A nitride semiconductor laser element includes a laminate. The laminate includes on a substrate a first conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer, and constitutes a cavity resonator. The laminate includes an element region, an exposed region and an island layer. The element region is a region in which the laser element is formed. The exposed region is a region in which at least the first conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer is exposed on both sides of the element region in the cavity direction, and which is provided continuously in a cavity resonating direction of the laser element. The island layer is separated from the element region by the exposed region, and that is disposed in a corner of the nitride semiconductor laser element.