Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan are 2 tiny islands, away from the hustle and bustle of Bali. Easily accessible by boat, these islands are a welcome respite from the tourists and madness of Southern Bali, and have some of the most beautiful beaches you can find in Indonesia. Not only this, these islands are some of the few places where you can reliably see the majestic Manta Rays and Sea Turtles in their natural habitat. Read on for our list of the 8 best things to do and places to see in Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan.
- 8 best things to do and see in Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan
- 1. Rent a scooter / motorbike and explore the whole island
- 2. Watch the sunset from one of the many viewpoints
- 3. Take a snorkelling tour and see Manta Rays and Turtles
- 4. Rent a canoe and explore the mangrove forests
- 5. Check out the many beautiful beaches
- 6. Take a day trip to Nusa Penida
- 7. Sit back and relax on Nusa Ceningan for the day
- 8. Check out the Yellow Bridge and watch the seaweed farmers at work
- How to get to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan
- Where to stay in Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Ceningan
- Using ATMs on Nusa Lembongan: A warning
- When to visit Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan: The best time of year
- Need to know! Your FAQs about Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan answered
8 best things to do and see in Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan
1. Rent a scooter / motorbike and explore the whole island
Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan are so small, you can cross entirely in just 20 minutes on a motorbike. For this reason we recommend that you rent a scooter / motorbike as soon as you arrive for the entirety of your stay. This will give you the freedom to see everything these islands have to offer at your own pace, and avoid the very costly taxi services available on the island.
We rented our scooter from one of the many rental offices after getting off our ferry at Mushroom Beach when we arrived. Don’t be afraid to haggle, and make sure you check with multiple places before agreeing on a price. We paid 60,000 rupiah, roughly 3.5 euros per day for our Honda Scoopy. Just make sure you insist on a helmet!
Travel insurance is a must for any holiday abroad, especially when doing extreme activities. Although problems rarely occur, it is better to be covered in case they do. We use SafetyWing and recommend it to anyone travelling the world. Check out SafteyWing here.
2. Watch the sunset from one of the many viewpoints
Both islands have no shortage of epic sunset spots. These areas are usually full of people around sunset time, so make sure you arrive 20 minutes before sunset at least to get a good spot. We recommend buying a beer and taking it with you for the ultimate sunset watching experience.
People staying on Nusa Lembongan can check out “Sunset Point” near mushroom beach. And those staying on Nusa Ceningan can go to Kevisato Viewpoint, near Secret Beach which was our favourite spot.
3. Take a snorkelling tour and see Manta Rays and Turtles
The highlight of any trip to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan is undoubtedly a snorkelling trip to see the majestic manta rays, and if you’re lucky, the sea turtles. You can find many tour offices and posters around both islands offering tours, and we recommend messaging multiple ones to try and find the best price. We paid 250,000 rupiah, roughly 12 euros per person for a full morning of snorkelling at 3 different spots: Gamat Bay, Manta Bay and the famous Crystal Bay.
We saw both manta rays and turtles in their natural habitat, and it was by far the most worthwhile thing we did during our 5 days on the island!
Prefer a private snorkeling experience without the crowds? Check out this private snorkeling tour with lunch from Nusa Penida on GetYourGuide.com
4. Rent a canoe and explore the mangrove forests
The eastern side of Lembongan is home to some ancient mangrove forests. These forests are part of a national park that can be explored by canoe. For just 100,000 rupiah, roughly 5 euros, you can rent a canoe for 1-2 people and explore these ancient forests yourself over the course of a few hours!
5. Check out the many beautiful beaches
There is no shortage of beautiful beaches on both Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. Some of our favourites are Mushroom Bay Beach which is also one of the main ferry arrival points on Nusa Lembongan. On the eastern side of Lembongan there is Jungutbatu Beach which stretches for multiple kilometres in both directions. On the southern side of the island is Dream Beach, which has a great restaurant and bar overlooking it.
Those staying on Nusa Ceningan can check out Secret Point Beach and Secret Beach which are both beautiful and have way fewer tourists than the beaches on Nusa Lembongan. You might even have them all to yourselves!
6. Take a day trip to Nusa Penida
Just a short 15 minute boat journey away from Lembongan is the much larger island of Nusa Penida. Nusa Penida has some incredible beaches and cliffs to see, and is best discovered by motorbike. Take the boat in the morning and spend a day seeing the sights before returning back to Lembongan in the evening!
The easiest way to discover Nusa Penida from Nusa Lembongan is to book a tour online. Check out this full tour of Nusa Penida from Nusa Lembongan by boat on GetYourGuide.com
7. Sit back and relax on Nusa Ceningan for the day
If Nusa Lembongan is considered small and quiet, Nusa Ceningan is it’s even smaller and quieter cousin. Only accessible via the famous yellow bridge that connects the two islands, Nusa Ceningan offers a super peaceful and relaxed way of life where everything runs at half speed.
