While everyone knows about Nusa Penida and the Insta-famous T-rex Beach, not as many travellers have heard of or visited the nearby Nusa Lembongan. Even fewer travellers know about the third island (connected by footbridge to Nusa Lembongan), Nusa Ceningan. Nusa Lembongan is a chilled-out little beach haven that is well worth the visit, even for a day if you are short on time. There are so many great things to do in Nusa Lembongan, like visiting Mushroom Bay, watching the sunset at Devil’s Tears and spending the day on Nusa Ceningan.
How to get to Nusa Lembongan
As Nusa Lembongan is an island, you must get the ferry there from either Nusa Penida, Lombok or Bali. There are many ferry options to get to Nusa Lembongan. It is important to note that they do not have a port or pier, so you will probably get your feet wet disembarking. Looking for more in-depth information and tips for catching ferries in Indonesia? Read my full transport guide here. You can book all transport online at 12GOAsia.
Getting to Nusa Lembongan from Canggu, Uluwatu, Seminyak or Kuta
Sanur Port will be the closest departure point if you’re coming from any of the above destinations. A few companies operate direct ferries from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan, such as D’CamelD’Camel Fast Ferry, Arthamas Express, Maruti Fast Boat, Scoot Cruise and Rocky Fast Cruise. Ferries take approximately 30 minutes, with the first ferry departing Sanur at 8:30 am and the last at 5 pm. The ferry (not including land transfer) will cost you 150k Indonesian Rupiah ($10 USD).
Getting to Nusa Lembongan from Ubud, Sidemen or Amed
Padangbai is the closest major port to Ubud, Sidemen and Amed; however, you can also go to Sanur Port, which will only add 15-30 minutes to your journey. Eka Jaya runs a direct ferry from Padangbai once daily, departing at 2:30 pm. The ferry takes 30 minutes and will cost around 200k Indonesian Rupiah ($13 USD).
Getting to Nusa Lembongan from Nusa Penida
The most popular and cheapest way to get to Nusa Lembongan! A local boat runs between Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan daily on demand. Depending on how many people are already waiting for the boat, you may wait anywhere between 5 minutes and 60 minutes for the boat to fill up. To avoid too long of a wait, I recommend either getting there first thing in the morning (9 am) or later in the afternoon for the last boat (4-4:30 pm). The boat is only 50k Indonesian Rupiah ($3 USD) and takes around 10 minutes. This is a basic local boat (I was the only tourist); sometimes, locals bring cargo like fruits, chickens, and motorbikes. The boat arrives on the island’s south side (next to Yellow Bridge), so you must get on a scooter or taxi to your accommodation.
Getting to Nusa Lembongan from Lombok
There are a few companies operating ferries between Lombok and Nusa Lembongan. If you are in Lombok, you’ll need to make your way overland to the port of Bangsal in the north of the island. Companies such as Eka Jaya, Semaya One, Caspla Bali Sea View, Sunfish Fast Boat and Scoot Fast Cruises operate on this route. The journey takes 1.5-3 hours, with all ferries departing Bangsal Port in the middle of the day between 12 midday and 1:45 pm. Depending on the ferry company, this ferry can cost anywhere between 293k and 524k Indonesian Rupiah ($19-$34 USD).
How many days to spend in Nusa Lembongan
There is incredible diving on Nusa Lembongan, including the famous Mantaray Dive, so depending on whether you are diving will depend on how many days you would like to spend. As a non-diver and someone who needed to relax after non-stop sightseeing on Nusa Penida, four full days was the perfect amount for me. You could see all the sights in 2 days, but that would give you very little chill time (and Lembongan is the ideal place to chill). Ideally, four days would give you extra time to chill on a beach or enjoy Mushroom Bay.
Getting Around Nusa Lembongan
Lembongan is a much smaller and flatter island compared to Nusa Penida and is easy to get around. There are no Grab or Gojek taxis here. Still, there are local drivers (although they tend to charge more without the competition from rideshare platforms). I got around everywhere on foot with no problem at all. But most people will hire a scooter as it is so flat and there is not much traffic.
What to do on Nusa Lembongan
There’s no shortage of activities to participate in while on Nusa Lembongan. But if you feel like chilling on a beach or getting a massage, it is also perfect for that. I feel like Nusa Lembongan is a great chill spot to head to either before or after Nusa Penida (which will be a busy bucket-list destination).
Explore Nusa Ceningan
A must-do! Nusa Ceningan is a much smaller island (with no cars) connected to Nusa Lembongan by a famous yellow bridge. You can cross the yellow bridge either on foot or on a scooter. On Nusa Ceningan, all the main sights are close together and worth visiting. The first stop is Secret Beach (not really that secret), where you can enjoy the white sand and the bluest water. After Secret Beach, head to Mahana Point to watch mammoth waves crashing below you (sometimes they splash you!). Mahana Point is a warung, so you will need to, at minimum, buy water or juice to sit and enjoy the waves. After Mahana Point, head to the Blue Lagoon look-out point to see a stunning Panorama. Afterwards, head to Klyf Beach Club and swim in their infinity pool overlooking Blue Lagoon.
