Why You Should Skip the Nusa Penida Day Trip in Bali
Here’s EXACTLY how to visit those iconic sights MINUS the urgency and exhaustion
Diamond Beach, Nusa Penida
The popular sights on Nusa Penida (a satellite island off the coast of mainland Bali) are truly breathtaking. This is where you’ll find the iconic Kelingking Beach (aka the T-Rex), Angel’s Billabong, Diamond Beach, and many more.
The only problem is…they’re popular. And no matter what you do, getting there requires a separate hour-long boat ride, and the sights are all about an hour’s drive away from each other.
Meaning that if you take a day trip there like most people do…you’ll spend most of your long exhausting day on the boat ride there and back, or driving on the bumpy winding roads.
And during the little time you actually get to see the attractions…all the other day trippers are there too. So you’ll be wrestling lines and crowds to barely snap your photo before rushing off to the next thing.
Kelingking Beach aka T-Rex, Nusa Penida
And you DEFINITELY won’t have time to do the epic hike down to Kelingking Beach unless that’s all you plan to do that day (🚨 fair warning: that sh*t is a super-intense hour-long hike down and the 2nd half of it you’re basically just scaling a steep cliff face. And then you have to get back up 😅 Bring water, use caution, and do NOT attempt if you’re scared of heights).
As an autistic person, I just knew I wasn’t going to enjoy that (and it’d probably leave me recovering for days afterward). So I researched high and low for a better alternative.
Here’s the advice I DON’T regret following when planning my trip to Nusa Penida.
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How to see everything you want in Nusa Penida…but with far fewer crowds and way less overwhelm:
Banjar Nyuh Harbor (Nusa Penida)
Stay 2 (or more) nights on the island of Nusa Penida
…instead of doing a day trip from Bali. Choose a place within walking distance of the attraction you’re most excited about (since there’s no uber-type apps on the island).
I stayed 3 nights within 5 minutes walking distance from Kelingking so while most people only get to see that famous t-Rex for 10 minutes in the blazing mid-day heat, I got to see it multiple times, including at sunrise sunset while it was basically empty. I also had 2 full days at my hotel to do tours and return to a hot shower, without having to deal with checking in/out or packing/unpacking on the tour days.
Book fast boat tickets for off-peak times
Day tours usually take the earliest departure times (from Bali to Nusa Penida) and latest departure times (returning to Bali from Nusa Penida), so if you buy tickets for less busy times then you’re more likely to have a less chaotic experience.
I chose the 1pm boat from Bali (Sanur Port) to Nusa Penida, and I had an entire row to myself on the boat (which helped with airflow and also allowed me to get a window seats even though I was one of the last passengers to board). For my departure back to Bali, I left at 8:30am, and that boat was even emptier.
Leave the big bags behind, if you can
Most hotels on Bali will hold your bags for you until you get back. That way you can avoid having to lug your bigger bags around the port and you can go straight to your destination when you arrive in Nusa Penida without waiting around for them to unload your bags. But depending on where you stay in Bali, this just might not make sense for you.
Before I went to Nusa Penida, I stayed in Sanur (where the Bali port is located), so I left my suitcase in my Sanur hotel and packed what I needed for Nusa Penida in a backpack that was easy to take with me on the boat. If you can plan to stay in Sanur before (and/or after) Nusa Penida, that will make your trip a lot smoother. Because Bali traffic is no joke…and I’m from Miami.
Hire a private driver for the day (or half-day)
Schedule the tour for the early morning and late afternoon so you can see the sights before and after the day tours arrive.
Plan to see the east-side sights (like Diamond Beach and Atuh Beach) early (since that’s the sunrise side), and the west-side sights like Angel’s Billabong, Crystal Bay and Kelingking closer to sunset for the best photos. Just trust me when I say that 1 day is not enough to comfortably cover both east and west, so do yourself a favor don’t even try it. Just plan to stay in Nusa Penida for 2 full days (3 nights), and visit one side of the island each day.
Private drivers for a day cost anywhere from $30+ (if you book ahead using sites like Viator or GetYourGuide) to $45+ (if you book last-minute through your hotel like I did 😅).
Research the sights beforehand, choose wisely what you really want to see, and space them out
I recommend no more than 2 sights per half-day, max of 3 per day. Because it’s about an hour-long drive between most sights, you’ll end up rushing at each location and spend most of the day on the road if you try to cram everything into 1 half-day. But some sights (like Angel’s Billabong and Broken Beach) are closer together, so you can comfortably do more in less time if you’re combining them.
