There are many beautiful beaches on Nusa Penida and one of the most popular ones is Crystal Bay Beach. This beautiful stretch of sand guarded by palm trees and crystal-clear water is one of the most beautiful places on the island, together with Diamond Beach and Atuh Beach.
During my stay in Nusa Penida, I visited this beach 3 times. It was a bit busy for my taste, but the views were beautiful. Right in front of the bay, there is a small rocky islet, covered with trees, that has a small temple on top.
Crystal Bay Beach is a popular snorkeling and diving spot in Nusa Penida. With a bit of luck, you can even meet the Mola-Mola Sunfish here. If you’re not into snorkeling or diving, you can experience one of the most magical sunsets at Crystal Bay, Nusa Penida.
There are plenty of activities to do here, and I’m going to share them with you in the article below. If you’re planning to visit Nusa Penida, make sure to add this beach to your itinerary!
1. Where is Crystal Bay, Nusa Penida?
Crystal Bay is located on the western side of Nusa Penida. It takes about 20 minutes to get to this beach from the port and the roads are in good condition.
A short drive away from Crystal Bay are the famous Broken Beach and Angel Billabong. I recommend visiting these 3 attractions on the same day. If you have a bit more time, you can also visit Kelingking Beach, famous for its T-Rex shape.
2. How to get to Crystal Bay Beach
Well, the first step is to get to Nusa Penida. There are many daily speed boats from Bali. To save money and time, you can book your tickets online.
Once you arrive, you have 3 options to explore Nusa Penida. You can either rent a motorbike, hire a driver or join a guided tour. I’ll talk about each of these options below.
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Option 1 – Join a guided tour
I recommend this day tour from Bali, which includes stops at the most popular tourist attractions in Nusa Penida. The price includes ferry tickets and transport, as well as an English-speaking guide. It’s one of the most popular tours and it has excellent reviews! Check it out here.
Option 2 – Rent a motorbike
When we visited Nusa Penida, we chose to rent a motorbike. It’s affordable and it allows you to manage your schedule any way you want. We asked our guesthouse owner and he had a motorbike for rent for IDR 80 K per day.
If you plan to spend only one day in Nusa Penida and want to rent a scooter or motorbike, you can rent one from the port. There will be many locals offering such services.
No matter which option you choose, check the tank and make sure that it’s full. You can buy gas from shops near the port for around IDR 10 K per litre.
Option 3 – Hire a driver
If you don’t want to worry about transport or itineraries, you can hire a driver with a car for one day to explore Nusa Penida. Prices start at IDR 500 K per car (max 4 people). You can decide your itinerary together with your driver.
If you want to visit Crystal Bay Beach, I suggest the following itinerary: Kelingking Beach, Peguyangan Waterfall, Angel Billabong, Broken Beach, Crystal Bay Beach.
Good to know – If you’re spending the night on Nusa Penida, you can ask your hotel or guesthouse owner for a driver. If you’re planning to visit Nusa Penida as a day trip from Bali, you’ll have to find your driver prior to your trip. Try and ask around in Bali.
3. Crystal Bay Palm Tree Road
The road to Crystal Bay Beach is simply spectacular. The street is surrounded by beautiful palm trees, creating the perfect background for photos.
Before arriving at the parking lot at Crystal Bay, turn left and you can take some beautiful photos on this street. If you have a drone, it’s even better!
4. Crystal Bay Beach – What to expect
The parking lot is right behind the beach. You’ll have to pass by a few local shops and warungs before reaching the beach. Crystal Bay is about 200 meters long and, as the name suggests, the beach is located in a small bay on the western coast of Nusa Penida.
Right in front of the beach, there is a small rocky island with a temple on top. There are a few stairs leading to the temple, but unfortunately, they’re closed. They’re open for locals only during local holidays.
The beach is very clean and it offers beautiful views. You can rent a sunbed for a few dollars per day, or you can simply lay your towel on the sand. We chose to rent sunbeds with umbrellas because when we visited, the sun was very powerful.
You can also get some beer, snacks or Mie Goreng from one of the warungs located on the beach. Prices are decent but higher than in supermarkets.
If you like hikes, there is a trail on the left side of the beach leading to a beautiful viewpoint. It only takes a few minutes to reach it and the views are worth it! I recommend checking it out if you have plenty of time to spend at Crystal Bay Beach.
Here are some things you need to know before visiting Crystal Bay:
- There are a few toilets on the beach, but they’re not the cleanest I’ve seen.
- The currents can be powerful. Be very careful and don’t venture too far away from the beach.
- Bring some water shoes. The right side of the beach is quite rocky.
- Bring plenty of sunscreen. You’ll need it!
- There are no ATMs at Crystal Bay Beach. Bring cash with you!
5. Snorkeling at Crystal Bay Beach
Crystal Bay is one of the best snorkeling spots in Nusa Penida. With colorful fish and corals, this beach is perfect for those who want to explore the marine life.
If you don’t have snorkeling gear, you can rent it from the shops and warungs on the beach (around IDR 100 K per person). If you’re lucky enough, you can even see turtles at Crystal Bay Beach.
However, be very careful because the currents here are very strong and along the years, many accidents happened. Also, don’t venture too far from the beach and don’t try to get too close to the islet.
