First of all, if you’re on a tight schedule or want to skip the extra steps involved in arranging your own trip to Nusa Penida, there are a number of companies that offer prearranged day trips to Penida for as low as $50 USD, complete with hotel transfer, island tour, lunch, and same day return to Bali (or Nusa Lembongan).

How To Get To Nusa Penida From Bali

From Bali, you will need to reach Nusa Penida by speedboat or ferry, with the speedboat journey taking about 45 minutes or so.

There are a bunch of speedboat companies making this trip daily, and they all depart from Sanur Beach in Bali at various times. The location in this map is the general departure point for all speedboat companies operating this route from Sanur Beach.

Note that are no piers at Sanur Beach, so you will have to wade through knee deep water to reach the speedboat. This can be a bit annoying, but the boat crews will at least give you a hand with any items you’re bringing into the boat.

To be extra safe and protect my camera, drone, and other water sensitive things, I like to use a 30 liter Earth Pak dry bag when I make the trip to Penida. That way if I somehow slip and fall when climbing into the boat, my stuff won’t be toast.

This is the harbor where all the boats leave in Sanur. There’s no pier, so you have to wade through knee deep water, but the boat guys will give you a hand.

Speedboat Companies

Recommended: Mola Mola Express

My personal recommendation for a speedboat to Penida is Mola Mola Express, which has been operating since 2014.

They have plenty of lifejackets, as well as a life raft. In my experience on well over a dozen trips to Penida, those have never been needed (thankfully), but the waves can be rough at times, so it’s still good that they’re taking safety seriously.

You can ask questions or book with them in advance via WhatsApp at ☎ +62 899-6697-730. You can also wait and buy your tickets in person, if you prefer that.

Website: https://mola-mola-express.business.site/
Price: 300k IDR (return)
Hotel Pickup: No
Departure Times (Sanur): 8:30, 17:00
Departure Times (NP): 7:30, 16:00

This is the harbor on the other side, in Sampalan, where many of the boats land in Penida. It has a jetty for boarding and exiting the boats. The water is also way clearer on this side!

Idola Express

Website: www.idolaexpress.com
Price: 300k IDR (return)
Hotel Pickup: No
Departure Times (Sanur): 8:15, 10:30, 17:05
Departure Times (NP): 7:00, 13:00, 17:00

Maruti Express

Website: www.marutigroupfastboat.com
Price: 550k IDR (return)
Hotel Pickup: Included
Departure Times (Sanur): 7:30, 8:30, 10:00, 16:00
Departure Times (NP): 7:30, 9:00, 15:00, 16:30

Other Speedboat Companies

There are many other speedboat companies operating between Bali and Nusa Penida. The three listed above are just examples.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve put together a full list of companies that you can find here.

The speedboat journey from Sanur to Nusa Penida takes about 45 minutes or so.

Padang Bay Ferry

Last but not least, another option for reaching Nusa Penida from Bali is the ferry service running from Padang Bay. The ferry to Penida departs at 10:00 and 14:00 daily. This takes about 60-90 minutes and it’s cheaper than the speedboats (the one way price is 31k IDR).

Personally, I wouldn’t recommend using a ferry in Indonesia if you have other options; compared to speedboats the savings are minimal, the safety standards are notoriously bad, and the last ferry I took on this route didn’t even have lifejackets.

With that said, the ferry is your only option if you’re wanting to bring your scooter or car with you to Penida island.

How To Get To Nusa Penida From Nusa Lembongan / Ceningan

I’ve only visited Penida from Bali, but you can also get there easily from nearby Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Ceningan. This route departs all day near the Yellow Bridge between Lembongan/Ceningan and only takes about 15 minutes to reach Penida. As of 2019, the one way ticket price is 70k IDR per person.

What Next?

If you’re looking for some ideas of what to see once you reach Penida, be sure to check out my full writeup on the Best Things To See & Do In Nusa Penida. This island has everything from waterfalls to cliffs to treehouses!