When you walk along the beachfront in Sanur, and you see that island off in the distance. That’s Nusa Lembongan. It’s an absolute gem of an island and is worthy of a couple of days of your next Bali Holiday. Nusa Lembongan, along with Nusa Penida and Nusa Ceningan, is one of 14 islands that make up this tiny Indonesian archipelago. While only small, you can easily drive around the island in under one hour, there is no shortage of places to explore and visit in Nusa Lembongan. With calm, soft white-sand beaches, world-class surf breaks, dense mangrove forests and rugged limestones cliffs rising from the turquoise Indian ocean waters, Nusa Lembongan offers something for everyone.

How To Get To Nusa Lembongan

Accessing Nusa Lembongan couldn’t be any easier. The island is currently serviced by several fast boat companies based in Sanur. Most currently provide two journeys a day; morning and evening. We booked the morning transfer with D’Camel Fast Boats at a cost of 350k Rupiah return per person. Boarding the boats is via the beach itself. The boats reverse close to shore however you must wade through some shallow water before boarding. The staff are great, they will assist you onto the boat if need be and they carry all your luggage onto the boat and stow it securely for you. As of early 2022, a new fast boat terminal and harbour is currently under construction in Sanur. Once completed, this will do away with beach access, making it easier for anyone to access the nearby islands.

The trip across the Badung strait takes about 30 minutes. The day we went the ocean was relatively calm which made the journey very comfortable. This stretch of water can get choppy at times, so be prepared for the possibility of a rougher journey, depending on the weather. Once at Nusa Lembongan, organised chaos ensues as drivers offer transfers to your accommodation while waiting for your luggage. However, transfers to your chosen accommodation will often be included in your ticket price if you ask at the time of booking. Scooters are also rented here and are a great option for getting around the island. Prices for scooter hire will range from 50k to 100k rupiah per day depending on what scooters you choose. We have some more great tips to help you plan your Bali Holiday here.

Jungut Batu

Jungut Batu is the main town area of Nusa Lembongan and the arrival point for many of the fast boats to the island. Most of the accommodation on the island can be found around Jungut Batu, and at nearby Mushroom Bay. The main street has a myriad of dining and entertainment options including small local warungs, healthy eating and vegan food options and sports bars. Beachfront dining is very popular at Jungut Batu, a brief walk along the beach and you will soon find yourself spoiled for choice. Of course, seafood dining is a very popular choice along. The beach itself, while shallow on low tide is great for swimming on a higher tide. It’s also one of the more popular surfing beaches on the island, with great surf breaks on the outer reef. If you’re looking for a world-class surf break when back in Bali, why not go to Padang Padang Beach. If you want to organise some diving, there are plenty of operators along this stretch of beach making it very easy to organise a dive trip.

Mushroom Bay

The next area along from Jungut Batu is Mushroom Bay. This area is another arrival point for some fast boats from Bali. Only a couple of kilometres from Jungut Batu, it’s a small bay with moderate limestone escarpments protecting a beautiful white sand beach. The turquoise water is reasonably well protected making it a great family beach in most conditions. Surfboards and kayaks can be rented on the beach. Cafes and restaurants line the foreshore making it a great spot to stop for some lunch or dinner. Being a hilly area, many of the restaurants set back in the hills provide magnificent views overlooking the bay. In late afternoon, the sunsets around Mushroom Bay are some of the best on the Island. Plenty of accommodation options are based around Mushroom Bay.

Devils Tears

Devils Tears is a natural waterblow or blowhole, only 5 minutes drive from Mushroom Bay. Found on a rugged stretch of coastline, with limestone cliffs dropping into deep blue ocean water, this is a must-visit attraction during your time on Nusa Lembongan. Nature can be seen in a most spectacular showing here. Millenia of erosion by the ocean has carved out holes and caves into the surrounding cliffs. Waves, rolling in from the Indian Ocean crash into these holes and caves forcing the water to blow back with amazing force reaching many metres into the sky.

