Categories: Bali

16 Top Things to Do in Nusa Lembongan, Bali – Beaches – Temples – Exotic Spots

The Indonesian archipelago has more than ten thousand islands. At such astounding numbers, it is only natural that the country has so many beautiful beaches. The most well-known beaches are located on the island of Bali, such as Kuta Beach and Sanur Beach in Indonesia.

Nevertheless, if we take a look at the map of Bali Island, we can see there are a few smaller islands nearby that should also have beautiful beaches. You are absolutely correct! One of such island is Nusa Lembongan, which is located about 11 kilometers southeast of Bali main island. It is a small island with the length of 4.6 kilometers at its longest point and width of 1.5 kilometers at its widest. This island is actually one of three islands, with the other islands being the larger Nusa Penida and the smaller Nusa Ceningan. Nusa Lembongan is the western most island and the one that is closest to mainland Bali. Compared to the other two islands, Nusa Lembongan has the most tourist facilities, making it the most popular.

It is quite easy to get there as there are many traditional motor boats that are waiting alongside the Sanur Beach. Crossing the Badung strait will take about 90 minutes and you have to pay about IDR 65,000 for each person’s passage. Alternatively, there are also many fast boats, which may cost you up to IDR 400,000 per person for round trip, including hotel pickup and drop-off. Of course, both has a trade-off as on the fast boats, you can cut the crossing type by 45 minutes. Once you have arrived in Nusa Lembongan island, Bali Indonesia, there are plenty of things to do, so let’s see what you can do on the island.

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1. Jungut Batu Village

This will most likely be the first spot you reach when you stepped your foot on the island of Nusa Lembongan. Most of the boats will drop you off at this point. Jungut Batu is one of two main villages on the island located in the northern part of the island. The other village is Lembongan, which is located in the southern part of the island. I must mention to you that there is no pier available on the beach. You will have to walk through shallow water to get to the beach. Hence, I recommended that you wear slippers and shorts. Jungut Batu has traditionally been known for its budget hotels and cheap eateries. It is a place crowded by surfers and backpackers for this reason.

2. Panorama Hill

Unlike other islands in the region that are quite flat in contour, Nusa Lembongan has a hill from which you can observe the beauty of the island from above. Locally known simply as the Bukit, this is an ideal spot to have a birds eye view of the island and beyond. Since the island is not too big, you can see all around the island from this spot.

On a bright and sunny day, you can even see Gunung Agung on the island of Bali in the distance. It is very easy to get here. You only have to take the right turn from the port, heading southward and climbing all the way until you reach the place where there is a cafe. This is also one of the best places to watch the sunsets.

3. Pantai Tanjung Sanghyang

This beach lies in the southwest of Jungut Batu. It is better known by its unofficial name, which is Mushroom Bay Bea. The name is given due to the plentiful mushroom corals found offshore. The white-sand beach is known to be quite lively with water sports like banana boats and parasails. If you are into nightlife, you definitely have to visit this beach as it sports many cafes similar to Kuta Beach. I highly recommend you to come here during the afternoon hours as there are fewer visitors, so you can enjoy the peace and tranquility offered by the beach.

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4. Dream Beach

We can find Dream Beach nested on the southwestern side of Nusa Lembongan. This beach is a highly recommended destination for surfers. The 150 meters stretch of white sand is in a crescent shape, adorned with clear sea water. If you are coming here in the afternoon, you can notice a view similar to the floating market as there are many boats converged around the spot. These are seaweed farmers boats that are going to their plantation. The beach also has a hotel, called Dream Beach Huts that is built in Balinese Lumbung style. The hotel has 20 rooms and supported by swimming pools, a restaurant, and a bar.

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5. Sunset Beach

This is also a beautiful white sand beach that is also nearby to Dream Beach on the southwest side of Nusa Lembongan. The water is calm and pleasant to swim in. During the low tide, there is a cave on the eastern side of the beach that you may want to explore. However, take caution and make sure you are not cut off from the beach when the tide comes. Sandy Bay Beach Club is also located here on the beach. The restaurant is a popular spot for weddings and various events. The food menu offers a wide variety of Western, Asian and Indonesian dishes. Sandy Bay Beach Club is also a perfect place to unwind and enjoy the nature’s beauty after exploring the island while waiting for sunset.

