Thousand Islands Viewpoint on Nusa Penida: Is It Worth Visiting In 2023?

The short answer: We don’t think so.

But don’t just take our word for it.

In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the experience of visiting the Thousand Islands Viewpoint on Nusa Penida, so you can decide for yourself whether it’s worth it or not.

Thousand Islands Viewpoint on Nusa Penida in 2023

Thousand Islands Viewpoint: a bird’s eye view of secluded white sands beaches and clear blue waters dotted with tiny islands and the chance to climb into a whimsical treehouse clinging to the edge of the cliff… sounds dreamy, right?! 

When planning our visit to Nusa Penida, this is how we’d heard the Thousand Islands Viewpoint described and how the countless idyllic pictures online made it look. So obviously, a visit to Thousand Islands Viewpoint quickly made its way to the top of our Nusa Penida Itinerary. 

Well, after visiting the Thousand Islands Viewpoint on our recent trip to Indonesia, we were left quite disappointed and want to share a more accurate and up-to-date description of what to expect. 

Yes, the views from the Thousand Islands viewpoint remain spectacular. But what used to be an under-the-radar destination is now a tourist trap, overrun with Instagram “influencers” (I use that term loosely) and piles of discarded water bottles.  

And (maybe this should have been obvious) don’t expect to see anything close to a thousand islands from the viewpoint. Again, the cliffs, sea stacks, and small islands are truly beautiful, but the whole experience just didn’t meet the descriptions we had read elsewhere online.

Thousands Islands Viewpoint | At a Glance

• Getting there | Thousand Islands Viewpoint is located on the Eastern side of Nusa Penida. You can park at this location.
• Trail conditions | The “trail” to the treehouse and Thousand Islands Viewpoint is paved, so no need to worry about the terrain, but be prepared for some pretty steep steps. It takes about 15-20 minutes to walk from the parking area to the final viewpoint. 
• Road conditions | The main road leading to Thousand Islands viewpoint is in surprisingly good condition. The final quarter-mile or so is a dirt road, but fairly manageable on a motorbike.
• Famous Nusa Penida Treehouse | The Insta-famous Rumah Pohon Treehouse is also located here, but you have to pay extra to take a photo on its ladder.
• Fees, fees, and more fees | As of October 2023, expect to pay 5,000 IDR for parking, 25,000 IDR per person entrance fee, and 75,000 IDR per person to take a photo at Rumah Pohon for 2 minutes. There is no additional fee to access Thousand Islands Viewpoint.
• Crowd levels | High. This is a popular spot so expect it to be quite crowded, especially during the middle of the day. Long lines to take a photo at the treehouse are not uncommon.
• Refreshments | There is a warung and several small shops selling drinks and snacks near the entrance. Prices at the Warung are actually quite reasonable given its location.
• What to do nearby | If you’re visiting Thousand Islands Viewpoint, don’t miss out on nearby Diamond Beach and Atuh Beach. The access point for both of these spots is located just 4 minutes from the Thousand Islands Viewpoint by motorbike. 

Thousand Islands Viewpoint FAQs

Where is Thousand Islands Viewpoint?

Thousand Islands Viewpoint is located on the eastern side of Nusa Penida, a small island off the coast of Bali, Indonesia.

The eastern side of the island is more remote and takes about 1 hour to reach from the western side by motorbike. The main harbor and most hotels, hostels, and home-stays are located on the western side of Nusa Penida. 

How do I get to Thousand Islands Viewpoint?

• By motorbike | 100,000 – 150,000 IDR per day
• By guided tour | 500,000 to 1,250,000 IDR per person (including other eastern island highlights)
• By private driver | 600,000 – 1,000,000 IDR per day

There are three ways you can get to Thousand Islands Viewpoint: renting a motorbike, taking a guided tour, or hiring a private driver for the day. 

Renting a motorbike

We stayed on Nusa Penida for about a week and rented our own motorbike to get there. Motorbike rentals on Nusa Penida tend to cost more than mainland Bali, so expect to pay between 100,000 and 150,000 IDR per day.

You need to make sure you rent a motorbike with at least 125cc if you’re sharing the motorbike with a spouse or friend in order to make it up the steep hills across Nusa Penida. Expect to drive between 45 to 60 minutes from the central/western part of the island – trust us, your buns will be burning by the time you arrive!

Pro Tip | Despite its increasing popularity with tourists, much of the infrastructure on Nusa Penida remains underdeveloped. Roads are narrow, and bumpy, and are often under construction. That being said, a lot of the roads have been fairly recently paved and were in better condition than we expected.

With a tour group

If you are visiting Nusa Penida for the day, the best way to get to Thousand Islands Viewpoint is by taking an eastern Nusa Penida tour. Numerous tour options depart from Bali and include highlights, like Atuh Beach, Diamond Beach, and Teletubbies Hill, in addition to Thousand Islands Viewpoint.

Expect to pay between 500,000 and 1,250,000 IDR per person for a full-day tour from Bali. 

Tip | Before booking a guided tour, be sure to check whether admission to the various sites is included.

Hiring a private driver

Lastly, if you’re staying on Nusa Penida but aren’t comfortable zipping around on a motorbike, your best bet is to hire a private driver for the day. Expect to pay between 600,000 and 1,000,000 IDR for the day in total.

You can book a driver in advance or ask your hotel to help you book one once you arrive. 

How do I get to Nusa Penida?

