Bali has been popular for a long time, but in the last couple of years, a new IG-famous spot suddenly exploded in popularity—Kelingking Beach on Nusa Penida! From high above, you can overlook a naturally formed cliff shaped exactly like a T-Rex, surrounded by pristine white sands and crystal-clear azure waters. The sheer scale and beauty are impossible to put into words!

This breathtaking, majestic scenery earned Kelingking Beach the #5 spot in Asia for Tripadvisor's 2020 Travellers' Choice Awards for Beaches!

🦖 Location & Transportation

Nusa Penida (also known as Penida Island) is located between Bali and Lombok. It only takes about a 50-minute speedboat ride each way from Sanur Harbor in Bali, making it the perfect day-trip destination for island hopping! Besides Kelingking Beach, what else does a Nusa Penida day trip include, and what other amazing sights can you see? Let's dive in!

Here's a little sneak peek: aside from the T-Rex, at the end of this post, Cherry is sharing an exclusive spot where you can see a Chinese Dragon 🐲! (Hopefully, she isn't the only one who thinks it looks like one! 😆)

🦖 Nusa Penida Day Trip Itinerary

▶︎ Arriving at Sanur Harbor
▶︎ Speedboat to Nusa Penida
▶︎ Snorkeling
▶︎ Indonesian Lunch
▶︎ Kelingking Beach
▶︎ Angel's Billabong
▶︎ Broken Beach

🦖 Arriving at Sanur Harbor

Although the speedboat from Sanur Harbor to Nusa Penida only takes about 50 minutes, if you're joining a day tour, be prepared to wake up super early! We booked our day tour through the navigator (concierge) at our hotel, the Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa. The package included round-trip private transfers from our hotel to the harbor, round-trip boat tickets, snorkeling, a private car for the whole day on Nusa Penida, and lunch. However, Cherry later discovered that booking a day tour on Klook is way cheaper than booking through the hotel 😅

📌 Book Nusa Penida Day Trip on Klook

Our driver was waiting for us right on time at the hotel entrance early in the morning. He smoothly dropped us off at Sanur Harbor and carefully arranged where to meet us for the return trip. At the harbor, another staff member handed us our boat tickets and explained how to handle the return tickets, what time to gather back at the counter, and other details. We took the Ray Fish Fast Cruises speedboat for our trip to and from Nusa Penida. They run three boats a day, and we caught the 7:45 AM departure. See what we mean about waking up early?!

Since we had a bit of time before gathering, we wandered around the harbor! There are plenty of other boat companies along the shore. If you don't want to join a full-day tour like we did, you can totally just buy round-trip boat tickets on your own.

📌 Book Sanur to Nusa Penida Boat Tickets on Klook

The golden morning sunlight sparkling on the water was magical. We had no idea the beach looked this beautiful in the morning! (Usually, at 7 AM, we're still fast asleep in dreamland, so seeing a morning beach is a rare treat for us! 😆)

🦖 Speedboat to Nusa Penida

When it was time to leave, we met back at the speedboat company's counter and headed to the boarding beach with the rest of the group.

Before getting on the boat, everyone had to take off their shoes and put them in a plastic bin. Even water shoes weren't allowed—we had to board barefoot. We're guessing the boat company doesn't want everyone tracking beach sand inside! Wading into the water to board was deeper than we expected. Also, every speedboat had four incredibly massive motors on the back; it was our first time seeing a setup like that!

Once we were close to the shore of Nusa Penida, we had to transfer to a smaller boat like the one below to actually dock.

We finally made it!

After grabbing our shoes, we found our new driver waiting on the shore holding a sign with our names. He introduced us to the car we'd be taking for the day, then led us to the snorkeling gathering spot. He assured us he'd be waiting right at the entrance once we finished snorkeling. This made us feel so safe and taken care of—any pre-trip worries about getting lost or left behind completely vanished!

🦖 Snorkeling

At the snorkeling meeting point, they provide gear like flippers, snorkels, and masks. For those who need life jackets, they are available on the boat. However, almost everyone in our tour group was a super-strong swimmer from Australia, so we were the only two asking for life jackets! 😅

Our itinerary included three snorkeling spots: Manta Bay, Crystal Bay, and GT Point. Honestly, Cherry was looking forward to Manta Bay the most. We originally hadn't planned on snorkeling at all, but we signed up specifically because we wanted to see the Manta Rays at Manta Bay. Sadly, we didn't get to see them 😭. We're not sure if it was just bad luck, but the waves at Manta Bay were quite rough that day, making underwater visibility pretty poor. If you are dead set on seeing Manta Rays, scuba diving is probably a much better bet!