If this is your first time snorkeling, I recommend skipping this activity. You can watch the sunset instead.
6. Diving at Crystal Bay Beach
From July to October, you have a high chance to meet the beautiful Mola-Mola sunfish at Crystal Bay Beach. This huge yet friendly fish takes advantage of the cooler temperatures from July to October and comes closer to the surface (20-30 meters below the surface).
I’ve heard people saying that they saw a Mola-Mola while snorkeling, but I’m not sure if that’s true. Your best chance to see it is while diving with a guide. He will point you to the best locations to spot the giant Mola-Mola.
Good to know – If you have a GoPro camera, bring it with you!
Apart from the Mola-Mola, you can also see turtles and manta rays at Crystal Bay Beach.
7. Swimming at Crystal Bay Beach
Let me tell you a story. One of the times Dan and I visited Crystal Bay Beach, the waves were very powerful. Despite seeing the big waves, we decided it was a good idea to go swim.
After a few steps, we were already in deep water and from nowhere a huge wave came and swept us away. When we got out of the water, our glasses were gone. Dan and I wear prescription glasses.
We panicked because we can’t see without our glasses and we had to go back to our accommodation on motorbike. We started searching for our glasses, but it was quite ironic, because we can’t see well without them.
Two locals came to help us and after about 10 minutes they found my glasses. Unfortunately, Dan’s are forever lost in the water of Crystal Bay Beach.
My point is – don’t swim at Crystal Bay Beach if the waves are too big. It’s quite dangerous and worse things can happen than losing your glasses.
Also, make sure to check the tide. When the tide is too low, you can’t swim.
Good to know – swim on the left part of the beach. On the right side, the bottom of the sea is covered in rocks.
8. Crystal Bay Beach Sunset
Crystal Bay is a popular sunset location in Nusa Penida. It’s one of the few beaches facing west on the island. The sunset starts at around 5.30 PM so I recommend arriving at the beach at 5 PM.
You can simply sit on the beach, or head to the viewpoint on the left side of Crystal Bay. Either way, it’s incredible to see how the sky turns pink and orange. Make sure to bring your camera!
9. Crystal Bay Beach entrance fee and opening hours
There is no entrance fee for Crystal Bay Beach. However, there is a parking fee of IDR 5 K.
Keep in mind that there are no ATMs at the beach so bring cash with you. You’ll need it if you decide to rent snorkel gear or if you want to buy something from the local shops and warungs.
10. Is it worth visiting Crystal Bay Beach, Nusa Penida?
Together with Atuh Beach and Diamond Beach, Crytal Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches in Nusa Penida. It’s perfect for sunbathing, snorkeling and diving.
It’s part of most guided tours on the island and I recommend visiting it even if you only have 1 day to explore Nusa Penida. It’s a beautiful place to spend a few hours and relax.
11. The best time to visit
If you want to avoid the crowds, don’t visit Crystal Bay Beach from July to October, when people come here to dive and see the Mola-Mola fish. Other than that, the beach can be visited any time of the year.
12. Places to visit near Crystal Bay Beach
A short drive away from Crystal Bay Beach are the Broken Beach and Angel Billabong, two of the most famous attractions on the island. They’re located within walking distance from each other. First, you’ll visit the Angel Billabong, a small natural pool formed between two rocks and then you can head to the beautiful Broken Beach.
Another attraction relatively close to Crystal Bay is the famous Kelingking Beach known for its T-Rex shape. This is one of the busiest places on the island and I recommend visiting it as early as possible.
If you still have time, head to Peguyangan Waterfall, one of the hidden gems in Nusa Penida. To get to the waterfall and infinity pool, you’ll have to climb down over 700 stairs but trust me, it’s worth it!
If you’re spending more than one day in Nusa Penida, head to the eastern coast and visit the incredible Diamond Beach, Atuh Beach and Thousand Island Viewpoint.
13. Where to stay on Nusa Penida
Most hotels and guesthouses on the island are located near the port. I recommend this area because there are many shops and restaurants around. I searched for the best accommodation on the island, for every budget and below are my recommendations.
- Budget – Double-G Guesthouse – excellent location, spacious rooms, air conditioning, friendly staff
- Mid-Range – NG Sweet Home – beautiful pool, quiet area, good location, spacious & clean rooms, continental breakfast included
- Luxury – Adiwana Resort – excellent location, incredible pool, beautiful views, luxurious rooms, excellent facilities
14. Final thoughts
Crystal Bay Beach is a unique place and one of my favorite spots in Nusa Penida. The beach is clean, the water is crystal-clear and the views are breathtaking.
If you want to explore the marine life, this is one of the best spots for snorkeling or diving. Just remember to be careful about the currents.
If you have any questions about Crystal Bay Beach, let me know in the comments below. To read more about Indonesia, check out my Indonesia travel guide. It includes info about transport, costs, things to see and more!
May the travel bug bite you!
Aurelia Teslaru is a professional travel blogger and the writer behind Daily Travel Pill. With a 4-year experience as a travel writer and photographer, Aurelia only shares travel guides about destinations that she visited.
She has been to more than 40 countries during the past 10 years and aims to explore 50 countries before turning 30 years old. Aurelia is a digital nomad who transformed her passion for travel into a lifestyle. Read more about her here.
To follow her adventures, check out her Instagram and Facebook pages!