White sand beaches, cheap food, cheap beer/cocktails (oh yes, it’s possible in Indonesia!) a destination as yet unspoilt by tourism with a wonderfully relaxed vibe, the chance of seeing mantas when diving/snorkelling, this sounds like a fabulous place to hang out, but where in the world is this place?
It’s Indonesia… and it’s Nusa Lembongan!
Lembongan you say? Never heard of it... where is it? It’s only a 30 minute speed boat ride away from Bali – so now have I piqued your interest?
It’s Indonesia… and it’s Nusa Lembongan!
Lembongan you say? Never heard of it... where is it? It’s only a 30 minute speed boat ride away from Bali – so now have I piqued your interest?
We visited Indonesia in February during the rainy season (when it was raining unusually more than normal) and it’s when we were in Java that we met our new travelling friends, Fleur and Logan. We had experienced days of torrential rain in both Java then Bali, so hopped over to Lembongan in the hope of chasing the sun. Both Java and Bali have mountains which hold in the rain but as there are no mountains on Lembongan, this meant we at least had a chance of sunshine during the day. Yes! We had struck gold and we were blessed with some wonderful sunshine, whoop whoop! On a few occasions, we were able to stand on the beach at night and watch the lightning storms over on Bali when we were completely dry.
 Lembongan Island from the airplane window |  Logan and Fleur joined us on our trip |
The Lonely Planet describes Lembongan as the place everyone wants Bali to be, and I have to agree. There are very few cars on the island as everyone either walks or rides around on scooters which immediately gives it much more of a pleasant vibe – no dodging of traffic, no queuing traffic, no huge pollution from traffic … basically, no traffic (well, apart from scooters and he occasional “Bemo” tourist transport).
Jungutbatu – the beach in the north
We were here to visit a friend who was working in the northern village of Jungutbatu, so that’s where we chose to stay. We originally only booked a couple of nights, however we discovered early on that Lembongan ticked all our boxes and gave us everything we wanted (and more) from an island, so we ended up staying for over a week! Immediately we changed our mindset from backpackers to people who were on a holiday, this place just made us feel that way.
We came to Lembongan to meet with our friend Jason - but we found so much more!
The beach here is paradise! You can imagine our elation when we arrived on this sunshine island after days of rain to be greeted by a pure white soft sand slice of heaven. Our faces lit up – immediately we fell in love with Lembongan (especially as we had heard that there was rain on the Gili Islands as well!).
We spent most of our time hanging out at the Blue Corner Sunset Bar as they had comfortable beanbags to relax on, free Wi-Fi, plus they served good food and refreshments all day long – absolutely perfect!
Now, if you are from the UK (or simply someone who loves bacon butties) and have spent any length of time travelling around Indonesia, you will know that you simply cannot find pork anywhere … well it’s in Lembongan! We had a bacon and egg roll for breakfast most days at Surya homestay which also served the best real coffee from a “bean to cup” machine. We also discovered Jungutbatu Theatre Restaurant which served up a full English breakfast including baked beans and we also found Mainski which served sausage sandwiches! Taste heaven for us Brits!
 Toasted sandwich - known locally as the Juffle |  Bacon and Egg!! Need I say more? |
Evening entertainment
One Monday evening, we stumbled across a cool bar/restaurant called Lemongrass which happened to have two guitarists playing Live music between 7-10pm, well, this was the place for us then! We also saw posters advertising live music at other venues but never had a chance to check them out. For the few hours we were at Lemongrass, we really enjoyed ourselves as it was such a lovely setting, the food was delicious and reasonably priced. We sipped Arak cocktails, the local drink, which cost Rp 42,000 and shouted out music requests to the musicians who played anything from Bob Marley (we were here on Bob’s birthday) to Ed Sheeran.
We couldn’t believe it when we found the Jungutbatu Theatre Restaurant – yes, an open air cinema on an island as small as this, awesome! It’s such a cosy atmosphere and we ordered bottled Bintang, the local Indonesian beer and carrot cake with ice cream whilst watching the 7.30pm movie from a large bamboo chair/bed (we could have sat in a bean bag but, as we provided the movie on a USB, we thought we would opt for the VIP seats at the back). We didn’t have to pay an entrance fee because we just ordered drinks and food from their menu which was brought to you during the movie.
The Blue Corner Sunset Beach Bar has daily/nightly themes such as happy hour cocktails from 4-6pm on Saturdays, Margarita Monday and Taco Tuesday and a fun pub quiz and pasta special on Wednesday – can you tell we came here a lot?
What better way to spend a couple of hours than sipping a cocktail and waiting for the sunset? Every Friday there is a beach BBQ and party and it appears that everyone in the local area comes along as it’s the place to be!
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Once a month there is a Full Moon Party held on the island and posters display where it will be held. Unfortunately for us we were leaving early the next day so couldn’t attend – well that’s a good enough reason to come back I guess!
