Bali's dramatic island cousin — T-rex cliffs, manta rays, and turquoise bays
Nusa Penida is the largest of three islands southeast of Bali and the most dramatically beautiful. Kelingking Beach — a T-rex-shaped limestone headland dropping 200m to a turquoise cove — is one of the most photographed spots in Southeast Asia, though the steep descent to the beach itself filters out the crowds. Manta Point off the southwest coast is one of the world's most reliable places to snorkel or dive with manta rays year-round. Broken Beach, a natural rock arch framing a circular lagoon, and the blowhole surge pool of Angel's Billabong are within walking distance of each other on the…
Nusa Penida was historically used by the Kingdom of Klungkung as a place of exile for criminals and undesirables — a reputation that kept it isolated and undeveloped well into the 2000s. The island is considered sacred in Balinese Hinduism: Pura Dalem Ped, one of the four directional temples that anchor the spiritual protection of Bali, sits on its northern coast. Fast-boat tourism from Sanur beach on Bali began in earnest around 2015, and the island has grown rapidly since, though its cliff-edge terrain naturally limits the density of development away from the north coast.