Is Nusa Lembongan Worth Visiting?
Perhaps you took a trip to Bali and you were wondering, is Nusa Lembongan worth visiting? If you wish to wind down for a bit in a quiet spot away from the hustle and bustle of Kuta, then Nusa Lembongan is the place to be. If on the other hand you’re looking for lively places with a lot going on 24/7, then perhaps Nusa Lembongan isn’t right for you.
I visited with my girlfriend in June 2023 and can give some tips on what to do in Nusa Lembongan, logistics on the island, getting there, safety, my accommodation recommendation, and more.
What Is Nusa Lembongan?
Nusa Lembongan is one of the three Nusa Islands just off the east coast of Bali. It is the middle of the three in terms of size. The rickety Yellow Bridge connects Nusa Lembongan with its little brother, Nusa Ceningan. Whilst the two smaller islands are dwarfed by the biggest of them all, Nusa Penida.
It is Nusa Lembongan however, that has the reputation for being the most developed of the three islands. Although this doesn’t mean much.
It’s like comparing the wealth of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates and saying Gates is the poorest… Sure, it’s true. But all three are rich, making this a useless point.
All three Nusa Islands have little in the way of development.
Nusa Lembongan is notable for being a famous surf spot. Aside from chilling in a place with a slow pace of life, surfing is a primary magnet for tourists to the island.
For fellow geography nerds, the Nusa Islands are part of the Lesser Sunda Islands in Southern Indonesia. These stretch from Bali to Timor taking in other popular tourist spots such as Lombok along the way.
How To Get to Nusa Lembongan
To get to Nusa Lembongan, you need to take a boat from Sanur on the eastern coast of Bali. Sanur is a sleepy town popular with retirees and families. A good chunk of visitors come on to Sanur Harbour in order to take the first boat to the Nusa Islands.
It takes 35 minutes to cross the Badung Strait from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan Island. And you will have to find your own transport when you arrive, unless you stay within walking distance of the beach where the boat drops you off.
However, here’s where the fun starts. There is no wharf, and it is not safe for the boat to go right up to the shore, otherwise it risks getting stranded. Therefore you must walk through water, roughly 1 ft in depth, to get from the boat to the beach.
Now we weren’t expecting this and were caught by surprise with several heavy bags on us. Therefore you should prepare in two ways:
- Make sure all valuables are secure and you have a tight grip on all your belongings. The waves go up and down so ensure you hold everything above waist-height (for an average-sized adult) just to be on the safe side
- Don’t wear trousers or “land” footwear. Wear shorts of a skirt when you take this journey. For footwear, flip-flops are fine, and perhaps the best option. Otherwise go barefoot.
On your return journey to Sanur, you will once again wade through the water to reach the boat. Now be sure to wear some flip-flops or other water-friendly footwear, otherwise another unpleasant surprise awaits you.
In Sanur, the pier is baking hot. And if you make the mistake I made of not wearing shoes, it will feel like walking across hot coals. Fortunately I made these mistakes so you don’t have to!
How To Get Around Nusa Lembongan
The island is pretty small. If you walk from the Devil’s Tears on the southwestern coast to Mangrove Point on the northeastern side of the island, it will take 1 hour 33 minutes to walk. These are pretty much the two furthest points on the island.
If you don’t fancy a trek however, understandably given the heat and humidity here, then there are other transport options.
- Scooter rental is the most popular choice. There are plenty of rental spots on Mushroom Bay Beach, where the boat drops you off. It costs anything from 50,000-100,000 Indonesian Rupiah (£2.50-£5 or $3-$6) to rent a scooter for a day. These mini motorbikes can also be used to cross the Yellow Bridge onto Nusa Ceningan
- Bike rental is another popular option. A pushbike should cost around half the price of a scooter for one day. The island is around 13km in total which makes cycling easily doable here
- Golf buggies are a more fancy option if you have a higher budget. Rental costs normally start from 700,000 rupiah (£35/$45) for 5 hours. You’re looking at 1.2 million rupiah (£61/$77) or above if you wish to rent a buggy for a day. Buggies generally have a minimum of 4 seats
I would recommend scooter rental for sheer convenience. Besides, the cost is low and you can easily have two people share a scooter.
What To Do In Nusa Lembongan
Mushroom Bay
Let’s start with your entry point. Mushroom Bay is where the boat from Sanur will drop you off, and therefore the logical start point for your Nusa Lembongan adventure. You could enjoy your entire time on the island without ever leaving Mushroom Bay.
There are surf schools here and places selling snorkelling tours, or even fishing excursions. If you just want to go for a swim in the water, that is also possible. Although be cautious, since there are plenty of boats coming over from Sanur.
Our favourite part of Mushroom Bay however was the bars and restaurants. There are a few dotted along the waterfront. Sanghyang Bay is the one we would recommend. We had ten beers and cocktails between us, with the bill coming to just 512,000 rupiah, or £26/$33 in total.