6. Devil’s Tear Bay

This is also a popular spot to visit on Nusa Lembongan and is situated nearby to Dream Beach. You can either walk here or by taking a motorcycle ride. The main attraction here is not a beach, but rather it is a place where you can view the force of nature at its best. The rolling waves that come crashing against the rock really provide a magnificent view. My recommendation is to time your visit to this spot during the high tide as it will provide the best show.

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7. Pura Puncak Sari

Just as Bali mainland, the residents of Nusa Lembongan are devout Hindu. There are numerous Hindu temples that spread throughout the island. The largest temples being Pura Puncak Sari, which was built on a hilltop. The main feature of this temple is the view of Bali eastern coast as well as the Indian Ocean. You can also see the island of Nusa Penida and Nusa Ceningan from this temple.

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8. Segara Temple

Beside the large Pura Puncak Sari, Pura Segara is another temple that worth visiting. The temple is distinguished by its huge banyan tree that sits in the middle of the complex. This tree is considered as the sacred tree.

Thus, the temple is also frequently used for various ceremonies. Meanwhile, visiting temple is one of the best things to do in Nusa Lembongan Bali Indonesia. Thus, you can learn about their religion, tradition, and culture as they are so holy and beautiful.

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9. Gala Gala Underground House

The underground house is a unique feature in Nusa Lembongan. The house was built by Made Byasa. It took the builder from 1961 to 1976 to complete. The house was built underground without using any modern equipment. This house will remind you to the old cartoon Flinkstone, like you were in ancient time.

In fact, hammer and chisel were the only tools used to carve this house out of the limestone. Hence, it took such a long time to complete this incredible structure. Inside, the house includes a bedroom, dining room, kitchen, bathroom and sacred meditation room. As a result, it would be your new wonderful experience to visit the only underhouse in Nusa Lembongan.

10. Yellow Bridge

A suspension bridge is newly constructed to boost the visit to the smaller island of Nusa Ceningan in the southeastern part of Nusa Lembongan. The bridge was named Yellow Bridge due to its color. You can find the newly constructed suspension bridge that connects the two islands. The bridge can only be passed by pedestrian, bicycle or motorbikes.

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11. Mangrove Forest

Nusa Lembongan is dominated by mangrove forest that functioned to prevent erosion caused by the waves. Apparently, the mangrove forest also offers amazing and beautiful tourist object. Most of the mangrove forest is located on the northeastern side of the island. To reach the mangrove forest, you can easily turn left from the harbor and head northward. At the mangrove forest, there are some boats, manned by the locals that will take you around the mangrove forest. Inside the forest The cost for the mangrove tour ranging from IDR 50,000 to IDR 100,000 per person. The length of the tour is about one hour.

12. Nusa Ceningan

The smaller island of Nusa Ceningan is located between Nusa Lembongan and the larger island amongst the three, Nusa Penida. To reach Nusa Ceningan, you only have to go to the southeastern part of Nusa Lembongan.

Meanwhile, Nusa Ceningan is also known for the surfs break off the island, which attracts some surfers away from the more crowded breaks on Nusa Lembongan. There are plenty scenic roads and paths. We can also get an impressive view of Bali over Nusa Lembongan. The most popular feature is the view of the sunset over Bali from the central ridge on Nusa Ceningan.

What To Do in Nusa Lembongan?

Meanwhile, you will never get bored to explore Nusa Lembongan. There are just so many things to do in Nusa Lembongan Island Indonesia, which is just so fun, unforgettable, and for sure it’s amazing.

13. Diving the Underseas

Nusa Lembongan offers a pristine water all around the island. The island is less polluted and therefore is has plenty of excellent dive spots. For you diving enthusiast, it is easy to get a diving trip to the area as most dive shops in Bali provide the service. Divers with more experience and desire more challenge will find more interesting dive sites on neighboring island of Nusa Penida. The marine life in this area includes large manta rays which can be seen all year round, majestic oceanic sunfish or

The marine life in this area includes large manta rays which can be seen all year round, majestic oceanic sunfish or mola-mola during the months of July to October, white-tipped reef sharks, nurse sharks, and hammerhead. On a very rare occasion, you might also spot whale sharks. Finally, the waters around Nusa Penida, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Lembongan are home to four species of sea turtles.