On a couple of occasions, we ended up sharing shots of Arak with our neighbours from the homestay. You just never know who you will meet and end up spending time with sometimes when you are travelling… they would break out the guitar and get us all to badly sing Western songs (I’m sure they only wanted us to sing so they could laugh at how out of tune we were!)
On a couple of occasions, we ended up sharing shots of Arak with our neighbours from the homestay. You just never know who you will meet and end up spending time with sometimes when you are travelling… they would break out the guitar and get us all to badly sing Western songs (I’m sure they only wanted us to sing so they could laugh at how out of tune we were!)
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Day trip around the island
One of our favourite days was when we hired a scooter to explore the island. We had so much fun feeling the breeze on our faces and loved the sense of freedom it gave us. If you are a nervous driver/passenger, you will be pleased to know that there are no crazy people around and the majority of the roads are lovely and smooth! We hired scooters from our Homestay at a cost of Rp 50,000 for 24 hours but in truth, they can be hired anywhere.
We rode up a gentle hill to a lookout point over the stunning Jungutbatu which clearly showed the azure waters and white sand beach. This is also one of the main drop off points for speed boats from Bali so it also has a few good places to eat and drink.
Day trip around the island
One of our favourite days was when we hired a scooter to explore the island. We had so much fun feeling the breeze on our faces and loved the sense of freedom it gave us. If you are a nervous driver/passenger, you will be pleased to know that there are no crazy people around and the majority of the roads are lovely and smooth! We hired scooters from our Homestay at a cost of Rp 50,000 for 24 hours but in truth, they can be hired anywhere.
We rode up a gentle hill to a lookout point over the stunning Jungutbatu which clearly showed the azure waters and white sand beach. This is also one of the main drop off points for speed boats from Bali so it also has a few good places to eat and drink.
Fantastic views of North West Lembongan from the view point
One lunchtime when on the South East of the Island we ate at Tawe Warung which has a beautiful view of seaweed farms. Apparently this used to be Lembongan’s lucrative income but in recent years, the boom in tourism has had a negative impact on these family businesses as the younger generation would (understandably) rather work in the more profitable tourism industry.
The epic view from Tawe Warung restaurant
Devil’s Tear is a gorgeous rock formation where waves crash into the cliffs creating a cloud of mist, it’s a stunning place to sit and just watch Mother Nature doing her thing.
It’s a popular place and when it started getting a little busy with tourists, we went for a little wander and came across something equally as stunning – a natural infinity pool! The ocean crashed against the rocks and splashed into little rock pools where fish were swimming happily without the fear of predators – well, apart from the odd fisherman who wanted something for lunch.
The absolute highlight of our day was Dream Beach a few minutes’ walk away from the Devil’s Tear. A gorgeous stretch of white sand beach enclosed by a cliff with waves that provide enough surf for you to have some fun – well, that’s what Sy and Logan did anyway! They were like children jumping into the waves only to be knocked over face first into the sand, but that didn’t stop them! They stood up laughing and run back into the ocean to ride the waves like a surfer without a board, this amused them for quite some time!
Fleur and I watched from up high in the comfort of a beanbag at the beach bar. A beach bar with an Infinity Pool! Oh yes, a bucket list tick off for me – I simply could not believe we had found this place! What made it even better, was they had happy hour* between 4-6pm, so there we were, backpackers with no jobs sipping cocktails in an infinity pool! Who said you can’t have a bit of luxury when you are on a budget!
* unfortunately happy hour did not come with a smile! They may advertise that non-guests of this resort can use the infinity pool for free during happy hour but they clearly do not like it. We received bad service and a sharp attitude without the usual Indonesian smile! It’s a real shame as the unhappy and unfriendly staff let this beautiful place down!
* unfortunately happy hour did not come with a smile! They may advertise that non-guests of this resort can use the infinity pool for free during happy hour but they clearly do not like it. We received bad service and a sharp attitude without the usual Indonesian smile! It’s a real shame as the unhappy and unfriendly staff let this beautiful place down!
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Mangrove tours
Mangrove Forests are on the North and East side of Lembongan, so the four of us hired a boat with two guides for 30 minutes (cost was Rp 200,000) to take us around. It was lovely, relaxing and the water crystal clear so it was fascinating looking at the root formations under the surface. In truth, 30 minutes wasn’t enough time but the two guides did work hard punting us!
Diving and snorkelling
Lembongan is an excellent place to see Manta Rays, unfortunately for us the swells were too large for the time of year when we visited so we were unable to dive or snorkel with them – looks like we have yet another reason to return!
Sy booked a 2-dive package through Blue Corner and said that although there was a ripping current, the abundance of pristine coral, crystal clear water and huge fish shoals made the diving very special. If you like your macro life, strangely there isn’t a lot here given the range of healthy soft and hard corals but the size of the marine life made up for it.
Diving was fantastic, as long as you don't mind a current or two!