I was most excited about Diamond Beach, so I planned an early morning around that and did nearby Atuh Beach on the way back. I skipped Crystal Bay/Beach entirely because it just wasn’t as exciting to me, and ended up being so relieved to have some chill time at my hotel that day instead of rushing off to another tour.
Bring your own snacks, adjust your food expectations, and use reviews to choose a hotel with good food
The food options just aren’t the same as on Bali proper…Barely any international food options, limited veggie options, and no delivery apps, so you’re stuck with whatever’s available in walking distance.
I stayed at Kelingking Mesari Villa & Spa (booked on booking.com) for about $40/night…and as someone’s who super picky about food, I was SO relieved not to have to venture out for a meal I could eat (even moreso after I discovered my hotel food was better than all the walkable options nearby).
Diamond Beach, Nusa Penida
TLDR: A trip to Nusa Penida is TOTALLY worth it…just not on a day trip from Bali like most people do it.
But with an extra bit of planning, you’ll go from waiting hours in line for a photo in the blazing heat…to having that picture-perfect sunset view all to yourself.
Ever Needed a Vacation From Your Vacation? How to Plan a Trip That Doesn’t Drain You
For anyone who’s burned out, overstimulated, and just wants to feel alive again
Let me guess…
You’re daydreaming about a trip because you desperately need to feel something again… something other than the anxiety and urgency that sits heavy on your chest from the time the alarm goes off in the morning until you fall asleep at night. You want to feel alive, inspired, light. Like yourself.
So you open your laptop and start planning…
But 5 tabs later, you’re over it.
Because here’s the thing no one says out loud…
Most travel advice is made for people who are already thriving.
Not for the burned-out, the introverted, the highly sensitive, or the neurodivergent among us who need the travel to also be the healing.
But that kind of travel is 100% possible. And honestly? Way more satisfying.
Here’s how to plan a trip that leaves you feeling inspired and energized…not like you need a second vacation to recover.
✨ 1. Start with how you want to feel
Most people choose destinations based on photos or hype. But when you plan a trip around a feeling, everything clicks into place faster…and leads to a trip you’ll actually enjoy living, not just posting about.
Before planning anything, just quickly (but honestly) reflect: Do you want to feel calm? Connected? Cozy? Free? Held by something bigger than you?
Let that feeling be your guide.
Even if you have a specific destination or attraction in mind, you can still plan an itinerary that works with your energy instead of against it.
⚡Want to feel inspired? Think art, landscapes, quiet awe
🏃Want to feel free? Open roads, flexible timelines, wide skies
🧘Want to feel rested? Less movement, more slowness, soft beds, room service
🧠 One of my go-to moves now is to put the most intense part of the trip at the beginning, when I’m still running off adrenaline…and save the relaxing, slow part for the end. That way, I actually return home refreshed instead of dragging myself back to “real life” running on fumes.
I once did a whole trip to Egypt and I knew Cairo would be intense but I really wanted to see the pyramids and the Sphinx…so I made the rest of the trip a peaceful Nile cruise. It was one of the best travel decisions I’ve ever made because I got to see everything I wanted to see AND get the rest that my body and brain so desperately needed.
🕰️ 2. Plan pace, not just places
Your energy is part of your travel budget. So spend it wisely.
Everyone says to cram your trips full of activities so you don’t “waste” the opportunity.
But the real waste? Rushing through the experience so fast you don’t ever really feel it, or coming home so wiped out you can’t even enjoy the memories.
Here’s my rule: 1 meaningful thing per 1-2 days. That’s it.
Not 5 things. Not “just one more stop.” One thing…and anything else is bonus.
💡 I usually plan to stay at least 2-3 nights in every place I visit. Staying anywhere just 1 night is inherently chaotic…especially with standard afternoon check-ins and early morning check-outs. Even adding 1 extra night gives you a full day of actually enjoying a place without the added stress and energy drain of having to move all your stuff in the middle of trying to “experience” a destination.
💡 I aim for 1 scheduled half-day activity for every 2 days on the itinerary. And if there’s an activity that requires a full day of being out-and-about, the next day is definitely a “free day” to wander and recover. I know, I know! You want to experience it all. But trust me…some of the most magical travel moments happen during those unscheduled pockets when all you’re doing is existing…but in a new exotic place.
💡 I always book tickets in advance for anything I really care about (especially things that sell out or get crowded). That becomes the main anchor of my day and I plan everything else loosely around that one experience.
💡 Regardless of what’s on the itinerary, I schedule 1 “free day” in every place I visit…not just for rest or exploration, but in case I get sick, tired, need to delay plans due to weather, or just need a break.
🔉 3. Prioritize sensory sanity
If you’re sensitive to sound, smell, lighting, people, or crowds…plan for that.
