April 12, 2025, 9:50 am | Read time: 11 minutes
The small dream island of Nusa Lembongan is only about half an hour away from Bali by speedboat. Although so close to the pulse of the tourist hotspot, you sometimes feel like you’re in another, fairytale world here. On a three-week trip to Bali, our author spent the most beautiful and relaxing days on this island. Here, he reveals what there is to discover on Nusa Lembongan.
At last, after an interminable wait, our speedboat from Sanur port on Bali eases its thunderous engines, and the queasiness in our stomachs begins to wane. It’s cramped in the cabin, filled to the last seat, and everyone now wants just one thing: to go ashore and discover Nusa Lembongan. This is the small, untamed neighbor of Bali. And it slowly comes into view, greeting us with a true postcard panorama. Palm trees, a white beach, countless colorful huts, and, in the middle of the rainy season, weather like a picture postcard. Before we know it, we’re anchored, and we’re the first to disembark onto the shore, our legs still shaky from the journey. By the way, our harbor is called Mushroom Beach, as if we were in the middle of an adventurous level of the video game Mario Kart.
I know it sounds absolutely crazy, but the best days of a three-week vacation with my girlfriend in Bali were not spent in Bali itself. Instead, it was on Nusa Lembongan. Here, there are almost no cars and, compared to the mother ship, very few scooters. Various dream beaches can be reached on foot in no time at all, and the glacier-blue sea is always just a stone’s throw away — where you can find a pristine paradise that is only just being kissed awake by tourism. Or knocked out, depending on how you want to interpret it. Here, life’s pace seems to follow a rhythm all its own, unhurried by the ticking of clocks. None at all. Time was only a relative, abstract construct in this Garden of Eden. The only certainty is that, in the end, there is always too little.
Hardly any Cabs on the Island
Yet, our discovery of this paradise would unfold gradually, as our initial arrival was tinged with a touch of stress. Unlike in Bali, there weren’t countless cab drivers waiting on every corner to take us to our hotel. The few that were there had already found solvent customers in no time at all, despite the fact that on a supposedly remote island like Nusa Lembongan, such a service, like many other things, naturally costs a little more. This also applies to the food, but, fortunately, not to the menu in many restaurants. So the beach emptied out, and we were left behind. We were somewhat perplexed but had a big appetite. Thus, I found myself feeling somewhat disgruntled upon our arrival at the picturesque beach resort ‘Paus Putih.’
A small snack with a view of the beautiful blue sea lifted my spirits. The presence of an English couple, Mark and Martin—whom we affectionately dubbed M&M—further lifted our spirits. Our wooden hut was small but nice, without any luxury, but with a large, comfortable bed and a clean bathroom. At just under 47 euros for both of us, or 800,000 Indonesian rupiah, we had no cause for complaint. Especially as we had simply turned up without any reservation, assuming that we were the discoverers of Nusa Lembongan. This serendipity seems to follow us on our travels, though it’s likely wiser not to rely on it during the peak season.
A Real “Wow” Place
And then, together with M&M, we set off to explore. Always along the coast, we soon made our way along a narrow, adventurous jungle path by the sea. And after climbing under a fallen tree, we reached the first of countless “wow” places on the island. A small, horseshoe-shaped bay called Coconut Bay — sometimes referred to as “Secret Beach” due to its remoteness. There are two small restaurants with a café and a surf school, and very few people, despite its dreamlike beauty. We didn’t know it yet, but this is where we would spend most of our time and the most carefree hours on Nusa Lembongan. However, it immediately felt like a place you would never want to leave.
This is also where we met “Captain Yin Yang,” whose real name is Komang. Father of four children, fully tattooed, surfer type. He offered us a snorkeling trip on his modern boat the next morning, which ended up being one of the best experiences of our entire trip. But first, we relaxed in the wonderfully shallow surf, watched people of all ages riding the waves, drank iced coffee, and sunbathed on our towels. In the early evening, we strolled further along the coast — now on a very elegant promenade — passing posh restaurants, spas, and numerous building sites that already heralded the future of Nusa Lembongan.
An Unforgettable Snorkeling Trip
We ended up eating excellent fish at the very hip “La Bianca” to the sound of lounge music and the surf with a view of the sunset. We hired an older couple to drive us back to the hotel on their scooters. And that was the first real adventure. Because the roads on Nusa Lembongan sometimes seem as if they were not built but rather accidentally created by the tectonic shifting of the earth’s plates. Whole teams of workers are on the road every day, equipped with sickles, to keep them as free as possible from the all-consuming jungle vegetation. I held on tight during the trip and was excited and grateful when it was over.
After a rather meager breakfast at the hotel, we set off with M&M the next morning back to Coconut Bay, where “Captain Yin Yang” was already waiting for us. In contrast to some of the rather archaic-looking boats on Nusa Lembongan, his boat is a modern fiberglass boat with 300 hp. The three-hour tour costs just 350,000 Indonesian rupiah, a good 20 euros, and takes in three different snorkeling spots. There are plenty of life jackets on board, as well as a well-equipped first aid kit and plenty of water included in the price. The highlight, however, is that the captain does not work alone but with three colleagues who film and photograph the guests during their adventures in the water throughout the trip. The very first spot we visited provided images that would leave our friends back home in awe.