Being an island that needs to import products from Bali, prices in Nusa Lembongan are a little higher. Yet “a little higher” then a very low start point still means super cheap. Highly recommend this one.
Devil’s Tears
A small cove on the southwestern side of the island where ferocious waves constantly crash inwards creating many “tears”. Some people go cliff jumping here. I strongly advise against that. There’s a reason why this spot is called the “Devil’s Tears” and not the “Cuddly Bear’s Tears”. Don’t mess with the devil.
So what should you do here? Sit back and enjoy the sunsets. This is a dreamy spot to watch the sun go down on another day in Indonesia. You can even see your reflection in the tide pools nearby, in scenes reminiscent of Bolivia’s stunning Uyuni salt flats.
Dream Beach
Dream Beach is less crowded than Mushroom Bay, despite being popular amongst organised tour groups. It takes just seven minutes to walk here from the Devil’s Tears.
The Water Blow Huts are a particular highlight, costing upwards of £55/$69 for a one-night stay. These thatched buildings add to the charm of the area with their iconic looks resembling an overturned ship.
Dream Beach still has a few hotels and bars in the surrounding areas, but it’s a far better alternative than Mushroom Bay if you want smaller crowds.
Jungut Batu Beach
The longest beach on the island provides another less-crowded alternative to Mushroom Bay. This seems to be where the locals park most of their boats. A shame really as it takes away from the feeling of remoteness in paradise when the sun goes down. It’s still a lovely spot to go for a walk however.
Mangrove Forest
For upwards of 150,000 rupiah (£8/$10) you can hire a boatman to paddle through the mangroves which can be fun if you haven’t done this sort of thing before. Must admit, it doesn’t quite compare to the mangroves of Tortuguero in Costa Rica. But you can still spot some exotic birds and fish here if you’re lucky.
For a slightly cheaper price, you can hire out a kayak and make your own way into the mangroves. This costs around 100,000 rupiah (£5/$6) and can be sorted with pretty much any business located near the mangroves.
Explore Temples
There are plenty of Balinese temples on the island. Nothing major, of the sort you might find in Uluwatu or even Ubud, but they’re still cool to see. You can admire the traditional Balinese architecture even if you don’t go inside.
The majority of temples are located just south of Jungut Batu Beach.
Despite Indonesia being a Muslim country, Bali is a Hindu island. As a result, Balinese temples are Hindu temples rather than mosques.
Admittedly the best Balinese temples are in Bali itself. But there are still a few cool one on Nusa Lembongan. See how many you can find!
Yellow Bridge
For some reason, the Yellow Bridge is a semi-popular tourist attraction. People seem to like it, so I’ll include it in this list, but personally I don’t think it’s worth going out of your way to see, unless you are heading to Nusa Ceningan.
Now that is the exact purpose of the bridge. It connects Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Ceningan. This rickety wooden bridge is pretty narrow and only open to pedestrians and scooters. Even then it’s a little dangerous with some people riding across pretty recklessly. In fact, this bridge was the scene of a tragedy in 2016 as it collapsed and killed 8 as a result of corrosion and overcrowding.
Come here to visit Nusa Ceningan. But don’t bother if you’re looking for cool things to see and do.
Surfing
Now we can’t talk about Nusa Lembongan without surfing.
Surfing is very popular here, although not advised at low tide due to the sharp reefs.
I’m not going to go into detail here, because Surf Indonesia has written a great guide dedicated to Nusa Lembongan’s surf spots.
Snorkelling
Snorkelling is another popular activity on Nusa Lembongan.
One of the most popular spots to do this is Manta Bay. What can you see at Manta Bay? Well the clue is in the name!
These mantas are harmless to humans, although it’s perhaps best not to go right up to them. After all, would you love it if a bunch of strangers constantly approached you and stuck a camera in your face?
Crystal Bay nearby is another popular spot. It is home to sharks, turtles, seahorses, manta rays and more.
The final spot you should check out is the mangrove where you can see an array of beautiful coral and marine life.
Bars and Beach Clubs
Last but not least are the wonderful beach clubs this island has to offer.
Nusa Lembongan has several beach clubs where you can soak up the sun and relax. One thing to be wary of is hotels and restaurants on the island that call themselves “beach clubs”. Sure, they may well be lovely places, but they aren’t beach clubs. Perhaps worth visiting to grab food or stay for the night, but don’t expect a proper beach club experience at these places.
If beach clubs are your thing, be sure to check out the following:
Sandy Bay Beach Club
Location: Sandy Bay
Opening Hours: 11am-11pm every day
Happy hour: 3pm-5pm and 9:30pm-10:30pm
One of the best spots on the island to watch the sun go down. Located right next to the Devil’s Tears. It has just reopened having been closed for renovations. They have a brand new breakfast menu for guests and visitors alike, and movie nights every Tuesday at 7pm.
Ohana’s
Location: Jungut Batu Beach
Opening Hours: 6:30am-late every day
Happy hour: 3pm-5:30pm
Includes an infinity pool, three bars and a woodfired pizzeria. They even light a bonfire here just in time for sunset which adds to the ambience.
