Breathtaking Nusa Lembongan
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Half an hour boat ride from Bali you can find an island called Nusa Lembongan. This small island under Bali is known for great beaches, beautiful nature, friendly people, delicious food and it is not so touristy compared to the nearby Bali. A wonderful island to stay for a few days and to add to your bucket list. It is no longer an undiscovered paradise, tourism is also increasing here. Fortunately, we cannot talk about mass tourism yet. This is why it is called the Bali of 40 years ago.
There are several nice beaches to be found on Nusa Lembongan. With the scooter (rent it for 60.000 per day in 2018) you can drive the entire island in no time and you can explore the different beaches yourself. Some of these beaches on Nusa Lembongan are even more beautiful than the beaches in Bali and they are certainly not that busy.
Our favorite beach is Dream Beach. This beach is somewhat difficult to find and not very big, but very beautiful. Despite the fact that it is difficult to find, a lot of people are still visiting this beach. Are you looking for more peace and quiet? The Secret Beach is then a better choice. There are hardly any other people there.
The surroundings of Nusa Lembongan are perfect for snorkel and diving enthusiasts. You can book a snorkel tour to also explore the underwater world of Nusa Lembongan and the nearby islands. You will see many tropical fish and colourful coral in many places. Manta Point is located next to the nearby island of Nusa Penida. This point can be reached from Nusa Lembonga after an hour of sailing. Here you have a 95% chance to see Manta Rays. These impressive rays are between 4 and 9 meters long, an impressive sight as they swim only a few meters away.
Where to stay
If you are looking for a spectacular place to stay and you are not on a backpackers budget we recommend the eco friendly Ceningan Resort. The pool is stunning and you will absolutely love their diving facilities. The food in the restaurant is delicious and well priced and the breakfast was super yummie.
Our room was perfect and we loved the fact that they have eco-friendly facilities. They also participate in outreach programs promoting sustainable and environmental friendly practices. It is the management and staff what makes this place so special, they went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of. On booking.com they get an average rating of 8.9.
Best time to visit
We recommend to visit Nusa Lembongan from April til October which is the dry season. If you want to avoid the crowds we recommend to avoid the months July and August. The islands are packed with tourists in this period. Click here for more climate details.