How to Get From Bali to Nusa Penida
Ferry · Slow Ferry · Day Tour
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In this in-depth route guide, you'll find the best ways to travel the 31 kilometre (19 miles) distance from Bali to Nusa Penida. By the end of this guide, you'll know exactly how to get there — whether you want to travel on a budget, reach Nusa Penida as fast as possible, or enjoy the ride in comfort. We base our information on verified schedules, ticket prices, and on-the-ground insights from recent travellers.
What are the 3 ways to travel from Bali to Nusa Penida?
There are three ways to travel the 31 km distance from Bali to Nusa Penida. You can choose between the ferry, slow ferry, and day tour.
The journey takes between 1h–8h and the quickest way is by ferry (1h). If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by slow ferry with tickets starting at 30,000 IDR ($1.70).
30m - 1h
119,000 IDR ($6.90)
2h
30,000 IDR ($1.70)
8 hours
785,000 IDR ($46)
Bali to Nusa Penida by Ferry
With five different ports in Bali and three different ports on Nusa Penida, you have many ferry options for this route.
In the table below, we compare the duration and costs of the lowest priced tickets to Nusa Penida from each of the ports in Bali.
Booking Tip
Sanur Port is closest to the Nusa islands. Conveniently, it’s also the closest port to the most popular destinations in Bali (including Seminyak, Canggu, and Ubud).
Serangan is about 10 km south of Sanur. There are three Fast boat companies leaving from this port, but we don’t see an advantage of leaving from Serangan compared to the new harbour in Sanur. Tickets are more expensive here and the port is harder to reach.
If you’re coming from Sidemen or around Padang Bai, it’s easier to take a ferry from Kusamba or Padang Bai (depending on the availability of the ferries).
Only a few ferries depart from Pemelisan Harbour since it’s not quite as popular as the other ports in Bali. This port is located across from Serangan Port, and we also don’t see an advantage of taking a ferry from Pemelisan.
Option 1: Fast boat from Sanur Port
Sanur Port is located on the east coast of Bali and is the closest port to many of the main destinations in Bali — including Canggu, Seminyak, Kuta, Uluwatu and Nusa Dua.
Note that the new port in Sanur has a digital ticketing system, so you are required to buy your tickets in advance. You can pre-book your tickets online through BookAway, which we recommend for its excellent customer service.
Your ticket or boarding pass includes a barcode that will be scanned and checked at the port.
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Option 2: Fast boat from Serangan Port
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Option 3: Fast boat from Padang Bai
Although Padang Bai is mainly used for Fast boats to Lombok and the Gili Islands, you can also take a ferry from this port to Nusa Penida.
Eka Jaya operates larger Fast boats from this port, a good choice for passengers who are prone to motion sickness. However, travel time from Padang Bai can take a bit longer (1 hour) compared to Fast boats departing from Sanur (30-45 minutes).
Padang Bai is also the only harbour that allows you to bring a vehicle (car or motorbike) to Nusa Penida. As this 2-hour slow ferry takes considerably longer and often experiences long delays, we don’t recommend the slow ferry if you’re not planning to bring a vehicle.
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Option 4: Fast boat from Kusamba Port
A short 20-minute drive (10 km) southwest of Padang Bai, you’ll find Kusamba Port. Kusamba is a traditional sea salt-producing community and has the shortest distance from Bali to Nusa Penida.
Angkal Fast Cruise and Gangga Express have regular departures from this port.
Ready to book your ferry?
How to get to Kusamba Port
There is no direct public transport from the main destinations in Bali to Kusamba Port. Your best option is to take a taxi or a private car directly from your hotel to the port. See here the estimated travel time and taxi fares going to Kusamba Port:Estimated taxi fares to Kusamba Port
| Departure point | Travel time | Taxi fares* |
|---|---|---|
| Canggu | 1.5-2 hours | from 185,000 IDR ($11) |
| Kuta, Seminyak | 1-1.5 hours | from 200,000 IDR ($12) |
| Ubud | 45 minutes – 1 hour | from 225,000 IDR ($13) |
| Uluwatu | 1.5-2 hours | from 400,000 IDR ($23) |
Option 5: Fast boat from Pemelisan Harbour
Pemelisan Harbour is located 5 km away from Serangan Port. Only one ferry company from this port because it’s not as popular as the other ports in Bali.