We liked spending a few hours at Black Wood Coffee Shop, which sits on the tallest point of the island overlooking the mangrove forests and fishing boats below. You can grab an iced coffee and read a book! Just don’t forget your swimming costume as the coffee shop has an infinity pool overlooking the rest of the island.
8. Check out the Yellow Bridge and watch the seaweed farmers at work
Because of the dry and arid climate of the islands, farmers have a hard time growing crops on the land. Because of this the islands are home to massive seaweed farms that sit in the sand bar between the two islands. A visit to the Yellow Bridge will give you the best view of these farms where you can see the locals hard at work tending to the seaweed crops that cover the area.
How to get to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan
Nusa Lembongan is easily accessible from Bali. The boats leave from Sanur Harbour, which is just to the east of Denpasar and take just 30-45 minutes to reach the island. We recommend booking your tickets in advance as the boats can get very busy in peak times of the year, and it’s best to arrive with your seat already reserved. You can book your ferry tickets on 12go.asia. We paid around 8 euros per person for our ferry with Dream Beach Express.
Depending on where you are staying on Lembongan or Ceningan, you can take a boat that drops you off at the nearest beach to your accommodation. This is usually Mushroom Bay, which is also the most well connected part of the island in terms of scooter rental shops and accommodations.
When booking train and bus tickets abroad, we always use 12go.asia. You can check timetables and prices online and it’s often cheaper than booking in person! Check our 12go.asia here.
Where to stay in Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Ceningan
We chose to stay in Nusa Ceningan for our time on the islands. Lembongan is more developed with beach bars and restaurants, whereas Ceningan is quieter and more relaxed. Depending on the type of trip you want you can choose either island. If you choose Nusa Ceningan we would recommend renting a scooter for the entire time you stay to make travelling around easier.
Check out our accommodation recommendations for both Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan below. All are rated 8+/10 on booking.com and most come with free breakfast!
Hotels in Nusa Lembongan View all
Hotels in Nusa Ceningan View all
Using ATMs on Nusa Lembongan: A warning
We recommend that you bring enough cash with you for the entirety of your stay on Nusa Lembongan as ATMs are few and far between, and often not working. We had one ATM swallow our bank card when trying to withdraw cash, and heard from other travellers that had experienced the same. Some of the ATMs on the island have also been tampered with and may skim or clone your card, so we would avoid using any of them.
There are many ATMs at the port in Bali, so take out more cash than you need before departing for the islands to ensure you have enough to cover the entire time you stay there.
When spending money abroad we always use our WISE international debit card. You can withdraw up to 200 euros in cash per month free of charge and won’t pay any conversion fees on transactions. Check out the WISE international debit card here.
When to visit Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan: The best time of year
✅ The best time to visit Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan is in the dry season, between May and September. During this time you can expect hot and dry weather, with calmer seas than during other times of the year. This is however the most busy time on the islands so expect more tourists and higher prices. The shoulder seasons between March and April, and October and November, are worth considering for lower prices and a more peaceful atmosphere.
❌ Between November and February is the rainy / monsoon season, and even getting to the islands comes with challenges. Rough seas make the ferry crossing difficult and sometimes even dangerous, so we would avoid visiting during these months.
Need to know! Your FAQs about Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan answered
How big is Nusa Lembongan?
Nusa Lembongan is around 8 square kilometers in size, and can be crossed by motorbike in just 45 minutes.
How many days do you need in Nusa Lembongan?
We think 4 days is the perfect amount of time to see and do everything in Nusa Lembongan. You could squeeze everything into 2 if you are rushed for time but enjoying a more relaxed pace on this islands is the best way to explore them in our opinion!
Is Nusa Lembongan expensive?
Like all “hard-to-get-to” islands, Nusa Lembongan is more expensive than mainland Bali. You can expect to pay 50% more for the usual groceries and snacks in the islands many marts. It is however always possible to find cheap places to eat, you just have to look a bit harder!
Is Nusa Lembongan worth visiting?
In our opinion, yes! Nusa Lembongan has many different activities and sights to offer, whilst being very easy to travel around.
Is Nusa Lembongan safe?
We felt completely safe during our time on the Nusa Lembongan. The roads are generally well maintained and we ran into no issues with locals or rowdy tourists. As with everything, exercise caution when travelling around in the dark, and always wear a helmet when riding a motorbike!
Are there taxis on Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan?
Yes, but be prepared to pay a lot! Because of the remote nature of the islands, there is no Uber or Grab here. 95% of the vehicles on the islands are bikes, and the few cars that are there are often electric golf buggies that ferry people around the island for a very high price. We recommend renting a motorbike or scooter instead.
Do you like our list of things to do and places to see in Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan? Leave us a comment below! If you have been to Nusa Lembongan or are planning your own trip to Indonesia, we would love to hear from you!
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