Caution! Cliff Diving at Blue Lagoon
Many travel blogs and Tik Toks mention cliff diving at Blue Lagoon. While this was a popular activity pre-covid, they have not maintained the ladder getting up from the lagoon. We saw some people do this only to get stuck on the rocks for 4 hours, waiting for the tide to go out so they could safely get back up. Make sure you ask locals and plan how you will get back up before jumping.
Visit Dream Beach
Dream Beach is one of the nicest beaches in Lembongan, other than of course the famous Mushroom Bay beach. It’s free to visit and doesn’t require a hike down to the beach, unlike most of the beaches on the neighbouring island of Penida. There’s plenty of space on the sand to pull up a towel, but if you plan on swimming, be aware that the waves are pretty big. Alternatively, you can nab a beach lounger at Café Pandan- a resort/ beach bar that overlooks the beach. There’s no minimum spend, so you can purchase a juice and use their infinity pool and beach lounger for the whole day.
Watch the sunset at Devil’s Tears
Another must do on Nusa Lembongan! In between Dream Beach and Mushroom Bay Beach is a rocky sunset spot called Devil’s Tears. It’s free to visit, but it is a popular sunset spot, so I recommend getting there early to get a good place to watch the sunset. No shops or bars exist at Devil’s Tears, so make sure you buy snacks or beers before heading there.
Watch the sunset from Jungitbatu Beach
Another great sunset spot is Jungitbatu Beach (the same beach the ferry to the mainland of Bali leaves from). Jungitbatu Beach has several restaurants and beachfront bars where you can sit and watch the sunset. Alternatively, you can buy a drink from a local shop and sit on the sand. The many small fishing boats floating in the water make for a pretty sunset picture. Alternatively, the sunset from Mushroom Bay Beach is also stunning, but a further walk away from the main restaurant area.
Where to eat on Nusa Lembongan
Nusa Lembongan is a small island; however, there are still plenty of great cafes and restaurants. You’ll find the highest concentration of cafes and restaurants in the Jungitbatu Beach area. But still, there are plenty of hidden gems near Dreamland Beach, on Nusa Ceningan, near Mushroom Bay beach and near the yellow bridge.
Bali Eco Deli
Hands down best café on Nusa Lembongan! The food and coffee were excellent, and there was a friendly vibe eating in their garden area. Bali Eco Deli is committed to environmental protection and reducing litter and plastic on the island.
Cafe Pandan
Like Klyf Beach Club, Café Pandan is a little expensive compared to local warungs on the island. But being able to use their pool and comfy beach loungers is well worth it, in my opinion.
Alponte Italian
Some of the best Italian food I have ever eaten (outside of Italy, of course). Alponte serves authentic Italian dishes with views of the ocean, Nusa Ceningan and the Yellow Bridge. Their pizza and pasta dishes are creamy and cheesy (using real European cheese, which is rare in Asia).
Cookie Warung
A great local restaurant with tasty Indonesian dishes at an affordable price. It was so good that I came here multiple times! Make sure you try their Gado-gado.
Klyf Beach Club
A bit more expensive than other restaurants on Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan, but well worth it for using their cliffside infinity pools. They have a vast array of Western and local dishes on the menu and cocktails.
Where to stay in Nusa Lembongan
There are a few great hostels in Nusa Lembongan, depending on what kind of hostel you are after. On Lembongan, there’s no main area where all the hostels are located, they’re all pretty spread out, and some are in less walking-friendly locations than others. You can book all accommodations here.
Lembongan Hostel
A small family-run hostel where you’ll feel at home straight away! They provide complimentary breakfast, which is basic but decent. The facilities are basic but clean, with curtains on the bed and air con in the room. They also have a great pool and the cutest pug roaming around. This hostel was the easiest to meet other travellers because of the family vibe. It was a little tricky getting around on foot from this hostel. I walked to Nusa Ceningan and Dream Beach from here, but it was pretty far to get to the opposite side of the Island on foot (Mushroom Bay and Jungitbatu Beach areas).
Nyuh Gading
This hostel looks more like a hotel than a backpackers! It’s a bit more expensive and doesn’t include breakfast, but the facilities are 10/10. They have a great pool with plenty of loungers, the rooms are super cold, and the beds are comfortable. Hot water in the bathroom and a café downstairs serve great smoothie bowls. The location is right on Jungitbatu Beach, so it’s perfect for walking to restaurants and cafés and the ferry departure point for when you head back to Bali. As a solo traveller, there was a bit of a social vibe. Still it tends to attract groups of friends on holiday instead of backpackers.
Dream Beach Hostel
If you want to stay on a beach but don’t want to pay the steep price from Nyuh Gading, Dream Beach Hostel is for you. Dream Beach Hostel includes breakfast and has basic but nice dorm beds and bathrooms. They also have a great pool. Dream Beach Hostel is an excellent location if you’re on foot; you can walk to 3 different beaches and Nusa Ceningan. However, you are far from the main restaurant/ café area at Jungitbatu Beach and Mushroom Bay.
Nightlife
Apart from a few beach bars, there is little nightlife in Nusa Lembongan (compared to Canggu or Gili T). The main area for chilled drinks or a nightcap is the strip at Jungitbatu Beach, where many restaurants stay open late, have live music, and serve drinks.
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