Private Car Hire with Driver Nusa Penida

Kelingking Beach

Kelingking Beach is the image that made Nusa Penida famous: a long limestone headland that curves into the sea like the back of a dinosaur, with a small white beach hidden at its foot and deep turquoise water all around. The viewpoint at the top is reached in a couple of minutes from the car park and gives the classic photo; walking down to the sand is a different matter, a steep, rough path along the ridge that takes 45 minutes to an hour each way.

On a Kelingking Beach tour from the harbour, the drive takes about an hour on narrow island roads, so our driver usually heads here first, before the midday heat and the biggest crowds. Only fit, well-shod visitors should attempt the descent, and swimming at the bottom is dangerous because of strong waves. The entrance ticket is included in the default option.

Angel's Billabong and Broken Beach (Pasih Uug)

A short drive from Kelingking, these two natural wonders sit a few minutes' walk apart on the same stretch of the south-west coast. Broken Beach, known locally as Pasih Uug, is an almost perfect circular cove enclosed by cliffs, where the ocean rushes in through a huge natural stone arch; a path runs right around the rim, and from the cliffs you can sometimes spot manta rays in the water below.

Angel's Billabong is a clear tidal pool carved into the rock at the edge of the ocean. At low tide on calm days it looks like a natural infinity pool, but waves can sweep over it without warning, so follow the warnings and your driver's advice and stay out of the water when the sea is rough. Both entrance tickets are included in this option, and an hour here covers the two sites comfortably.

Crystal Bay

Crystal Bay is a sheltered, palm-fringed beach on the west coast near Sakti village, with a small rocky islet in the bay and some of the clearest water on the island. It is the most relaxed beach stop on Nusa Penida: you can swim close to shore when the sea is calm, snorkel over the reef along the rocks, or simply rest in the shade of the warungs that line the sand.

The bay faces west, which makes it the best place on the island for sunset, so some travellers ask the driver to finish the day here before returning to their hotel. Its entrance and parking are paid on site in cash. If you plan to swim, bring swimwear, a towel and a change of clothes, and keep an eye on the currents beyond the bay.

Diamond Beach and Atuh Beach on the east coast

Diamond Beach is the jewel of the east coast: a stairway cut into the white limestone cliff zigzags down to a beach of fine sand, turquoise water and sharp rock pinnacles standing in the surf. The descent takes about 10 to 15 minutes, with a rope rail for support, and the view from the top is spectacular even if you stay above. Its entrance ticket is included in this option.

Next door, Atuh Beach is a wide crescent of sand backed by green cliffs, with a rock arch standing offshore. Above it, the Thousand Islands viewpoint looks down on a scatter of rocky islets along the coastline. The crossing from the west to the east side takes about an hour and a half on bumpy roads, which is why this full-day option with a private driver is the most comfortable way to see both coasts.

Goa Giri Putri cave temple

Goa Giri Putri is a Hindu temple set inside a vast limestone cave on the north-east coast. You climb a staircase on the hillside and squeeze through a narrow opening in the rock, then the cave suddenly widens into a great hall lit by lamps, with shrines, priests and worshippers along its length. It is one of the most unusual sacred places in Bali and its islands, and a cool break from the heat of the beaches.

Visitors wear a sarong and sash, available at the entrance, and make a small donation in cash. Allow about 45 minutes for the visit. Because it lies on the way back from the east coast to the harbour, your driver can easily add it to the end of the day if time allows within the 8 hours.