Same as the ferries from Serangan, travel time from Pemelisan Harbour to Nusa Penida takes about 30m. Ticket prices start from 175,000 IDR ($10) for foreign tourists.
*Important update: The last time we checked (September 2024), it was unclear whether J Trip still operates speedboats from Pemelisan to Nusa Penida. Have you recently travelled this route? Share your updates through this form and help fellow travellers!
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Direct operator sites
Booking Tip
For the latest schedules, it’s best to contact J Trip on WhatsApp at least a day before your trip. It’s worth noting though that J Trip is a fairly new company, and it got quite negative reviews from some travellers. Some complaints include several hours of delays and cancelled ferry trips because there weren’t enough passengers.
Given these negative reviews, we recommend taking a ferry from other ports like Sanur, where you can find more reputable ferry companies.
If you still want to check out this route, the most convenient way to get to Pemelisan Harbour is by taking a taxi from your hotel. Taxi fares are more or less similar to taxi fares to Serangan Port.
Bali to Nusa Penida by Slow Ferry
An alternative to the Fast boat is the slow ferry from Bali to Nusa Penida. We recommend this option only if you want to bring a vehicle to Nusa Penida.
The KMP Nusa Jaya Abadi ferry has 1-2 trips daily and travel time is about 2h. Online booking is not available for the slow ferry, so you need to be at the port early.
Departure and arrival ports
The slow ferry departs from Padang Bai and arrives at its own port in Nusa Penida. This port is right between Buyuk and Sampalan Harbour.
How to buy slow ferry tickets
You need to be at the port at least 30 minutes before departure because you will need to buy a toll card.
To register this card, they will ask for your name(s) and address. You will also need to register your licence plate if you bring a vehicle. Upon getting the toll card, you need to load it with money and use the card to buy your ticket at the ticket office.
See here the costs for the slow ferry:
- Adult: 30,000 IDR ($1.70)
- Motorbike: 50,000 IDR ($2.90)
- Car: 295,000 IDR ($17)
- Toll card: 30,000 IDR ($1.70) (can be shared with multiple people)
Slow ferry schedule from Padang Bai, Bali to Nusa Penida
Booking Tip
Bali to Nusa Penida by Day Tour
If you only have a day to explore Bali’s offshore islands, your best option is to book a day tour. But note that you’ll only get a brief experience of Nusa Penida with this tour for 8 hours.
Quiksilver runs all-inclusive day trips on a 40-metre catamaran from Bali to Nusa Penida. With this tour, you’ll get to visit Kelingking Beach, Angel Billabong, and Broken Beach.
The tour also includes a buffet lunch and access to various water sports activities from a huge pontoon off the Nusa Penida coastline.
A day trip Cruise from Bali to Nusa Penida costs 785,000 IDR ($46) per person when booked with Klook.
When booking this day tour, you can choose to depart from Sanur Port or Tanjung Benoa Harbour.
Tanjung Benoa Harbour
Tanjung Benoa is located a little south of Serangan. This destination is famous for its water activities and it is also the main departure point for day trip cruises to neighbouring islands.
There are no regular ferries at this port going to Nusa Penida. If you book a day trip with Quiksilver, then your journey starts at Tanjung Benoa.
How to get to Tanjung Benoa Port
The port is located on the northern end of a little peninsula connected to Nusa Dua. To reach this northern end, the taxi will first need to head towards Nusa Dua, making it a longer drive than going to Sanur or Serangan.
Rounding it up
We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from Bali to Nusa Penida. If there's anything else you're wondering about, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to answer you within a few days.
PS: If you've recently travelled this route, share your experience with fellow travellers and help us improve this post. Thanks for helping out our travel community!
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Based in Bali, Maarten's passion for travel is undeniable. In 2016, he decided to quit his job as a stock analyst and started doing what he always dreamed of: travelling through South East Asia and helping other people plan their trips. When he is not working on Gecko Routes, you'll find him surfing in the ocean or exploring the best gems of Indonesia.
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Ferry Schedule Notice
Ferry schedules can change due to weather, sea conditions, or seasonal adjustments. We recommend confirming departure times directly with the operator, especially during monsoon season.
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