Often overlooked by visitors to Bali, Nusa Lembongan has a lot to offer. It’s the closest of the three Nusa islands just off the southeast Bali coast, a short 35-minute boat ride away. It can easily be visited on a day trip, but probably deserves more time if you can fit it into your itinerary. Although you can find some luxury and beach clubs here, on average, it’s more gritty, less developed and more rustic than Bali. It’s known for its slower pace and more laid-back atmosphere, reminiscent of how Bali used to be a few decades ago. It’s also known for its pristine secluded beaches and its lack of cars (other than open-air “taxi trucks” that wiz visitors around the island). To help you plan your visit and get the most out of your time here, we put together this guide on the Best Things to See and Do in Nusa Lembongan. In this guide, we will also cover some of the main highlights of the two other Nusa islands: Nusa Cenigan and Nusa Penida. Nusa Penida, in particular, is a paradise for snorkelers and divers.
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You might also be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Best Things to See and Do in Bali
Best Things to See and Do in the Gili Islands
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Bali
Nusa Lembongan: Location & Map
Nusa Lembongan is the closest of the three Nusa islands to Bali. It’s about 12 km
About Nusa Lembongan
Nusa Lembongan is a relatively small island, roughly 4 km by 2 km, and has a population of about 5,000 people. The island is essentially divided into three populated areas: Jungut Batu along the western coast of the northern tip, Mushroom Bay along the northern coast of the western tip, and Lembongan Village, a short distance south of Mushroom Bay. Jungut Batu and Mushroom Bay are the main centres of the tourist-based industry, and where you’ll find most hotels and restaurants, while most locals live in Lembongan Village on the southwestern part of the island.
Nusa Lembongan is the westernmost of the three Nusa islands, just 12 km from Bali island, and is just over twice the size of the middle island, Nusa Ceningan. Nusa Penida, the easternmost island of the trio, is by far the largest and the most populated. Although less populated than Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan is the most developed of the islands and has the most accommodation options (though Nusa Penida is slowly catching up), the best roads, and the best tourist infrastructure.
How to get to Nusa Lembongan
Getting to Lembongan — Do It Yourself
The best way to get to Nusa Lembongan from Bali is to get a ride on one of several fast boats to Nusa Lembongan, which are offered by several different private companies (including Rocky Fast Cruises, Scoot Fast Cruises, Tanis Fast Cruise, Arthamas Express and D’Stars Fast Ferry). While public ferries are slightly cheaper, the journey from Bali to Nusa Lembongan is nearly three times as long and significantly less comfortable, as these boats tend to get overcrowded.
The quickest routes depart from the Sanur port, along Bali’s southeast coast. As to which fast boat company to choose, we did a lot of research to determine which of those had the best reputation regarding safety, timely departures and customer service. The hands-down winner in our view was Rocky Rocky Fast Cruises.
Also, while most companies drop you off on Jungutbatu beach (requiring you to wade through shallow water to get to the beach), Rocky has its own private docking pier on the other side of the island, from which all land transportation on Nusa Lembongan is also included in your ticket price (if you select their Door to Door Service option when booking). So they will take care of getting you and your luggage to your hotel hassle-free. The basic Door to Door Service option costs IDR 325,000 (2025 prices), whereas the boat ticket only costs IDR 275,000 (roughly 16 US$/€).
When selecting the Door to Door Service option, you can also benefit from a free hotel transfer to the Sanur port if your hotel is located in the Sanur/Kuta/Seminyak/Nusa Dua area. Transfers from other areas in Bali will come at an additional cost. For instance, pick-up and transfers from Canggu and Ubud cost an additional IDR 300,000 (roughly 18 US$/€), which is in line with prices you would expect to pay via private transfers between those locations and Sanur. If you select this option, you will receive an additional email from Rocky confirming a specific pick-up time.
We highly recommend selecting this option as opposed to organizing your own hotel transfer, for the simple reason that the responsibility for arriving on time is now on Rocky Fast Cruises and not you, should traffic between your hotel and Sanur cause unforeseen delays.