• Cost | 100,000 to 150,000 IDR per person from Bali (one way)

If you’re planning to visit Nusa Penida independently and stay overnight on the island, the best way to get there is by booking a fast boat from Bali on 12GoAsia. Most boats depart from the Sanur Harbour in Bali and arrive at Banur Nyuh Harbor on the western side of Nusa Penida. 

We used the company Angel Billabong Fast Cruise because it was the cheapest option, and we had a fine experience. Don’t expect any luxuries: the A/C won’t work, it’s hot, bumpy and the choppy seas may induce seasickness for some!

But we’ve come to find that these conditions are the standard for traveling by boat in Southeast Asia.

How much does Thousand Islands Viewpoint cost?

• Parking fee | 5,000 IDR per vehicle
• Entrance fee | 25,000 IDR per person
• Additional fees | 75,000 IDR per person to take a photo at the Rumah Pohon Treehouse. 25,000 – 50,000 IDR per person to take photos at other viewpoints along the way. 

First, the parking fee is 5,000 IDR per motorbike. Then, you’re required to pay a 25,000 IDR per person entrance fee that comes with a wristband and small bottle of water.

And if you thought your entrance ticket awarded you the opportunity to take a photo with the famous treehouse, you’d be wrong! Finally, it costs 75,000 IDR to actually have your photo taken on the ladder of the treehouse. You’ll be given 2 minutes to take photos (and yes, they have a stopwatch). 

Note | In our travels across Nusa Penida and Bali, it’s very common for these prices to fluctuate frequently. Often, the prices aren’t posted so you never really know how much you’re supposed to be paying. However, we found 5,000 IDR for parking and 20,000 – 25,000 IDR entrance fees fairly common. 

Where are the best photo spots at Thousand Islands Viewpoint?

• Coco Cliffs | Another nice viewpoint on the way down to the Treehouse with a little photo booth setup, it’ll cost you 50,000 IDR to take a photo here.
• View below the Treehouse | Located just below the famous Treehouse, there is a small clearing that offers nice views looking down the coast. You can take photos from here without paying an additional fee.
• Rumah Pohon Treehouse | The Insta-famous Nusa Penida treehouse is located just past the first clearing at the bottom of the stairs. You’ll have to wait in line and once it’s your turn, you have 2 minutes to take photos here.
• Thousand Islands Viewpoint | To reach the viewpoint itself, you’ll walk down the stairs, pass the Rumah Pohon Treehouse, and then climb another set of stairs. Thousand Islands Viewpoint is located at the top of these stairs, and there is no additional fee to access. From here you can see Diamond Beach, the iconic diamond-shaped sea stacks, and numerous other islands dotting the coast. There’s also a cool Hindu Temple at the top.
• Other photo booths | There are numerous other photo booths setup along the way, some free to use and some that require another small fee.

When is the best time to visit?

• Rainy season | November to March
• Dry season | April to October

Nusa Penida has two distinct seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. Dry season is the most popular time to visit for obvious reasons, so if you want to avoid the crowds you may actually prefer to visit during the rainy season. Just be prepared to plan your day around the weather if you do visit during the rainy season. 

No matter when you visit Nusa Penida, we’d recommend getting to Thousand Islands Viewpoint as early in the morning as possible to avoid some of the crowds. If you’re staying on the island, you can avoid the Bali day-tour groups that typically swarm the popular sights from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. by visiting early in the day or later in the afternoon.

Can I stay in the Rumah Pohon Treehouse?

Yes, it is still possible to stay at the Rumah Pohon Treehouse, although it’s been removed from popular listing sites like Airbnb and Booking.com. You now have to contact the owner via Whatsapp (0831-1448-8828), which I presume allows them to charge outrageous prices without the consequences of public reviews (the reviews from an old Agoda listing are not good). 

Furthermore, don’t expect any privacy or solitude if you do stay here. Tourists will be lining up to take their photo on your doorstep from sun-up to sun-down. Accommodations are extremely basic and the interior of the treehouses isn’t very nice. Needless to say, we can’t imagine it’s worth the steep price to stay at the Rumah Pohon Treehouse.

There are also two other treehouses on the property that you could stay at, but neither feature the same iconic views as the famous Rumah Pohon Treehouse.

Is Thousand Islands Viewpoint worth visiting?

We’ll let this article speak for itself, but if we could do it again, we’d skip Thousand Islands Viewpoint altogether. 

It was an experience that left us feeling misled and ripped off. Things are clearly changing on Nusa Penida and it’s no longer a rugged, remote island for adventurous travelers like us. 

Much like the rest of Bali, many spots on Nusa Penida now cater more and more to the “Instagram tourist” crowd. Most visitors to the Thousand Islands viewpoint are there only to get their picture taken to post on social media.

While we obviously love taking photos of beautiful places, it’s frustrating to see people who are there solely to take a picture of themselves: it all feels incredibly fake and superficial.

And while we certainly didn’t love paying a million different fees, we don’t begrudge the local population who are just trying to make a living. At the end of the day, it’s just a few dollars USD for us, but it often felt like people were making up prices on the spot to see how much they could get us to pay. 

In our opinion, the whole experience of visiting the Thousand Islands Viewpoint is simply not worth it. We’d recommend skipping it and spending more time at Diamond Beach instead.

If you don’t mind battling the phony Instagram crowd and you’re willing to shell out some cash, Thousand Islands Viewpoint does deliver on nice views. Just make sure you know what you’re getting into before you go.

Nusa Penida Resources

What do you think? Agree or disagree with our assessment of Thousand Islands Viewpoint? Let us know in the comments section below!

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