📌 Book Scuba Diving Experience on Klook

Out of the three spots, Crystal Bay definitely had the most beautiful underwater scenery, with vast stretches of coral and quite a few small fish. However, we were only using our phones in waterproof pouches (since we hadn't planned on snorkeling, we didn't pack our underwater camera for Bali), and all our photos of the fish turned out blurry… 😭

Because we hit three different spots, the time spent at each wasn't very long, and we still had to factor in time to rinse off afterward. Whether you choose to snorkel really depends on your personal preference. If you don't love it, there are definitely tour options that skip the snorkeling entirely! After we finished, we headed back to the meeting point, where they had facilities for a quick rinse and outfit change.

🦖 Indonesian Lunch

After freshening up, our super reliable driver was already waiting at the door (thumbs up for him! 👍🏻). He drove us to a small local eatery for lunch.

For lunch, everyone could choose a main dish and a drink. We ordered one Indonesian fried noodles (Mie Goreng) and one Indonesian fried rice (Nasi Goreng). They were both quite tasty!

🦖 Kelingking Beach

Finally, we arrived at the main highlight of the day trip: Kelingking Beach (also known as the T-Rex cliff), where you can see the famous dinosaur shape! The narrow, elongated ridge extends into the sea, looking exactly like a T-Rex from Jurassic Park 🦖, surrounded by the vast, majestic ocean. This incredible T-Rex shaped cliff embraces a pristine white sand beach, emerald green waters, glimpses of coral reefs, and white foam crashing with the waves. Looking down from above is an absolutely breathtaking, suffocatingly beautiful sight! It makes total sense why this spot exploded in popularity, even among Bali's already famous attractions—it has an extraordinary, undeniable charm!

As expected from the hottest IG check-in spot of the trip, Kelingking Beach brings out the "Insta-models" from all over the world 😍😍😍. Everyone wants a gorgeous photo with the T-Rex! Being here made us realize that being an influencer is seriously hard work! Just look at the cliff—to get that perfect shot, the girls sit with their legs dangling over the edge. Below them is a sheer drop; if you slip or lose your balance, you'll fall straight down the ravine 😱😱😱. It's incredibly dangerous! Here's a back-shot of a blonde beauty taking her turn. Her outfit and pose were stunning~

Alright, Cherry will admit it: she was one of those fearless girls, too. Our driver suddenly pointed to the cliff edge and told her to sit there for a picture. Without a second thought, she was like, "Oh! Okay~" and plonked right down. Kevin almost had a heart attack when he saw her sitting on the edge 😅😅😅. (Pro Tip: This cliff is SERIOUSLY high and dangerous. Think carefully before taking photos here and always prioritize safety. Cherry not thinking it through is a bad example… Kevin was smart and flat-out declined the driver's offer, saying he didn't need a photo! 😆)

Once she sat down, Cherry suddenly realized just how high up she was… Can you see the fear in her stiff posture? Completely frozen in place! Definitely not cut out to be an Insta-model 😆. Luckily, the T-Rex backdrop didn't disappoint—it looked just as magnificent as ever!

By the way, let us share a much safer way to get a photo with the T-Rex. As the saying goes, behind every successful Insta-model, there is a great photographer (😆 wait, does that sound right?). At Kelingking Beach, you really see the dedication of these photographers. Climbing trees to get a good angle is just a piece of cake 🍰 for them!!!

Below the cliff, the crystal-clear water and a pristine stretch of white sand are completely enclosed by the towering cliffs~

There were a few people scattered on the beach, and the waves looked quite strong~ But you can clearly see the sand is powdery, white, and spotless!

You can actually hike down to this beach. By following the "spine" of the T-Rex and continuing downwards, you'll reach the sand. However, we heard the path is full of loose rocks and quite difficult to navigate, so safety is a major concern. It takes about 40-60 minutes to hike down, and 2-3 hours to climb back up.

The scenery along the way is supposedly gorgeous, so if you have the physical stamina and time, give it a try!

Later on, our sharp eyes spotted some people on a neighboring cliff. We asked around and found out it's a dedicated photo spot. For a small fee (we forgot exactly how much, but it was cheap), you can go in and take pictures.

We couldn't resist Bali's signature "bird's nest" photo op! The backdrop is spectacular, and you can even see the cliff where we were just viewing the T-Rex.

Photography gimmicks aside, from here you can simultaneously see the "back" of the T-Rex, the endless cliffs stretching into the distance, and the boundless ocean. The view is genuinely stunning!