Rocky offers four daily trips from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan: 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm and 5 pm. We recommend one of the two early transfers as the seas of the Badung Strait are generally calmer, making for a more comfortable ride. The return leg (Nusa Lembongan to Sanur) also has 4 daily trips (9 am, 11 am, 1 pm and 4 pm).
Tips for a Smooth Fast Boat Trip to Nusa Lemongan
– Note that the waters of the Baduing Strait can get quite choppy. If you’re prone to seasickness, you might want to consider taking motion sickness tablets beforehand.
– Also, many ferry and fast boat operators, including Rocky Fast Cruise, will message you with confirmation details and pickup times via WhatsApp, so be sure to have the app installed on your phone.
– If you decide to book a fast cruise with a different company than Rocky Fast Cruises, they are likely to drop you off near Jungutbatu beach, in the water. You’ll have to wade through shallow water to get to the beach. If you are just carrying a day bag, that’s fine, but you might find this more challenging with large pieces of luggage. Also, plan your boat footwear accordingly (either easy-to-remove footwear or water shoes).
– It’s best to book your fast boat tickets at least several days in advance, especially during peak season. Fast boats can fill up quickly, so booking online beforehand ensures that you get your preferred travel day and departure time.
Getting to Lembongan — With an Organized Tour
If you are only planning to visit Nusa Lembongan as a day trip from the Bali main island, the simplest way to go about it might be to join an organized tour, as this lets someone else handle all of the transport logistics allowing you to maximize your time on the island while hitting all of the highlights.
Organized tours to Nusa Lembongan also generally offer pickup and drop-off from hotels in select Bali locations, generally including most of southern Bali and Ubud.
This particular tour hits most of the main highlights we describe further below in our guide:
This guided tour is similar to the one above, but while it hits fewer spots, it allows for more time in each of those it visits:
Finally, this organized tour allows you to visit both Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida within a single day trip:
How to Get Around Nusa Lembongan
On Foot: It’s easy to walk around and explore Jungutbatu village and the Mushroom Bay resort area on foot, but walking isn’t ideal when travelling between both areas, as there are no direct coastal roads between them – you have to go quite a bit inland along a road that climbs a steep hill. This walk would take about an hour, and having done it, we can say it wasn’t the most pleasant walk as it’s along the island’s main road (without sidewalks), and it wasn’t the best use of our time.
By Scooter: We didn’t use scooters on Nusa Lembongan, but it’s a quick and efficient way to get around the island. There are several rental spots to choose from, particularly around Jungutbatu village and Mushroom Bay, though the simplest is probably to ask your hotel; most can set you up with a scooter rental quite easily. You can typically expect to pay around IDR 100,000 (roughly 6 US$/€) per day.
Since we didn’t plan to go back and forth often between different areas of the island, we opted to use one of the two following methods covering longer distances.
By “Taxi”: On Lembongan, taxis are open-air trucks that can carry 6 to 8 people at once. These are the only non-scooter vehicles you’ll find on the island, and are the same type of vehicles you’ll use to reach your hotel or accommodation from the Rocky Fast Cruise pier.
If you want to head out somewhere, simply ask your hotel to call a taxi for you. When you want to return to your hotel, you can generally find several taxis waiting around the southern end of Jungutbatu beach, around Mushroom Bay beach, and near the Yellow Bridge. The going rate in 2025 for a taxi ride is a flat rate of IDR 50,000 (roughly 3 US$/€). It rarely takes more than 10 minutes to get to any point on the island.
By “Restaurant Taxi Transfer”: Several restaurants will offer free pick-up and drop-off taxi service to get to the restaurant and then back to your hotel afterwards. You simply need to call to make a reservation and request a taxi ride at the same time. Many restaurants are reachable through WhatsApp as well.
Some of the best restaurants that provide the free pick-up and drop-off taxi service are: Hai Bar & Grill, The Deck Lembongan, Le Nusa Beach Club, Nick’s Place Lembongan, The Sampan Lembongan, Karana Bar Resto, Lemongrass Bar & Restaurant, and Hai Ri Zen.
