Nusa Penida Aerial Tour

About the Nusa Penida Aerial Tour

The Nusa Penida Aerial Tour crosses the Badung Strait to fly over Bali's most dramatic island neighbor. Forty-five minutes over Kelingking Beach's famous T-Rex cliff, Broken Beach's natural arch, Angel's Billabong's emerald rock pool, and Crystal Bay's extraordinary water clarity. Nusa Penida's landscape is completely different from Bali mainland — higher cliffs, wilder coastline, and water of an intensity of blue that photographs like a screen capture from a drone video but is entirely real.

Flight Highlights

Crossing the Badung Strait

The Badung Strait separates Bali's southeastern coast from Nusa Penida. At its narrowest, the crossing is approximately 20 kilometers — about 8-10 minutes by helicopter at cruise speed. Looking down during the crossing, the water below shows the characteristic deep blue of a significant ocean channel. The Badung Strait is one of the most important upwelling zones in Indonesian waters, drawing cold, nutrient-rich water from depth. This is why Nusa Penida's waters are so extraordinarily clear and why the island is famous for large pelagic marine life — ocean sunfish, manta rays, and whale sharks all use these waters.

Kelingking: The T-Rex Peninsula

The southwestern tip of Nusa Penida features one of the most recognizable cliff formations in Southeast Asia. A limestone headland protrudes from the cliff line at an angle, its profile — particularly when seen from the north — resembling the head and neck of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The 'mouth' area of the formation is a natural bay, and at the base of the formation, accessible only by a steep and dangerous cliff track, is a pristine white sand beach. From a helicopter circling the formation at low altitude, the T-Rex profile, the hidden beach 200 meters below, and the contrast between white limestone and electric-blue water create one of the most photographed aerial images in Indonesia.

Broken Beach: Natural Arch and Tidal Pool

Pantai Pasih Uug, known as Broken Beach, is located a short distance east of Kelingking on the same southwestern coast. The beach takes its name from the break in the limestone cliff that creates a dramatic natural arch — approximately 30 meters wide — through which the ocean surges into a circular bay. The arch was formed by the sea eroding a passage through the limestone headland. From above, the geometry of Broken Beach is like a natural amphitheater: the circular bay, the narrow arch, the cliff walls rising 50 meters, and the sea visible through the arch opening. It photographs beautifully from the air and is completely different-looking from different altitudes and angles.

Crystal Bay: Clarity from Above

Crystal Bay on Nusa Penida's northwest coast is named for its exceptional water clarity — visibility underwater can exceed 30 meters on good days. From a helicopter, the clarity is immediately obvious: the coral formations, sandy bottom channels, and depth gradients visible through the shallow water near the beach. The bay is calm and sheltered compared to the exposed southern coast, and the beach is backed by a gentle hill with some coconut palms. This is also the area where mola mola (ocean sunfish) aggregate in the cooler season between July and October. From the air, their large disc-shaped bodies are occasionally visible as dark shapes in the shallows near the surface.

What to Bring & Requirements

• Closed-toe shoes required
• Fully charged camera or phone — this is one of the most photogenic flights we offer
• Comfortable clothing, as the aircraft is climate-controlled

Frequently Asked Questions