Dive shops charge varying fees, but generally, a fun dive will set you back about US$ 50 including all equipment. They usually offer discounts for multiple dives. Dive shops opening hour also varies depends on the seasonal demand. Generally, dive shops in the area also offer fantastic underwater experience with night dives.

14. Snorkeling with The Fish

Aside from diving, the coral reef and the marine life can also be enjoyed by those of you who prefers to stay closer to the surface. There are plenty of amazing snorkeling spots around the island. Among these spots, two of the most popular are Mushroom Bay on the west coast of Nusa Lembongan and off the Mangrove Forest on the northern side of the island. Snorkeling equipment is widely available and can be rented from your hotel or on the beach. Rental price is around IDR 75,000 to IDR 100,000 for a complete set of mask, snorkel and a pair of fins.

Should you be interested in doing the snorkeling further offshore, you can arrange a boat trip to various spots around the island. If you choose to do this, I highly recommend you to go to the neighboring Nusa Penida. There you can find plenty of beautiful snorkeling spots, with the one offering the most astounding experience being Crystal Bay. Here you can snorkel as you drift along the drop off wall adorned with beautiful coral and abundance of reef fish. A boat trip would cost you from IDR 300,000 to IDR 450,000 including the snorkeling gear.

15. Surfing like A Pro

As you may have been aware, the surfers are the first ones who came to Nusa Lembongan. They were looking for a place to escape the hustle-bustle and pollution of Bali some twenty years ago. Therefore Nusa Lembongan has since been established as part of Bali surf destinations.

There are three main breaks, namely the Playgrounds, Lacerations, and Shipwrecks. All the three breaks are reachable from the beach with a powerful paddle. However, if you want to conserve your energy to enjoy the break later on, you can also rent a boat from the beach. Except for the Playgrounds, the breaks are more suitable for intermediate to expert surfers.

Although all the breaks are available all year round, but the best time to surf is from April to October. This is the time when the wind blows from the southeast and coincides with the dry season. The downside is during this period of time the surf breaks can become extremely crowded.

16. Seaweed Plantations for Future

Seaweed plantations can be found in abundance in the southeastern part of the island. However, the easiest one you can visit is located in the southern part of Lembongan Village. Most of the seaweed grown here is for the export market to other Asian countries and is particularly aimed at the cosmetics industry.

If you travel to Nusa Lembongan on a cruise than usually a tour to seaweed plantations are already included For you who travels to the island independently, not to worry as you can simply take a stroll towards the beaches on the southeastern part of the island in the afternoon and you can easily spot these seaweed farms.

Worthy Words for Nusa Lembongan Visitors

Meanwhile, here is several tips and trip if you want to visit Nusa Lembongan, for your unforgettable holiday.

1. There is only 1 ATM on the island!

Do not forget to brings sufficient amount of cash as there is only a single ATM machine on the island. Although most hotels and restaurants would accept Visa and Mastercard cards, but there are times you would need to pay only with cash, for example for a motorcycle ride from the locals.

2. Book your ticket for the boat ahead

You can make an advance booking for your crossing to Nusa Lembongan by phone or by directly going to the Sanur Beach harbor, behind Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel. This is important as spce onboard the boat can be limited during holiday season and you may need to wait for a long time.

3. Plan your schedule

The boats start to operate from Sanur Beach harbor since 8 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. local time. The last boat that departs from Nusa Lembongan is at 3:30 P.M. local time. If you are planning to do a day trip, you must book your return ticket in advance or once you have reached the island. Otherwise, you may not get a space on the last boat and need to stay overnight on the island.

4. Motorbike rental

Motorbikes can be rented from Jungut Batu Village. A short walk of around 100 meters from the harbor and you can find some shops offering motorcycle rentals. The cost for motorcylce rental is about IDR 50,000 for six hours or IDR 100,000 for the whole day.

5. Bargain

Do not be shy and bargain your way with the sellers to get the better price. Most of the things and services sold on the island can be bargained, except for hotels and restaurants.

Those are the interesting places and things to do in Nusa Lembongan Bali which you may want to visit if you are going to Nusa Lembongan. Although it is a small island, but Nusa Lembongan offers a wide array that will certainly make you enjoy your stay at the island. If you are looking to escape from the much more commercialized and crowded Bali, then you do not need to look further. Come to Nusa Lembongan and have fun!