Additional Tips for Visiting Nusa Lembongan
– Bring enough cash to last for the duration of your stay. While you can pay for many things with your credit cards, some shops and taxis only take cash. Because there are few ATMs on the island, if they malfunction or run out of cash, you might run into payment issues.
– You can easily visit Nusa Ceningan from Nusa Lembongan on foot or with a scooter since both islands are connected by a short, narrow bridge (the “Yellow Bridge”). Getting to Nusa Penida will require you to take a 15-minute boat taxi.
Best Things to See and Do in Nusa Lembongan
Explore Nusa’s Beaches
Nusa Lembongan has lots of beautiful beaches, some that stretch as far as the eye can see, others that are perfect secluded little coves. Although you can swim in the water at some of the beaches, as a general rule, the Nusa Lemongan beaches aren’t the best swimming beaches in Bali, generally due to some combination of strong waves, sharp corals, boat traffic, and/or dangerous rip currents.
Jungutbatu Beach
Jungutbatu Beach is the longest beach on the island. When you are standing at the southern tip of the beach, near the harbour, you can’t really make out its northern end, which lies nearly 2 km away. The beach is large enough that you’ll rarely feel crowded, as you can see in the pictures below, which were taken mid-September.
Jungutbatu isn’t the best beach for swimming, as there is a lot of coral making it difficult to walk out into the water, especially at low tide. The south side of the beach is also where many of the ferries and fast boats come in and out. However, it’s a great place to relax and enjoy the views, and it’s also where you’ll find the majority of oceanfront cafes, bars, and hotels.
Jungutbatu is also home to Lembongan’s 4 surf breaks (Playgrounds, Lacerations, Razors & Shipwrecks), which are located about 100 m from the shore. Jungutbatu is also a great place for SUP boarding as the waters along the beach are fairly calm compared to those on the southwestern side of the island.
Dream Beach
One of the most scenic and secluded beaches on Nusa Lembongan is Dream Beach, tucked away along the island’s southwest tip. It’s not a particularly large beach, but we never saw it get too busy. It has beautiful soft sand, and the views are hard to beat. There’s also a nice café and restaurant by the beach, each offering fantastic views of the beach.
Unfortunately, it’s not ideal for swimming due to large waves and strong rip currents. Also, like all the beaches around the island, there generally aren’t any lifeguard services around, so you would be swimming at your own risk.
The beach is a short 5-minute walk from one of the island’s main attractions, Devil’s Tears (see further below).
Mushroom Beach
Muchroom Beach is another scenic, secluded beach, but a much busier one than Dream Beach. For starters, the small harbour on the western end of the beach also serves as the drop-off point for some ferries from Bali (even though most drop off at Jungutbatu). Also, since there are several resorts around the beach, this is likely where you’ll see the most people on a Nusa Lembongan beach (but even then, it’s not that many).
Although there are typically several boats anchored along the western end of the beach, it’s still one of the best beaches for swimming due to the calm waters, particularly along the eastern end of the beach, where there is a reserved area for swimming. The beach is also another great spot for paddleboarding.
The cliff face at the eastern end of the beach is actually very narrow, about 10-15 feet wide. Beyond it is another small beach known as Hidden Beach or Secret Beach.
Enjoy the Coastal Views at Devil’s Tears
A short walk from Dream Beach lies one of Nusa Lembongan’s most popular attractions. Devil’s Tears is a collection of blow holes and natural tidal pools where large waves come crashing into a craggy coastline, creating a spectacular show of high-rising splashes and (occasionally) rainbows.
This is probably where we saw the most people gathered in one spot during our time on the island. However, most people seem to stick around the main blowhole, and we would argue that some of the better views are slightly north and south of it, where fewer people gather.
It’s best to come here early in the morning to enjoy some solitude with the spectacular scenery. It’s also a popular spot for sunset due to the coast’s west-facing direction, but obviously, don’t expect to be alone at that time.
We recommend sticking around for at least 20-30 minutes, as the wave cycles vary a lot during that time. If you don’t stay long, you might miss out on some of the larger, more impressive splashes.
