Indonesia is the country that just keeps on giving. Out of its 17,508 islands I have visited a mere 7 and have loved them all. Just like Gili Air and Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan has its own charm, unlike anywhere else. The sea is the bluest I’ve ever seen, so in awe, most of my camera was full of vast blue vistas.
Getting there
Not hard to get to. Nusa Lembongan is about 30 minutes by fast boat from Sanur beach. You have to wade up to knee height to get on so bear that in mind. Our crossing was organised via our accommodation which made the fact we had a major delay less of a headache, as they were wonderful enough to sort out transferring us to a later boat. Transfer from the airport to the beach and boat trip return was 450,000Rp per person.
Where to stay
Due to it being our family Christmas we booked a lovely villa (above), Villa Nusa via Airbnb. A stunning place with amazing people and one of the best views ever – Mount Agung. There is a lot of accommodation on the island, you won’t be short of choice. Look here for inspiration.
If we go back I think I’d stay at Le Pirate on Nusa Ceningan. Little beach huts by the sea, oh so cute…
Where to eat
We had some excellent food. If you think small island, not much choice, you’d be wrong. There’s even option to have very good food delivered, something we did twice. Pondok Baruna Warung had some of the best Indonesian food I’ve had and no need to leave if it’s raining – perfect! Hai Tide restaurant is not only beautiful inside but the food is excellent. Worth at least one visit, especially if it’s a film night.
Bali Eco Deli is where you’ll find the most choice for veggie/vegan food. Really good coffee and banana bread, there’s enough to share! The already mentioned Le Pirate food is worth the trip, as is the view and surroundings. The Deck/Muntigs is a great area to watch the light disappear and enjoy some food.
Mola Mola, also deserves a mention, good options for healthy food, veggie options and juices. Best coffee hands down – Two Towers they say they are the best and yup that’s true, their Mee Goreng is pretty spot on too!
What to do
Get a Motorcycle, It’s super safe, slow roads with very little traffic, even a newbie will be fine. There are so many beautiful beaches to see. You could go to a new beautiful spot every day for a week.
Nusa Ceningan is worth a visit if only to go over the new yellow bridge. There is a row of beach side restaurants and bars with spectacular views. The mangrove is something we didn’t do as it was an organised tour, same for snorkelling, both are supposed to be good though.
My favourite thing we did was going to Devil’s Tears. A cove where the water is sucked in to the rocks and sprayed back out, said to be like the Devil’s tear drops. Amazing.
Nusa Lembongan, another gem in the Indonesian crown, still relatively untouched and still strongly rooted in its heritage. A lovely place to spend a few days.