Majestic Rays and Polluted Sea
We went to a place called Manta Bay, named after the rays that regularly appear there. And indeed, when we arrived, several of the giants were already there, and we immersed ourselves in their magical underwater world. The feeling when such a gentle giant floats silently past you like an angel, so close that you think you can touch it, can hardly be put into words. We were lucky enough to have several manta rays perform their weightless flight show for us. Minutes passed like seconds; the animals kept turning and gliding past again and again. It was as if they were really enjoying their performance in front of the enthusiastic audience. Aliens could just as easily have been standing in front of us, and I would have been no less enchanted.
However, there was one thing, and I can’t hide this, that spoiled the atmosphere considerably. And that is the incredible amount of garbage floating around in the sea. I have to say that, in all my life, I have never seen such heavily polluted water anywhere in the world. A deeply sad testimony to what mankind is doing to its planet. As a result, we kept collecting garbage while snorkeling until there must have been several kilos of it on board. This had a negative impact on the rest of our experience, and although we were even able to observe turtles, we were all left with a sinking feeling in addition to our enthusiasm. Suddenly, it was easy to understand why scientists have warned that there could soon be more plastic than biomass in the oceans.
A Bridge to the Neighboring Island
Back on land, we discovered a real island gem of Nusa Lembongan, the small, extremely cozy café “Tales.” In addition to the usual hot drinks, it not only offers an excellent breakfast but also an international selection of used books to buy and/or swap. The deep armchairs upholstered in green velvet, which could also be found in an English country club, are very comfortable, whether you are reading or playing one of the various board games. We spent an afternoon here relaxing and enjoying several coffees during a tropical storm with heavy rainfall. The only thing that took some getting used to was the schmaltzy-sweet mix of modern pop songs, but — in my experience — the same mix seems to be played everywhere, even in Bali.
If you want to experience a real adventure, you can visit the so-called “Yellow Bridge,” whether on foot or by scooter cab. And it is something very special, as it connects Nusa Lembongan with the even smaller and more pristine neighboring island of Nusa Ceningan. Although it was only opened in 2017, it is so rusty due to the sea air and permanently high humidity that it looks like an ancient relic. You can only cross it on foot or by scooter; it is too narrow for cars. Of course, we had to cross, and we immediately ran into our guide, Judi, on the other side. For just 400,000 rupiah (a good 23 euros), he offered to be our private chauffeur for the rest of the day, and thanks to him, we got to know and love Nusa Ceningan.
Ruins with a View and Dream Beaches
First, he took us to a real curiosity, the “Sky View Club” on the highest point of the island. The car groaned up the narrow paths at a walking pace, and what finally lay before us was supposed to be some kind of resort but was more reminiscent of a sunken jungle ruin. For the same reasons as the “Yellow Bridge,” the club, which only opened in 2018, looked incredibly run-down, which was a real shame considering the absolutely sensational view from here. We thought that influencers should be jostling in kilometer-long queues to enjoy the view of the sea, Bali, and its volcanoes. Instead, we were all alone and enjoyed a fresh melon juice with our panorama.
The next stop was the “Blue Lagoon.” A bay where the sea threw itself against the cliffs with unimaginable force. Directly opposite was a staircase that led to the dream beach of Manahan Beach. The ocean lapped against the shore here, ideal for swimming, and you could discover wonderfully colorful shells and corals on a walk along the beach. Attention, dear collectors: Please inform yourself in advance about the Balinese export regulations in order to avoid an unpleasant experience on your journey home. We then marveled at the cinemascope sunset on a cliff at another deserted resort in the company of two local girls. Not only did they have an adorable puppy with them, but they also offered us some of the dinner they had brought with them without a second thought.
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Next Time Straight to Nusa Lembongan
Back on Nusa Lembongan, by scooter cab, of course, our appetite then drove us to the huge “Le Nusa Beach Club” complex on the Mushroom Beach mentioned at the beginning. The prices here were suspiciously low, but the food was ultimately absolutely excellent. The more centrally located “L Good” in the village is also cheap, but not as good, but there is live music here every evening. Even on Bali’s small neighboring island, you don’t have to miss out on street food, such as delicious bakso soup, if you fancy a snack between meals. The latter is a hearty broth with rice, tofu, and meatballs, my declared favorite meal during my vacation. And it’s usually not even two euros.
The remaining days, by far the hottest on Nusa Lembongan, just flew by at our Coconut Bay. The sun fried our skin to the level of fried chicken, and my girlfriend took two morning surf lessons from “Captain Yin Yang’s” brother Madi. While I just lay there lazily and contentedly, she even managed to conquer a few waves standing on the board in the end. The sea looked like it had been Photoshopped, the palm trees swayed in the gentle wind, and we all agreed over another of the countless iced coffees. We’re certain to return to Bali, but next time, we’ll make a beeline for Nusa Lembongan.