While most people come in and out along the main path connecting the main blowhole to the nearby car park, there’s also a scenic (albeit short) coastal trail that connects Devil’s Tears to nearby Dream Beach.
Immediately north of Devil’s Tears is Sandy Bay Beach, a scenic beach and cove that is often empty due to the large waves that crash into it.
Explore the Rest of the Island
If you have the time and plan on renting a scooter or don’t mind walking longer distances, you might want to explore the rest of the island, where you definitely get to see Nusa Lembongan’s less developed and more gritty, rustic side. You are also unlikely to see many other tourists along the island’s back streets.
Cross the Yellow Bridge and Discover Nusa Cenigan
The Yellow Bridge isn’t particularly close to the other interesting areas of Nusa Lembongan, so unless you are staying nearby, walking there isn’t your best option (it’s best to ride a scooter or catch a taxi). Sadly, the previous version of the bridge collapsed in 2016, killing 8 people. The rebuilt bridge is significantly more modern and now safe for pedestrians and scooters to use. In fact, it’s only wide enough for scooters and pedestrians – no cars allowed.
There isn’t much to see or do around the bridge, other than a few shops and restaurants. The draw here is the walk over the bridge itself as a scenic means to get you over to Nusa Ceningan. Do take care when crossing, whether on scooter or on foot, as the bridge is quite narrow and you’ll cross both pedestrians and scooters going in the opposite direction.
When the tide is low, the water under the bridge is really shallow, giving you the impression that you could almost walk to Nusa Ceningan through the water.
Once across the bridge, if not on a scooter, you can either continue on foot or take a taxi (there are usually several waiting on the other side) towards Nusa Ceningan’s two main attractions, which lie around the island’s western tip. We opted to walk all the way to the western tip (2 km from the bridge) and returned by taxi after, once we had finished our sightseeing.
There are several shops and restaurants along the main road. Another interesting thing to see is the number of seaweed farms between Lembongan and Ceningan. You’ll also notice several spots along the coast where locals dry out recently harvested seaweed.
Once you reach the western tip of the island, you’ll be very close to the island’s two main attractions: Mahana Point and the Blue Lagoon.
Mahana Point (link to Google Maps) is a popular spot for both cliff jumpers and surfers. Near the edge of the cliff, there’s a restaurant (aptly named Mahana Point) where you can enjoy the scenery, the beach below (Secret Point Beach), the surfers and the cliff jumpers. The restaurant also provides access (for a small fee, IDR 50,000) to two jumping platforms (5 m and 10 m above the sea).
A short 5-minute walk from Mahana Point is the Blue Lagoon. Note that you can’t swim here; the waves are simply way too violent as they crash into the rocks below.
There isn’t much to do here other than to admire the view and walk along the short coastal trail connecting the lagoon to Mahana Point. Though on the other side of the lagoon, there is a moderately popular zipline for adrenaline seekers. It’s not overly expensive (IDR 150,000), but it’s a very short ride that barely lasts 15 seconds.
Take a Mangrove Forest Tour
Nestled in the northeast corner of Nusa Lembongan is a large mangrove forest (essentially a floating forest), one of Bali’s most pristine ecosystems that is vital in protecting the coast from erosion. This is the perfect place to explore by kayak or stand-up paddleboard (SUP), ideally during high tide; when the tide is low, navigation can be more difficult due to the very shallow waters.
One of the best and easiest ways to visit the mangrove forest is by joining a guided boat/kayak tour through the forest. This is a particularly good tour, with options to use a kayak, SUP, see-through kayak or see-through boat:
Go Snorkelling With Manta Rays
One of the best things to do while on Nusa Lembongan is to join a snorkelling tour that visits several great spots along the coast of nearby Nusa Penida and, if you are lucky, see and swim with some stunning Manta Rays.
We can recommend this tour that leaves from the Yellow Bridge marina (you can also include a hotel pick-up option), which will first visit the protected Manta Point, an area rich with plankton that attracts beautiful reef manta rays:
Note that specific weather and ocean conditions may affect the tour’s ability to take you there, as strong ocean swells might make it unsafe to swim & snorkel in Manta Point. Also, Manta Ray sightings aren’t guaranteed, but either way, you’ll enjoy a fun boat ride with some beautiful scenery along the way.