You’re not being “extra.” You’re being smart.
Pick places that won’t overload your nervous system. Think walkable towns instead of chaotic cities. Hotels with windows and natural light instead of dark hostels. Bring your favorite packable snacks, sleep mask, noise-canceling headphones, and whatever you need for your favorite comforting night-time routine.
Set yourself up to actually enjoy where you are.
⚠️ Also: please give yourself an extra day off after returning home to decompress and process all the amazing things you’ve just experienced. The office will not burn down over 1 extra day, and 5 years later you’ll give ZERO sh*ts about the workday you missed. Thank me later.
🛑 4. Take the pressure off
If everything on your itinerary is mandatory, your trip starts feeling like a to-do list.
Instead, give yourself permission to bail.
I save restaurants, monuments, cafés, and hidden gems in Google Maps ahead of time…Whenever I’m looking for a place to eat or visit on my “free” time, great! I just open the map and pick something nearby that sounds good. And if I miss something? That was always part of the plan. I had a great time so who cares 🤷 It keeps things flexible without leaving everything to chance.
You don’t have to do it all. In fact, you’re more likely to enjoy the things you do choose when you don’t feel forced.
TMI warning: I got Bali belly and my period in the same week while staying in Ubud and missed all the main events I had planned…the monkey forest, the rice paddies, the waterfalls, the temple dances. And honestly? It was fine. The world didn’t end. I rested, took care of myself, and still had an amazing trip.
(Plus now I have the perfect excuse to go back.)
👯 5. Travel with the right people (or none at all)
Listen, someone needs to say this: Most ruined trips…are ruined by the wrong company (coming from someone who has never had a solo trip ruined 😜).
If you need downtime, quiet, or slowness…communicate that before the trip. The key here is radical self-awareness and honesty about the experience you want to have.
And if your dream trip doesn’t align with theirs? It’s okay to go alone, I promise.
You deserve a trip that feels good for you…not one where you’re constantly managing someone else’s energy on top of your own.
I’ve found the best travel partners are the ones who get my need for downtime and who never try to yuck my yum. Like the friend who has no problem going on a snorkeling tour alone when I’d rather chill. Or the friend who encourages me to dance it out by the beach for a few songs (because she knows that makes me happy) while she sips her coffee and watches our stuff for a bit…
And they ALL understand that no, I will not be splitting a room, because I absolutely need my own space where I can retreat to exist in my own head…without being constantly perceived. That’s the energy I look for. Someone who supports me being me.
📋 6. Don’t wing the logistics
Spontaneity is cute until you’re hangry, tired, overstimulated, and stuck figuring out how to get across town in the dark.
I’m all for loose plans, but decide the key stuff ahead of time…
Where you’re sleeping.
How you’re getting there.
What the food situation will be. A few safe cafés or quiet places bookmarked. That way, when you land, you get to be present, not panicked.
🧳 I always pre-book my transport from the airport to my hotel and activate my eSIM before I land, so I have data the second I arrive. It sounds basic, but those 2 things save me so much stress…especially after a long travel day when decision fatigue hits hard.
Once those are locked in, I give myself permission not to plan every detail. I can wander, rest, and explore free from the demands of figuring out the core essentials.
✈️ 7. Choose your flights wisely
The travel to the destination matters just as much as the destination itself…especially when you’re sensitive to exhaustion, jet lag, or disrupted routines.
A few tips that make a huge difference:
⏱️ Choose your flight times wisely. Pick flights that arrive during the daylight, so you’re not navigating a new place in the dark
🛩️ Choose your aircraft wisely. Look for planes with better lighting, air pressure, and layout (for example the Airbus A350 is my favorite for long-haul flights because it’s quieter than most and the cabin pressure is better for jet lag. If it’s Boeing I ain’t going…unless it’s much cheaper or I don’t really have a choice
🌇 Choose your layovers wisely. Turn your layovers into an opportunity to break up the trip and see a new city (assuming you’re not flying direct). Recently I had a long economy flight connecting in Dubai overnight. Instead of choosing the shortest 6-hour layover that would’ve had me waiting hours in an empty airport in the middle of the night, I chose the flight with a 12-hour layover so that I could check into an airport hotel. Not only did I get a full night’s sleep in between flights, but I also got to see the Burj Khalifa from afar when I woke up to find the hotel had upgraded me to a premium view.
💺 And here’s the ultimate hack that changed the game for me:
I learned how to use points and miles to fly in lie-flat business class on long overnight flights, for less than the price of economy. Waking up rested and properly nourished on another continent instead of spending your first two days recovering? Priceless.
