Getting to Nusa Penida

How do you get from Bali to Nusa Penida?

By fast boat from Sanur (about 45 minutes) or Kusamba (25 to 30 minutes), or by the public Roro ferry from Padang Bai (about 90 minutes). Almost everyone goes from Sanur.

Sanur wins on choice. nusapenida.org counts more than 90 boats a day leaving Sanur, and it is the closest harbour if you are staying in Sanur, Seminyak, Canggu or Ubud. Kusamba is quicker on the water and makes sense from Amed or Sidemen. The Padang Bai ferry exists mainly to carry cars and scooters.

Day tours settle the question for you. Every Bali-based tour on this site uses Sanur, and the pickup, the boat and the car on the island are all in the price.

How much is the fast boat from Sanur to Nusa Penida?

About IDR 170,000 to 215,000 one way when you book online in 2026, and up to IDR 250,000 if you buy at the booth on the day. The island fee of IDR 25,000 per adult comes on top.

Fares rose across the board in summer 2026 with fuel costs, according to nusapenida.org, so a guide quoting IDR 150,000 from Sanur is out of date. Some operators bundle a hotel transfer in the Sanur area into the ticket, which costs more but saves a taxi. Holders of a KITAS residence permit may still get a lower fare.

• Skip the touts: agents who approach you around the harbour sell at a markup over the counter price.
• Booths and kiosks: there are electronic kiosks inside the main Sanur terminal for last-minute tickets, but they show only some operators and cost more than booking ahead.
• Return tickets: book both legs together. The afternoon boats back fill first.

The Sanur fast boat on GetYourGuide starts from $9 per person and lets you pick between more than three operators. It covers the ticket only; the island fee is paid when you land.

What time is the first and last boat to Nusa Penida?

From Sanur the first boat leaves at 06:30 and the last at 17:00. Coming back, the first leaves Nusa Penida at 07:20 and the last at 17:00.

Between those, departures are thick in the morning and thin out after midday. A few examples from the timetables nusapenida.org checked in September 2026, all Sanur to Banjar Nyuh:

• Semabu Hills: 06:30, 07:00, 07:30, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 12:00, 13:00 and 15:00; back from 08:00 to 17:00.
• Angel Billabong: 07:30, 08:30, 10:00, 14:15 and 17:00; back at 07:20, 09:00, 13:00, 16:00 and 17:00.
• Maruti Express: 07:30, 08:00, 09:00 and 15:00; back at 12:30, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30 and 17:00.

The last boats are the ones to worry about. On 5 June 2026, outside peak season, nusapenida.org photographed Sanur at 16:50 with every operator's last boat of the day full. If you are coming back the same day, book a seat on a 15:00 to 16:30 boat and keep the 17:00 as your spare. Boats also leave on time, and sometimes a few minutes early.

Where do the boats leave from in Sanur, and do you get wet boarding?

From the Sanur fast-boat terminal on Jalan Matahari Terbit. Since it opened, boarding no longer means walking through the water.

The terminal handles ticketing, check-in and a waiting area, and you walk to the boat when your departure is called. nusapenida.org sums it up: since the new terminal opened, boarding has become much more comfortable, with no need to walk through the water. Older guides that tell you to roll up your trousers describe the beach before the terminal. On the Nusa Penida side most Sanur boats land at Banjar Nyuh, near Toyapakeh. Sea spray still happens on the way across, so a small dry bag for your phone is a good idea.

Each tour has its own meeting point along the same stretch: The Angkal Fast Cruise next to the Circle K on Jalan Matahari Terbit for the east and west day trip, the Axe Stone counter for the snorkel and west tour, the Surya Lagoon Restaurant for the yacht day. The fast boat listing asks you to be there 45 minutes before departure to collect your boarding pass.

Pickup in Bali from 05:00, the 07:00 boat from Sanur, a car and local driver on the island, and the Kelingking, Diamond Beach and Angel's Billabong tickets.

★ 4.7 · 8 to 10 hours · from $32

Explore the east and west day trip → Tour details

Is the boat from Kusamba faster than Sanur?

Yes. The crossing from Kusamba takes about 25 to 30 minutes against about 45 from Sanur, and fares start a little lower at IDR 150,000 to 212,000 one way online.

Kusamba is a small harbour on the east Bali coast, near Padang Bai. Boarding there is from a floating pontoon. Boats land at Sampalan on the north coast, or at Toyapakeh. That suits you if you are staying near Sampalan, Buyuk or Ped, or heading for Atuh Beach and the east coast; Banjar Nyuh is the better landing for Crystal Bay and the west.

Operators named by nusapenida.org on this route include Gangga Express, The Angkal and Sekarjaya, with first boats around 06:30 and last ones from 16:00 to 17:00. The catch is the drive: from the south of Bali, Kusamba is much further than Sanur, so the shorter crossing only pays off if you are already in east Bali.

Is there a ferry from Padang Bai to Nusa Penida?

Yes. The public Roro car ferry leaves Padang Bai at 10:00 and 14:00 (Sundays 10:00 only), takes about 90 minutes to Sampalan, and costs around IDR 120,000 for a scooter and two people.

Take it if you are bringing your own scooter or car. For foot passengers it makes little sense: two departures a day, a long wait while trucks and cars load first, and an arrival that nusapenida.org says is often late. On one crossing their writer boarded at 10:45 for a ferry timetabled at 10:00, left at 11:15 and reached Sampalan around 12:45.

For the return, be at Sampalan port before 07:00. The ferry boards around 07:30 and leaves around 08:15. Check with your rental company first if you want to take a car across: not all of them allow it, given the roads on the island.

How rough is the boat to Nusa Penida, and what about seasickness and luggage?

It can be bumpy. One tour listing describes rocky boat rides at 23 to 25 knots, and the sea is roughest from December to March. Take a seasickness tablet before you board if you are prone to it.

Mornings are usually calmer than afternoons. A few habits help:

• Take the tablet early: 30 to 60 minutes before boarding works better than on board.
• Sit toward the back and low down, where the bow slams least, and watch the horizon.
• Eat something light before a 07:00 boat rather than nothing at all.
• Luggage: most operators allow one bag of around 20 kg plus a small carry-on, per the fast boat listing. Label it. A soft bag is easier to stow than a hard suitcase.
• Holidays: boats may stop on Nyepi, Nyepi Laut, Galungan and Kuningan. On Nyepi Laut nothing sails to or from the island at all.

The fast boat listing advises against the crossing for pregnant travelers and people with back problems. If the sea worries you, the yacht day swaps the public boat for a private yacht from Sanur.

★★★★★

Very fast. I get seasick, and I didn't even feel the big jolts.

Which way to Nusa Penida is best for you?

For a day trip, a tour with the boat included. Staying over, a fast boat ticket plus a driver on the island. From east Bali, Kusamba. With your own wheels, the Padang Bai ferry.

• One day, first visit: the east and west day trip (from $32) or the west highlights day (from $28). Pickup, the 07:00 boat and the car are arranged.
• Mostly about the sea: the snorkel and west tour leaves Sanur at 07:30 or 08:00, a little later than the land tours.
• Staying on the island: the Sanur fast boat (from $9 per person) and, once there, a private car with driver (from $27 per person, car seats up to 5).
• Two days, no planning: the 2-day trip includes both boats, a night, a car for two days and every fee.

Once you have the crossing sorted, the day trip guide covers how the day on the island runs, and Nusa Penida fees 2026 covers what you pay when you land.

Frequently asked questions