Regardless of the conditions (unless there’s really bad weather), you are almost certain to visit some of the best snorkelling spots along the island’s west coast after having hit Manta Point as the first stop, including Crystal Bay, Toyapakeh, and Gamat Bay.
Day Trip to Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida has a lot more to offer than just snorkelling, with its beautiful, rugged coastlines and stunning beaches. It has too many attractions to visit within a single day trip. Typically, tours will hit some of the best spots in the West Penida, such as:
– Angel’s Billabong, a stunning natural infinity pool that hangs out over the ocean and is bordered by limestone cliffs that get pummeled by powerful, towering waves. (Note that it’s not safe to go into the infinity pool, particularly during high tide when strong waves can smash against you before pulling you out back to sea.)
– Broken Beach gets its name from its distinctive arch that was formed by the collapse of limestone cliffs over time. The natural archway allows seawater to flow towards the coast, creating a stunning circular cove. Again, swimming is definitely not recommended here due to the strength with which the waves come crashing in. Also, it’s impossible to get down to the beach below by land.
– The cliffs above Kelingking Beach provide visitors with one of the most spectacular overhead views of any beach in Bali. It’s renowned for its unique, T-Rex-shaped cliff formation that overlooks the turquoise waters.
The beach itself is accessed by a challenging but rewarding hike down about 400 steps, which typically takes most people about 25-30 minutes to descend, and significantly longer to come back up. Again, swimming is not recommended here due to the strong rip currents.
In our opinion, the best way to visit these Nusa Penida attractions is to join a group tour or to hire a private driver. We don’t recommend travelling by scooter on Nusa Penida due to the terrible state of many of the roads. Though some of the roads have improved in recent years, accidents, particularly among foreigners, are still very common.
For simplicity, this tour that departs from Nusa Lembongan will handle all of the logistics and decisions for you:
For more of a hands-on and customizable approach, you can first book your boat transfer between Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. There are three departures per day in each direction. For a full day trip, you can leave Lembongan on the 9 am trip and return from Penida on the 4:30 pm return trip. The journey between both islands takes about 15 minutes in a small boat.
And then book your private driver for the day on Nusa Penida, with whom you can decide on a specific itinerary together:
Best Time to Visit Nusa Lembongan
The best time to visit Nusa Lembongan is during the dry season, which typically runs from late April to mid-October. This period offers the most favorable weather with less rain and lower humidity. During the dry season, the seas are also generally calmer, which is ideal for those wanting to snorkel, dive, or surf.
Consider off-peak months like May-June or September-October for a more personal experience with fewer crowds.
How Long Should You Stay In Nusa Lembongan
Although many visit Nusa Lembongan as a day trip from Bali, we recommend staying 3-4 days to fully experience everything the island has to offer. With that much time, you should be able to see and do everything we described above in this guide.
Where to Eat in Nusa Lembongan
There are lots of great restaurants in Nusa Lembongan. We particularly enjoyed Hai Bar And Grill and Hai Ri Zen around Mushroom Bay Beach. Casa Bambù Cantina, near the southern end of Jungutbatu Beach, was also a great spot to enjoy a relaxing dinner.
We didn’t get to try them, but Nick’s Place, Warung Cassava and Karana Nusa are also very popular.
Where to Stay in Nusa Lembongan
There are loads of accommodations to choose from on Nusa Lembongan. Here are some of the best-rated mid-range accommodations on the island:
Batu Karang Lembongan Resort & Spa
Planning a Trip to Bali?
You might be interested in these pages: (coming soon)
Best Things to See and Do in Bali
Best Things to See and Do in the Gili Islands
The Perfect Three-Week Bali Itinerary
Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Bali
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Bali: The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide
Lonely Planet Bali, Lombok & Nusa Tenggara
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
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e-Sim cards
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Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Bali guide on Best Thing to See and Do in Nusa Lembongan and that it will prove useful for planning your trip.
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