Karana
Location: Jungut Batu Beach
Opening Hours: 11am-10pm every day
Happy hour: 1pm-6pm (the information on their own website which says 4pm-8pm is outdated)
Karana is based on top of a hill overlooking the Badung Strait. It has stunning views across the water.
How Many Days Do You Need In Nusa Lembongan?
Now it is possible to visit Nusa Lembongan on a day trip. In fact, many tour groups take a boat over from Sanur. We visited the Nusa Islands independently rather than going on a tour. However, it seems as if tour groups cover all the main spots during a day trip. Namely: The Devil’s Tears, the Mangrove Forest, a snorkelling spot or two (often from Crystal Bay, Manta Bay or the Mangrove Forest) and a couple of beaches. Dream Beach is the most common to appear on itineraries. Some tours also go to the Yellow Bridge and one or two places on Nusa Ceningan. You can expect to pay up to £100 (2 million rupiah or $127) for a tour of this nature.
Now if you just want to tick off all the highlights, then a 1-day Nusa Lembongan tour is more than enough. If however, you wish to enjoy the island at a more relaxing pace, then 2-3 days is the ideal timeframe to spend here. Spending any longer will only really appeal to major surfing enthusiasts and hippy types who love to live a little off grid. Just a little…
Nusa Lembongan Accommodation (Perdana Homestay)
From personal experience, we absolutely loved Perdana Homestay. It’s located around 2-3 minutes away from Mushroom Bay making it easy to reach as soon as you arrive on the island. So what makes Perdana Homestay the idea place to stay on Nusa Lembongan? Let’s list the positives:
- It’s super cheap! It cost just £14 (276,000 rupiah or $17) for a double room with an incredibly comfortable bed
- The swimming pool is amazing. It’s neither too warm nor too cool and has beautiful surroundings. They even had balls by the side of the pool to play around with
- The breakfast is simple but lovely. We had pancakes and they absolutely hit the spot, although there was an issue with this…
- Very helpful staff. The gentleman running the property helped sort our onward transport back to Sanur and then onwards to Canggu
- A free welcome drink! Bali is famous for its refreshing juices. Okay, technically Nusa Lembongan is not Bali (it is in Bali Province), but this was a very welcome surprise to quench our thirst after a morning enduring the punishing sun
And what about the negatives?
- Unfortunately one of my pancakes came with a little unwanted extra protein, namely a mosquito… I could cut this part off and eat the rest without issues, but I’d be lying if I said that didn’t take the shine off an otherwise-excellent breakfast a little
- The wall sockets were the wrong size meaning my charger wouldn’t fit. This works excellently almost everywhere else in the world, including Bali, so it was a bit of a surprise for it to not work here
Overall, the positives overshadowed the negatives tenfold. Perdana Homestay is an incredible place to stay on a budget. Sure, it may not have the luxury of a 4-star hotel. But it does have just about everything else you could possibly want.
There are massive resorts and villas on the island. However we did not stay at any of those. Therefore we will share what we can advise from our own experiences rather than making a fancy list of the “top 5 places to stay in Nusa Lembongan” or something along those lines.
Is Nusa Lembongan Safe?
In terms of crime, absolutely! Nusa Lembongan has a few minor pickpocketing incidents, but nothing that wouldn’t happen elsewhere. This island is very laid back.
The main dangers here come from the surrounding environment. Firstly there’s the traffic. People on scooters are everywhere, and whilst some are skilled riders, others aren’t so talented… Cars are a rarity on the island, making scooters the go-to mode of transport. Just be cautious if you decide to ride one, or if you walk down the local roads. They aren’t as chaotic as the roads in India for example, but can still post a threat to visitors.
Secondly, the seas can be dangerous with many tourists having previously been dragged out by strong currents, or falling from popular spots such as the Devil’s Tears. Just pay attention to where you are going and you should be fine. Do not attempt to swim in areas without other swimmers in the area. Preferably locals as this is generally a good indicator that a body of water is strong to swim in.
Is Nusa Lembongan Worth Visiting?
The question that you came here to find the answer for. Is Nusa Lembongan worth visiting? I would say it depends on what you are looking for.
If you want exciting attractions such as the Ubud Monkey Forest, or the Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur) then perhaps Nusa Lembongan is not for you. Likewise, if you want wild parties, then you’re better off heading to Kuta or Canggu. There’s a lot more going on if you visit Bali’s mainland.
If however you want somewhere to wind down and chill for a few days, Nusa Lembongan is the place to be. This is a good spot for fans of snorkelling and surfing. It’s also great for couples. We have fantastic memories of sipping cocktails whilst watching the sun set here. Solo travellers may enjoy it if they’re into water activities, but could equally get bored here if that isn’t the case. Sure, it’s possible to meet people, but not to the extent it is in Ubud, Kuta or Canggu for example. Families may only find it interesting if they share interests in snorkelling or surfing. Otherwise a day trip may be the best option here.
