Nusa Lembongan Guide: The Island Where I Learned to Do Absolutely Nothing
If you’ve never heard of Nusa Lembongan, or you’ve only heard of it as “the island next to Nusa Penida,” let me stop you right there, because this little place deserves its own story. This Nusa Lembongan guide covers everything I wish I knew before going, how to get there, where to stay, what to do, and why three days weren’t nearly enough.
Where Is Nusa Lembongan
Nusa Lembongan sits just off the coast of Bali, about a 30 minute ferry ride away, at least on paper, we’ll get to that. It’s small, quiet, and honestly one of those places where the pace of life just drops the second you step off the boat. It’s connected to its tiny neighbor Nusa Ceningan by a small yellow bridge, so you can go back and forth on foot or by scooter without ever needing a boat for that part. Nusa Penida is a completely different story though, that one is a separate island, and you’ll need another boat to get there.
There’s something about the size of the place that makes it feel manageable in the best way. You’re not overwhelmed by choice, you just pick a direction on your scooter and go.
How to Get There
We booked our ferry through the 12Go app, leaving from the newer terminal in Sanur.
We were coming from Amed, all the way on the other side of Bali, so this meant an alarm way too early for my taste and a long drive before we’d even set foot on a boat. If you’re doing the same route, just know the early start is worth it, you don’t want to be rushing through Sanur traffic to catch a ferry.
A one way ticket from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan cost us around 8€ per person. Prices change a bit depending on the ferry company you book with, but from what we saw, you shouldn’t end up paying more than 20€ either way, so shop around a little if you have time.
The sea was rough the day we crossed, so what’s supposed to be a smooth 30 minute ride turned into a full hour of getting thrown around in every direction. I’m not usually the one who gets seasick, but I definitely held onto my seat a bit tighter than I’d like to admit. Not exactly relaxing, but funny to look back on now. And then, almost as a reward for surviving the crossing, the boat drops you straight onto the main beach of Nusa Lembongan. No real dock, no gangway, you just arrive on the sand, step off, and there you are.
How Long to Stay
We spent 3 days and 2 nights on the island, and honestly, I think I could have stayed a full week without getting bored once. There’s something about Nusa Lembongan that makes you stop checking your phone for the time. It’s the kind of place made for slow mornings, for sitting somewhere with a coffee longer than you planned to, for saying “one more day” more than once.
If you’re planning to add Nusa Penida to the trip, and you probably should, count at least one extra day for that, it deserves its own time and isn’t something to rush through as a half day trip.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at Mesari Hut Lembongan, a tiny place with only 5 or 6 rooms, run by the sweetest Balinese family I think we met on the whole trip. Breakfast was included, and two nights cost us 27€ in total, which honestly still feels like a good deal when I think back on it. Nothing fancy, no pool, no big lobby, just a warm welcome, a clean room, and a family that genuinely seemed happy to have us there. Exactly what you want after a bumpy ferry ride and a long day of travel.
Getting Around the Island
A scooter is really the only proper way to explore Nusa Lembongan. There’s no real road network here in the way you’d expect, and no taxis either, so it’s either walking everywhere or riding. We rented two scooters directly from the hotel owner, 4€ per scooter per day, and here’s the part that genuinely surprised me, he came to meet us right at the ferry drop off point to hand them over himself. We hadn’t even reached the hotel yet and already had our scooters waiting. Small gesture, but it makes such a difference when you land somewhere new and everything is already sorted before you’ve even had time to worry about it.
If you’re traveling as a group and scooters aren’t really your thing, or if nobody in your group feels confident enough to ride, there’s also the Bemo, small trucks you’ll see parked all over the island. You can hire one with a driver for the whole day instead of renting scooters individually, which works out well if there are four of you or more. Expect around 450,000 IDR for a full day touring around the island, driver included.
Getting to Nusa Penida
If you want to add Nusa Penida to your trip, and again, you really should, head to the Yellow Bridge that connects Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Ceningan, that’s where the boats leave from.
| Boat Option | Price | Notes |
| Private boat | ~250,000 IDR per crossing, per boat | You choose your own departure time |
| Shared boat | ~50,000 IDR per person | Leaves once full, throughout the day |
We went with a shared boat since it was cheaper and we weren’t in a rush, but if you have a tight schedule or a specific spot on Penida you want to catch at a certain time of day, the private option is worth the extra cost.
Spots You Shouldn’t Skip
- Jembatan Kuning, the Yellow Bridge
Probably the most photographed spot on the island, and honestly, for good reason. It connects Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Ceningan, and crossing it on a scooter with the water on both sides is one of those small moments that ends up in half your camera roll.
- Mangrove Forest
There’s an entrance fee here, I’m still checking the exact price so I don’t want to give you a wrong number, but it’s genuinely stunning from above with a drone, or from the water on a paddle board. The mangrove roots twisting into the water create this maze like pattern that you just don’t get anywhere else on the island.
- Mahana Point
Grab a coffee here and just watch the surfers for a while. Nothing planned, no big activity, just sitting there with a warm cup and watching people catch waves. Simple, but one of those little moments that stays with you long after the trip is over.
- Explore by Scooter
Some of the best spots on Nusa Lembongan aren’t even on Google Maps, so leave yourself some time to just ride around without a destination. We found a couple of viewpoints and quiet corners of the island purely by turning down a random path, and those unplanned detours ended up being some of our favorite memories from the whole stay.
Best Beaches
- Mushroom Bay Beach
This is where a lot of boats drop you off, and the water is genuinely stunning, that clear turquoise you see in photos and assume must be edited. It isn’t.
- LOA Beach
Right before you reach the mangrove forest, perfect if you’re into snorkeling, calm water and enough visibility to actually see something worth looking at.
- Dream Beach
Small and beautiful, but go early, because it fills up fast in the afternoon. The color of the water here is something else, genuinely one of the prettiest shades of blue we saw on the whole island.
- Secret Point Beach
Great for swimming, and there’s even a swing set up right on the beach, the kind of spot that looks staged for photos but is honestly just as good in person.
- Secret Beach
Not really made for swimming, there’s a strong current, so I wouldn’t recommend going in past your ankles. But the walk down to get there is iconic, and once you’re there, you can see Nusa Penida sitting right across the water.
Best Sunset Spots
- Dream Point Bar
Breathtaking view, with an infinity pool looking straight out over the cliffs. Worth showing up a little early to grab a good spot before the crowd builds up.
- Sanghyang Bay Bar & Restaurant
Watch the sky change colors here, it’s incredible every single time, the kind of sunset that makes everyone on the terrace go quiet for a minute.
Diving in Nusa Lembongan
We went diving with what used to be called Twin Island Dive, now Emperor Divers. A full day out cost 45€ per person, with two dives included, one at Crystal Bay and one at Manta Point Bay.
I still remember the moment our guide signaled for us to look left, and there it was, a manta ray gliding right past us, completely unbothered by our presence. It’s the kind of thing you see in documentaries and never quite believe you’ll get to see for yourself, and then suddenly you’re floating a few meters away from one. That manta ray dive was actually part of the same trip where I got my PADI Open Water Certification in Bali.
We had the whole boat to ourselves that day, lunch included, plus drinks and snacks between dives. Genuinely one of the best days of the whole trip, and the kind of thing that makes you understand why people keep coming back to this part of Bali.
Emperor Divers
Raya Lembongan, Jungutbatu, Kec. Nusa Penida, Kabupaten Klungkung, Bali 80771
Contact: +628113757555
