When visiting the island of Nusa Penida, one of the must visit spots is Angel’s Billabong. During low tide, a beautiful crystal-clear tidal pool appears between two rock formations overlooking the ocean out in the distance.
Visiting the tidal pool is sure to be a highlight of your trip, and this guide will go over all you need to know for a visit to Angel’s Billabong and what to expect along the way.
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1) How to Reach Angel’s Billabong
There are a few ways to go about a visit to Angel’s Billabong depending on your travel plans. While many people do just take a day trip from Bali (either guided or DIY), I would highly recommend you spend at least 1-2 nights on the island of Nusa Penida itself.
This way you can have more flexibility with your day and visit some of the more popular attractions (like this one!), without the crowds.
If you are staying the night on the island you can either head to Angel’s Billabong with a scooter rental or private driver hire.
» If you are comfortable enough on a scooter / motorbike, you can rent one from the harbor area for as little as $5 – $10 USD per day. Some of the roads of Nusa Penida are in very poor condition, with tons of uneven terrain throughout.
I have heard of plenty of accidents happening on the island with those who were not experienced enough – I even saw a crash right in front of me. So please do not rent a scooter if you do not have the expertise.
» If you want to play it safe, I would recommend hiring a driver for the day that can take you to Angel’s Billabong and any other attractions you would like to visit. Expect to pay around $40 USD for a full day driver on the island. You can either find them at the harbor area or have your hotel help set one up for you.
↔ Angel’s Billabong is one of the most visited destinations on Nusa Penida and is frequented by almost all tour groups taking the day trip from Bali.
If you do opt for a visit from Bali, this highly rated Nusa Penida day tour visits many of the top highlights.
Check out this Nusa Penida private tour option that includes a driver for the day as you pick & choose the highlight that you are most interested in visiting
2) When to Visit Angel’s Billabong
This is probably the most important piece of information if you want to visit Angel’s Billabong at its best.
Like I mentioned, during low tide is when the crystal clear tide pools can be seen. As the tide gets higher, the water from the ocean will crash on top of the pools and the calmness and clarity of the tide pools will slowly disappear.
For this reason (and especially if you are a photographer), I would highly advise you to time your trip to Angel’s Billabong during low tide.
To understand the tides, I would recommend checking the tide schedules for the days you will be visiting Nusa Penida.
This is another reason why staying on the island can be beneficial for you. If low tide is at 7AM for example, there is no way you could make it from Bali on a day trip.
By the time you get to Nusa Penida and drive over to Angel’s Billabong, you will have already missed your opportunity. But for those that visit overnight, you can make it to Angel’s Billabong at any time of the day.
Avoiding the Crowds Tip: this may be a bit more difficult to plan around but I thought it may be helpful info either way…
Having a very early low tide (pre 8AM) or late low tide (just prior to sunset), is your best bet for low crowds around Angel’s Billabong. The worst time to have low tide during your visit is around 10AM or so when many group tours from Bali will be arriving in the area.
3) Map & Directions
Below is a map of Nusa Penida with Angel’s Billabong starred on the bottom.
I have also highlighted the 40 minute route from the harbor area to the parking lot (helpful for those taking a day trip or staying in a hotel nearby the harbor).
While the roads are slowly improving throughout Nusa Penida, the road to Angel’s Billabong was one of the most bumpy rides during my time on the island. So, whether you are driving yourself or not, just be ready for quite the drive to the parking lot area.
4) Where to Stay on Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida is relatively new to the tourism landscape which is why many of the roads throughout the island are just not up to standard.
You also won’t find too many tourist hotspot areas like an Ubud or a Seminyak. Many of the accommodation options are just sprawled throughout.
» Be sure to check out a complete Nusa Penida 1,2, or 3 Day Itinerary to help plan your trip
A lot of the popular spots though are more on the western side of the island. Below are some highly rated options based on price point in that area. What is also great about Nusa Penida is that it is budget friendly with the most expensive options not even $100 per night.
- Luxury: Semabu Hills Hotel Nusa Penida | Daphila Cottage
- Mid Range: Singabu Bungalows | Sawit Garden Cottages | Crystal Bay Bungalows
- Budget: Miko Bali Bungalow | Prasi Sunset Bungalows
5) What to Expect at Angel’s Billabong
After parking your car in the lot and paying the small fee (10.000 IDR; less than $1 USD), make your way to the left hand side following the pathway and stairs down to Angel’s Billabong.
You can enjoy the views from up top as you can see the details of the surface underneath the crystal clear water.
If you take a look at the images below, you will realize that some spots are quite shallow and can be walked on while other spots are a bit deeper.
As you can imagine, heading into the water when the water is not calm can result in injury if you slip or fall in the tidal pool (and there have been accidents throughout the years).
Given that it is low tide and the ocean is calm, once you have enjoyed the view from up top, you can make your way down below.
Luckily during my visit to Angel’s Billabong, there were very few people around, which gave me the chance to enjoy the area for myself.
The bottom of the tide pool can get a bit sharp and rocky at some points so you must watch your step as you make your way through. Feel free to go for a little swim in the deeper part of the tide pool and lay back and relax.
If there are no waves whatsoever and it is at the lowest tide, it should be safe to head to the back wall of Angel’s Billabong – only do so if conditions are perfect though.
From there you can take in the views of the ocean out in front of you and have someone take some photos of you from the viewing area.
Once you have spent enough time enjoying the tidal pools / more people begin to arrive, head out of the pools and follow the path to the neighboring attraction of Broken Beach.
6) Nusa Penida Itinerary
If you are planning a visit to Angel’s Billabong, odds are you will want to visit other attractions nearby. I would recommend the following itinerary for the day when going about your visit.
Note: Below is an itinerary based on a low tide opportunity earlier in the morning when visiting Angel’s Billabong and Broken Beach
Stop 1 | Angel’s Billabong
Stop 2 | Broken Beach
Right nearby Angel’s Billabong, you will find Broken Beach. The beach is not accessible, rather you will get to enjoy the view from above as the water from the ocean makes its way through the rock arch.
» Learn more in the Broken Beach Guide
Stop 3 | Kelingking Beach
One of the most famous of places in all of Indonesia is Kelingking Beach. From the viewpoint up top, you will take in the landscape of the t-rex rock formation jutting out from the island, alongside the beautiful beach.
A treacherous climb down to the beach will give you a chance to enjoy your time down below.
» Learn more in the Kelingking Beach Guide
Stop 4 | Tembeling Beach & Forest
Tembeling is a mixture of several different unique aspects of the island. You will first make your way through the Tembeling forest, be welcomed to two natural swimming pools, and finally the beach itself.
» Learn more in the Tembeling Beach & Forest Guide
Stop 5 | Crystal Bay
You can then complete your day with a perfect sunset at Crystal Bay Beach. Located on the western side of the island, you will be able to enjoy the final hours of the day as the sun goes down out in the distance.
» Learn more in the Crystal Bay Beach Guide up on the site
I hope this guide has given you a better idea of how to visit Angel’s Billabong on your own and has answered some of your questions along the way. If you do have any additional questions or comments, please feel free to add them in below.
Also, don’t forget to check out the other Indonesia itineraries and guides. Have fun out there and safe travels!