All four of us booked a two hour snorkelling trip at a cost of Rp 150,000 per person and it was stunning. We stopped at three different locations but the best was Mangrove Forest because it was breathtaking! The visibility was around 25-30 metres so it was just like putting our head into an aquarium due to the abundance of fish in all shapes and sizes. It was absolutely incredible. My favourite vision was seeing a large school of batfish as this is something I have never encountered on any dive let alone snorkelling.
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When our time in Lembongan was over, we were truly gutted and have vowed to return. We fell in love with the island that literally ticked off everything we could want from a place to spend some quality time. See you soon Lembongan, we will be back!
If you are considering staying at Mushroom Beach which is the popular tourist destination in Lembongan, check out What Kate And Kris Did.
Say no to plastic
Bali and its surrounding islands has a real problem with plastic water bottles so wherever possible, try and refill your bottle instead of buying a new one. We found two places on the island that do this for half the cost of buying a new one, Blue Corner beach bar and Bali Eco Deli. Plastic straws are also a problem so try not to use one (for example if you are given a bottle of coke with a straw, just drink from the bottle or ask for a glass). If you are offered a plastic bag for any shopping you buy, think before you accept it and ask yourself if you really need it, for instance if you don’t have far to walk and carry it in your hands then do so, or if you have a handbag with you, pop your items in there.
How to get to Lembongan
Lembongan can be reached from Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands. From the port of Sanur in Bali, there are many different boat companies, some are more expensive than others and some do multi-tickets where you can also visit the other neighbouring islands. There are both private and public companies (which are cheaper) plus slow boat (1.5 hours) and speed boat (30-40 mins) options. We caught a speedboat with a public company called Dreamboat 2 and our ticket cost Rp 175,000 each which included a Bemo transfer to our Homestay.
Where to stay
There are boutique and beach resorts plus private villas all over the island, have a look at Trip Advisor for one that suits your style and budget.
If you are on a budget, there are a range of Homestays all over the island. We stayed about 400 yards away from Blue Corner for two nights at Swara Homestay 2 (cost was Rp 300,000 for the room for both nights) then six nights at Pandan Wangi which was only another 50 metres away, both we found via Booking.com. Both were quiet and comfortable but more importantly as a backpacker – cheap and private!
If you are considering staying at Mushroom Beach which is the popular tourist destination in Lembongan, check out What Kate And Kris Did.
Say no to plastic
Bali and its surrounding islands has a real problem with plastic water bottles so wherever possible, try and refill your bottle instead of buying a new one. We found two places on the island that do this for half the cost of buying a new one, Blue Corner beach bar and Bali Eco Deli. Plastic straws are also a problem so try not to use one (for example if you are given a bottle of coke with a straw, just drink from the bottle or ask for a glass). If you are offered a plastic bag for any shopping you buy, think before you accept it and ask yourself if you really need it, for instance if you don’t have far to walk and carry it in your hands then do so, or if you have a handbag with you, pop your items in there.
How to get to Lembongan
Lembongan can be reached from Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands. From the port of Sanur in Bali, there are many different boat companies, some are more expensive than others and some do multi-tickets where you can also visit the other neighbouring islands. There are both private and public companies (which are cheaper) plus slow boat (1.5 hours) and speed boat (30-40 mins) options. We caught a speedboat with a public company called Dreamboat 2 and our ticket cost Rp 175,000 each which included a Bemo transfer to our Homestay.
Where to stay
There are boutique and beach resorts plus private villas all over the island, have a look at Trip Advisor for one that suits your style and budget.
If you are on a budget, there are a range of Homestays all over the island. We stayed about 400 yards away from Blue Corner for two nights at Swara Homestay 2 (cost was Rp 300,000 for the room for both nights) then six nights at Pandan Wangi which was only another 50 metres away, both we found via Booking.com. Both were quiet and comfortable but more importantly as a backpacker – cheap and private!
 Swara Homestay |  Pandan Wangi |
Travel Facts
- The official currency is Indonesian Rupiah’s (£1 = 16,000 Rp)
- There is currently only one ATM on the island so take plenty of cash (we did hear a rumour that a second one had just opened at a new dive resort). On a Sunday when we visited, they had run out of money but when we returned Monday afternoon, funds had been replenished.
- Free Wi-Fi is available in most Homestays, bars and cafes.
- Their official language is Bahasa Indonesia which is similar to Malaysian Borneo and throughout Indonesia in general.
- If you can use just a couple of Indonesian words, this will give you big smile in return, even if you simply use “Pagi” (morning) and “Terima Kasih” (thank you), it will be hugely appreciated.
- A 30 day visa is given at the time of arrival in Indonesia (not for all countries, check with your embassy) but if you want to stay longer, you can obtain a 60 day visa in advance at consulates and embassies.
Have you visited Lembongan, if so, what did you think of it and what did you do? Will you consider it now?
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