🌿 You’re not too much. You just need a different kind of travel.
If you’ve ever come back from a trip feeling absolutely destroyed, I promise it wasn’t a failure. You’re not bad at travel. You’re just wired differently…welcome to the club 💃
You’re allowed to want more space, more slowness, more meaning.
You’re allowed to want to come home feeling fulfilled instead of fried.
And you’re allowed to redefine what travel looks like for you.
It’s not about doing it all.
It’s about doing it on purpose.
Ever Needed a Vacation From Your Vacation? How to Plan a Trip That Doesn’t Drain You
For anyone who’s burned out, overstimulated, and just wants to feel alive again
Let me guess…
You’re daydreaming about a trip because you desperately need to feel something again… something other than the anxiety and urgency that sits heavy on your chest from the time the alarm goes off in the morning until you fall asleep at night. You want to feel alive, inspired, light. Like yourself.
So you open your laptop and start planning…
But 5 tabs later, you’re over it.
Because here’s the thing no one says out loud…
Most travel advice is made for people who are already thriving.
Not for the burned-out, the introverted, the highly sensitive, or the neurodivergent among us who need the travel to also be the healing.
But that kind of travel is 100% possible. And honestly? Way more satisfying.
Here’s how to plan a trip that leaves you feeling inspired and energized…not like you need a second vacation to recover.
✨ 1. Start with how you want to feel
Most people choose destinations based on photos or hype. But when you plan a trip around a feeling, everything clicks into place faster…and leads to a trip you’ll actually enjoy living, not just posting about.
Before planning anything, just quickly (but honestly) reflect: Do you want to feel calm? Connected? Cozy? Free? Held by something bigger than you?
Let that feeling be your compass.
Even if you have a specific destination or attraction in mind, you can still plan an itinerary that works with your energy instead of against it.
⚡Want to feel inspired? Think art, landscapes, quiet awe
🏃Want to feel free? Open roads, flexible timelines, wide skies
🧘Want to feel rested? Less movement, more slowness, soft beds, room service
🧠 One of my go-to moves now is to put the most intense part of the trip at the beginning, when I’m still running off adrenaline…and save the relaxing, slow part for the end. That way, I actually return home refreshed instead of dragging myself back to “real life” running on fumes.
I once did a whole trip to Egypt and I knew Cairo would be intense but I really wanted to see the pyramids and the Sphinx…so I made the rest of the trip a peaceful Nile cruise. It was one of the best travel decisions I’ve ever made because I got to see everything I wanted to see AND get the rest that my body and brain so desperately needed.
🕰️ 2. Plan pace, not just places
Your energy is part of your travel budget. So spend it wisely.
We’re taught to cram our trips full of activities so we don’t “waste” the opportunity.
But the real waste? Rushing through the experience so fast you don’t ever really feel it, or coming home so wiped out you can’t even enjoy the memories.
Here’s my rule: 1 meaningful thing per 1-2 days. That’s it.
Not 5 things. Not “just one more stop.” One thing…and anything else is bonus.
💡 I usually plan to stay at least 2-3 nights in every place I visit. Staying anywhere just 1 night is inherently chaotic…especially with standard afternoon check-ins and early morning check-outs. Even adding 1 extra night gives you a full day of actually enjoying a place without the added stress and energy drain of having to move all your stuff in the middle of trying to “experience” a destination.
💡 I aim for 1 scheduled half-day activity for every 2 days on the itinerary. And if there’s an activity that requires a full day of being out-and-about, the next day is definitely a “free day” to wander and recover. I know, I know! You want to experience it all. But trust me…some of the most magical travel moments happen during those unscheduled pockets when all you’re doing is existing…but in a new exotic place.
💡 I always book tickets in advance for anything I really care about (especially things that sell out or get crowded). That becomes the main anchor of my day and I plan everything else loosely around that one experience.
💡 Regardless of what’s on the itinerary, I schedule 1 “free day” in every place I visit…not just for rest or exploration, but in case I get sick, tired, need to delay plans due to weather, or just need a break.
🔉 3. Prioritize sensory sanity
If you’re sensitive to sound, smell, lighting, people, or crowds…plan for that.
You’re not being “extra.” You’re being smart.
Pick places that won’t overload your nervous system. Think walkable towns instead of chaotic cities. Hotels with windows and natural light instead of dark hostels. Bring your favorite packable snacks, sleep mask, noise-canceling headphones, and whatever you need for your favorite comforting night-time routine.
Set yourself up to actually enjoy where you are.