At times, the roar of the water surging around the cauldron has to be heard to be believed. Don’t get too close to the edge, the ocean around Devil’s Tears is dangerous. If anyone fell into the water here, the chances of getting back out would be slim. The local Banjar has installed rope barriers back from the edge of the cliffs. Please do the right thing and stay behind the ropes.

Dream Beach

Dream Beach is only a five-minute walk from the Devil’s Tears. It is another beautiful white sand beach with limestone cliffs on either side. This is a deeply sloping beach open to the Indian Ocean. And at times, large swells come crashing into the beach making for some dangerous swimming conditions. So if you are planning to swim here, please make sure the water is calm before entering. Dream Beach also provides one of the best sunset views on the Island. As a few hotels and restaurants overlook the beach, this is one of the better places on the island to sit back and enjoy a cold drink and a meal while admiring the view.

Yellow Bridge Point

Less than a 10-minute drive from Dream Beach will bring you to the sheltered waters that separate Nusa Lembongan from Nusa Ceningan. The beach itself doesn’t really offer any great attraction, however, there are a few warungs here that provide fantastic views overlooking the water. It’s a great spot to stop for a cold drink or a bite to eat on your trip around the island. It’s also a good spot for an evening sunset drink, though not as spectacular as some of the other places around Nusa Lembongan. On a low tide, it’s also a great spot to watch the local seaweed farmers plying their trade in the shallow water.

Nusa Ceningan

Nusa Ceningan is accessed from Nusa Lembongan via a narrow yellow suspension bridge. Wide enough only for walkers or motorbikes to cross, this ensures that Nusa Ceningan remains quiet and less developed than her big sister, Nusa Lembongan. The yellow bridge is also the meeting point for boat services over to nearby, and much larger, Nusa Penida. Most of the development, including restaurants, beach clubs and accommodation can be found on the 2.5 kilometre stretch between Yellow Bridge and Blue Lagoon. The beach and the water along this stretch are sheltered and great for relaxing on a warm, tropical day. This stretch of Nusa Ceningan also seems to be Bali’s capital of instagrammable swings in the water! They can be found all along here so if you want some great photos for your blog page definitely visit.

Mahana Point

At the far end of Nusa Ceningan, near Blue Lagoon and Secret Beach is Mahana Point. Popular with the daredevils amongst us, cliff jumping can be done from the local Warung. Built atop the limestone point, several platforms have been built out over the water, including one more than 5 meters high, where you can jump or dive into the deep ocean below. While not for everyone, it’s a great spot to stop and watch the young and young at heart, diving into the water below while you enjoy an ice-cold beer or a tasty nasi goreng. As a bonus for the nature lovers amongst us, sea turtles are regular visitors to the waters off Mahana Point, and it’s very common to spot them while here.

Mangrove

Back on Nusa Lembongan is the traditional village of Mangrove. Here you can see the local seaweed farmers out tending their crops every low tide, day and night. On the side of the roads, you will see their crops laid out to dry in the sun, prior to being sold to traders from nearby Java. Further to the east, you will come to the mangrove forests. Here, dense green mangrove trees grow in the intertidal zone alongside shallow creeks and inlets. You can hire a boat and guide to take you through the mangroves for about 100K rupiah. A tip, come here a couple of hours on either side of the high tide, this allows the boats better access through the mangrove forests. On low tides, the water can be very shallow which prevents the boats from accessing deep into the forest. This quiet area of Nusa Lembongan also provides spectacular views of Gunung Agung, the massive volcano that dominates the northeast corner of Bali. The Agung Beach Club is a great place to relax with a cold drink and a meal while taking in the views this area affords.

Enjoying the Island Vibe.

Who would have known that there would be so much to see and do on such a small island? Nusa Lembongan is a truly beautiful island and has so much to offer any visitor. It’s definitely worth a couple of days of your next Bali holiday. Who knows, you might enjoy the island vibe so much that you end up staying a few days longer. I know we did!