Besides the bird's nest, there are plenty of other photo installations. If you love taking pictures, it's definitely worth checking out~

🦖 Angel's Billabong

Less than a 30-minute drive from Kelingking Beach is Angel's Billabong. This naturally formed infinity pool made of volcanic rock connects directly to the vast, deep blue ocean. Inside the emerald pool, the water is as calm as a mirror, while just a hair's breadth away, the ocean waves crash fiercely. It creates an incredibly magical and rare contrast!

Under the emerald water, you can see the irregular shapes of the volcanic rocks, which is super unique~

The massive volcanic rocks surrounding Angel's Billabong have been battered and eroded by the waves for years. Because they've been constantly soaked, the cross-sections of the rocks display beautiful gradients of color. The crystal-blue water crashing against the sharp edges of the rocks to create white sea foam is an absolutely gorgeous sight!

The rocks along the coast here are hard volcanic stone. They are irregularly shaped, sharp, and full of potholes, making the walk quite difficult. Please be extra careful of your footing when you visit!

🦖 Broken Beach

Just a short walk from Angel's Billabong is another must-visit spot: Broken Beach (originally known as Pasih Uug Beach).

It features a completely natural archway! The ocean water surges in beneath the arch, and waves continuously crash onto the shore, churning up white foam before slowly receding and blending back into the sea~

This is the classic angle where all the tourists line up for photos~

After snapping our shots at the popular Broken Beach photo spot, we had a little time to wander. We walked a full loop along the Broken Beach trail. Looking out toward the ocean, we noticed a massive rock.

Upon closer inspection, we realized we had found Cherry's exclusive secret spot! We seriously think it looks exactly like a sleeping Chinese Dragon 🐲🐲🐲. Does anyone else see it too?

After Broken Beach, we headed back to the same beach where we first arrived that morning and hopped on the return boat to Bali. Our driver stayed on the shore, watching us until we were safely on board before he left.

And that wraps up our Nusa Penida one-day island-hopping trip (we booked a private tour)! We have to say, this itinerary is perfect for nature lovers and anyone who loves taking epic photos. The powerful and majestic Kelingking Beach, the serene Angel's Billabong, and Broken Beach are all fantastic spots for photography. If you enjoy snorkeling, definitely add that to your tour to see the beautiful coral and fish. The day was packed with amazing sights, and we highly recommend it!

📌 Bali Island Hopping Tours: KKDay｜KLook｜Included in Bali Pass

Nusa Penida is actually quite large. Most day trips focus on the western attractions, but there are also day tours exclusively for the east coast. If time allows, you might even consider staying on the island for a few days! Eastern Nusa Penida has plenty of incredible spots worth visiting. The most famous is the Rumah Pohon Tree House—a little wooden cabin perched in the trees with winding cliffs, the vast ocean, and a giant rock rising from the sea in the background. It creates an incredibly unique landscape and is a highly sought-after photo spot for influencers!

📌 Nusa Penida Multi-Day Tour (From Bali)｜East Nusa Penida Day Tour

🦖 Bali Travel Info

★ [Nusa Penida] Round-trip Boat Tickets｜Private Car Charter｜Group Day Tour｜Private Day Tour
★ [Island Transport] Bali Private Car Charter｜Private Transfers
★ [Jungle Swings] Picheaven Swing｜Ubud Swing｜Waterfall & Swing
★ [Discount Tickets] Uluwatu Temple Kecak Dance｜Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park
★ [Accommodation Guide] Bali Area Accommodation Breakdown

For more introductions to Bali attractions, check out 👉🏻【Bali Travel Guide】Top Attractions by Area, Master Bali's Hottest Spots! (Includes Map)

🦖 Bali Travel Articles

★ 【Bali Travel Guide】Top Attractions by Area, Master Bali's Hottest Spots! (Includes Map)
★ 5 Top Attractions Around Uluwatu Temple | How to Explore Southern Bali?!
★ Stunning Sunsets + Cliff Temple + Kecak Dance All at Uluwatu Temple
★ Bali's Tallest Statue ☆ Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park
★ Bali's Secret Beach Is Here! | The Hidden Gem of Pandawa Beach
★ A Must-Visit Cliff Bar for Insta-Lovers! The Viral IG Spot | OMNIA Dayclub
★ Bali Travel Guide ☆ Temple Taboos & Etiquette
★ Super New! Bali Accommodation Recommendation | Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa
★ Stay at a 5-Star Renaissance Bali Suite for $0!! ☆ Marriott Bonvoy Points + Suite Upgrade Example
★ Ultra-Luxurious Executive Suite | The Bathroom is Bigger Than My Room! | Renaissance Bali Uluwatu
★ Lavish Buffet & VIP Breakfast | Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa

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★ Islands: Tahiti｜Maldives｜Fiji
★ Middle East: Doha｜Dubai｜Abu Dhabi
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