⚠️ Also: please give yourself an extra day off after returning home to decompress and process all the amazing things you’ve just experienced. The office will not burn down over 1 extra day, and 5 years later you’ll give ZERO sh*ts about the workday you missed. Thank me later.
🛑 4. Take the pressure off
If everything on your itinerary is mandatory, your trip starts feeling like a to-do list.
Instead, give yourself permission to bail.
I save restaurants, monuments, cafés, and hidden gems in Google Maps ahead of time…Whenever I’m looking for a place to eat or visit on my “free” time, great! I just open the map and pick something nearby that sounds good. And if I miss something? That was always part of the plan. I had a great time so who cares 🤷 It keeps things flexible without leaving everything to chance.
You don’t have to do it all. In fact, you’re more likely to enjoy the things you do choose when you don’t feel forced.
TMI warning: I got Bali belly and my period in the same week while staying in Ubud and missed all the main events I had planned…the monkey forest, the rice paddies, the waterfalls, the temple dances. And honestly? It was fine. The world didn’t end. I rested, took care of myself, and still had an amazing trip.
(Plus now I have the perfect excuse to go back.)
👯 5. Travel with the right people (or none at all)
Listen, someone needs to say this: Most ruined trips…are ruined by the wrong company (coming from someone who has never had a solo trip ruined 😜).
If you need downtime, quiet, or slowness…communicate that before the trip. The key here is radical self-awareness and honesty about the experience you want to have.
And if your dream trip doesn’t align with theirs? It’s okay to go alone, I promise.
You deserve a trip that feels good for you…not one where you’re constantly managing someone else’s energy on top of your own.
I’ve found the best travel partners are the ones who get my need for downtime and who never try to yuck my yum. Like the friend who has no problem going on a snorkeling tour alone when I’d rather chill. Or the friend who encourages me to dance it out by the beach for a few songs (because she knows that makes me happy) while she sips her coffee and watches our stuff for a bit…
And they ALL understand that no, I will not be splitting a room, because I absolutely need my own space where I can retreat to exist in my own head…without being constantly perceived. That’s the energy I look for. Someone who supports me being me.
📋 6. Don’t wing the logistics
Spontaneity is cute until you’re hangry, tired, overstimulated, and stuck figuring out how to get across town in the dark.
I’m all for loose plans, but decide the key stuff ahead of time…
Where you’re sleeping.
How you’re getting there.
What the food situation will be. A few safe cafés or quiet places bookmarked. That way, when you land, you get to be present, not panicked.
🧳 I always pre-book my transport from the airport to my hotel and activate my eSIM before I land, so I have data the second I arrive. It sounds basic, but those 2 things save me so much stress…especially after a long travel day when decision fatigue hits hard.
Once those are locked in, I give myself permission not to plan every detail. I can wander, rest, and explore free from the demands of figuring out the core essentials.
✈️ 7. Choose your flights wisely
The travel to the destination matters just as much as the destination itself…especially when you’re sensitive to exhaustion, jet lag, or disrupted routines.
A few tips that make a huge difference:
⏱️ Choose your flight times wisely. Pick flights that arrive during the daylight, so you’re not navigating a new place in the dark
🛩️ Choose your aircraft wisely. Look for planes with better lighting, air pressure, and layout (for example the Airbus A350 is my favorite for long-haul flights because it’s quieter than most and the cabin pressure is better for jet lag. If it’s Boeing I ain’t going…unless it’s much cheaper or I don’t really have a choice
🌇 Choose your layovers wisely. Turn your layovers into an opportunity to break up the trip and see a new city (assuming you’re not flying direct). Recently I had a long economy flight connecting in Dubai overnight. Instead of choosing the shortest 6-hour layover that would’ve had me waiting hours in an empty airport in the middle of the night, I chose the flight with a 12-hour layover so that I could check into an airport hotel. Not only did I get a full night’s sleep in between flights, but I also got to see the Burj Khalifa from afar when I woke up to find the hotel had upgraded me to a premium view.
💺 And here’s the ultimate hack that changed the game for me:
I learned how to use points and miles to fly in lie-flat business class on long overnight flights, for less than the price of economy. Waking up rested and properly nourished on another continent instead of spending your first two days recovering? Priceless.
🌿 You’re not too much. You just need a different kind of travel.
If you’ve ever come back from a trip feeling absolutely destroyed, I promise it wasn’t a failure. You’re not bad at travel. You’re just wired differently…welcome to the club 💃
You’re allowed to want more space, more slowness, more meaning.
You’re allowed to want to come home feeling fulfilled instead of fried.
And you’re allowed to redefine what travel looks like for you.
It’s not about doing it all.
It’s about doing it on purpose.