It’s very early in the morning, perhaps 3.30 am. We are staying in a small family-run beachfront hotel on Jungut Batu beach. A perfect location to spend our few days on Nusa Lembongan. I begin to stir due to a constant banging sound coming from outside. Not overly loud, in fact, most people would probably not hear it. But I am a light sleeper. I try to ignore it. But after an hour or so of tossing and turning, I realise that I’m not getting back to sleep this morning.
I give up trying and make myself a coffee. Heading outside to enjoy the coffee, I sit on the waterfront in the still-dark morning. I hear more banging echoing from over the water. And then I notice lights, many, many lights, dancing in the distance over the waters of Jungut Batu. I am mystified. With the darkness of the pre-dawn morning, it was impossible to work out what was going on.
As dawn approached, and the first rays of the morning light lit the sky, I see literally hundreds of people, men, women and children, working in the low-tide waters and on the beach. They are the Seaweed Farmers of Nusa Lembongan.
Where is Nusa Lembongan?
Nusa Lembongan is one of 14 small islands that make up Indonesia’s Penida archipelago. Situated 12 kilometres off the southeast coast of Bali, it takes a thirty-minute fast boat ride to reach Nusa Lembongan from Sanur. Perhaps best known as a tourist destination for those seeking sun, surf and dining without the hustle and bustle of nearby Bali. The island offers spectacular coastal scenery, picture-perfect beaches, and snorkelling and diving on the nearby reefs. All of this comes with a relaxed island vibe that you are unlikely to find in nearby Bali. It’s not difficult to see why overseas visitors flock to Nusa Lembongan.
Impact Of Covid 19 On Nusa Lembongan
During the Covid Pandemic, Nusa Lembongan and its residents were hit particularly hard. The residents of the island were almost totally dependent on tourism and tourism-related industry for their income. And with the shutdown of the global travel industry, tourists very soon stopped arriving. Almost overnight, income stopped and many residents were left without any means to support themselves.
Prior to mass tourism, seaweed farming in the waters surrounding Nusa Lembongan was the primary source of income for many on the island. Once tourism arrived, many residents gave up farming to work in the more lucrative tourism industry. A few families, however, remained farming the seaweed, but not in the numbers that once did. Once the pandemic hit, many of the residents saw resuming farming as a way to support themselves and their community.
The Process To Farm Seaweed
Wayan, whose family farms a small plot, as well as owns a warung in nearby Mangrove, was kind enough to outline the process for the farming to me. Seaweed farmers, like their land-based counterparts, stake claim to a rectangular plot of the inshore seabed. This is then staked out with a number of bamboo poles at opposite ends of the plot. It was this staking of the plots, hammering the poles into the seabed, that woke me in the early hours of the morning.
Rope is then tied between the posts, each length spanning the length of their plot. The seaweed then gets tied to this rope at 30cm intervals and is allowed to grow naturally until it is ready for harvest. There are many, many of these rectangular plots, stretching almost as far as the eye can see. Between each plot, the sea bed is kept clear, and these become the pathways for accessing the fields.
Two Types Of Seaweed
The farmers grow two distinct varieties of seaweed, a fast-growing brown variety, and a more valuable, yet slower-growing green variety. There is a mix of both types grown, and it is up to the individual farmers which variety they grow.
The farmers tend their fields regularly. The fields can, however, only be accessed during the lower parts of the tides. This requires the farmers to synchronise their workdays, and nights, with the fall and rise of the tides. Whether this occurs at dawn or dusk, in the middle of the night or the heat of the day, the tides wait for no person, and the work must be done each and every day.
Once the seaweed is ready for harvesting, usually within 3 to 4 weeks, it is collected in narrow wooden boats and returned to shore. It is then transferred into large bamboo baskets and carried to higher ground to dry.
The seaweed is laid out on large tarpaulins, often at the side of the roads, to dry naturally in the sunlight. It is turned and moved regularly to ensure that it dries evenly and remains free from decay. Once dried and sorted it is then sold to buyers who come over to Nusa Lembongan from Java. I was curious as to what the seaweed was used for, thinking that it was only for food. But Wayan said that as well as the food, such as nori roles and as a sugar syrup it is also an important ingredient in soaps and cosmetics.
Challenges For Some Farmers
It is hard and relentless work for only small returns. For many families, this opportunity has meant the difference between putting food on the table or going hungry. However, farming has not been successful for everyone. We spoke with Dewi and Nyoman. They operate a small warung from the back of their scooter at nearby Devils Tears, a spectacular blowhole on the rugged south coast of the island. Like many, Dewi and Nyoman worked in the tourism industry and were hit hard when Covid hit and found themselves out of work. They saw seaweed farming as an opportunity to provide sustenance for their family. They received a plot to work and invested 12 million rupiah ($85 USD or $120 AUD approx), a substantial amount of money for the family.
Despite 12 months of hard work, their crops failed, while those next to theirs flourished. They said that this was quite common and that some areas of the seabed are not able to sustain the seaweed. It was unfortunate that they worked in one of those areas. After 12 months, they were no longer financially able to sustain their farm and had to walk away. Dewi and Nyoman now sell kelapas (coconuts) and snacks from the back of their scooter. The smiles on their faces belie the struggles they have undoubtedly endured over the past couple of years.
Best Times To See The Seaweed Farms
If you want to see the farmers at work in their plots, you need to plan your visit to coincide with the low tides. Any other times and the farms will be completely submerged with little else to see other than the turquoise tropical waters of Nusa Lembongan.
How To Get To Nusa Lembongan
Nusa Lembongan is easily accessed by fast boat from Sanur Beach on Bali’s southeast coast. A number of companies run boats to the island and currently they each schedule two daily services, morning and afternoon. A return trip will cost you about 350K rupiah ($25 USD or $35 AUD approx). Once on the island, the easiest way to get around is by scooter. These are available to rent where the fast boats dock and only cost between 60k and 100k ($4-7 USD or $6-10 AUD approx) per day. To help you plan your Bali holiday, read all of our 30 Best Bali Travel Tips For Your Bali Holiday.
