but I didn’t see much interesting fish. There were just a few swimming around here and there. But I will admit, I didn’t mind it being cut short because I was just happy to get back on land.
After that, your driver is again waiting for you, and brings you back to the same restaurant to get cleaned up before he starts taking you around the island. We drove about an hour to get to the lunch place, and you could just tell that this is where all of the tour operators bring their groups. You pick from a set menu and the food was not great. After that, the “sightseeing” begins. It’s about four hours total of driving to bring you around, and I feel like we didn’t see much. Yes the views were great, but it was ruined by the crowds. The stops were:
- Kelingking Beach – also known as the T-Rex cliff because of the huge cliff shaped like the dinosaur’s head. It’s a beautiful view but again, overcrowded with tourists. So much so that at some points, it was hard to walk. Plus, the only time you have to spend here is to wait your turn to get on an outpost to take some pictures. You won’t actually get to hike down to the beach, which I’ve read can take an hour
- Angel’s Billabong – this was a natural infinity pool. This was nice because it was less crowded than Kelingking Beach. You have a bit of time to swim here but we opted out because it was very rocky and slippery getting down to the pool
- Broken Glass Beach – these are cliffs with its own natural archway. There’s a trail you can walk alongside the cliffs on but it’s dangerous to actually get down to the beach because the waves can get really rough, and it’s not recommended for swimming
From there, it’s about a 1 hour bumpy ride back to the marina, where you’ll have to do that two hour ferry ride again. Overall, I don’t think the sights were worth all of the travel time. Especially not the day after a wedding, but it was my brilliant idea, since it was our last full day in Bali. The only good part of it was our driver/guide because he took amazing photos for us. They work mainly for tips and man, do they work for it. It’s next level. They know all the angles, the Instagram aesthetic, and will stand on top of rocks and climb trees to get you that perfect shot.
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