Nusa Lembongan Travel Guide: Best spots to Swim and Snorkel

The Nusa islands are three small island located to the south east of Bali, Indonesia. These islands consist of Nusa Lembongan, Ceningan and Nusa Penida. They are well known for their great snorkelling, surfing and is an ideal location for those wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of Bali.

How to get to Nusa Lembongan?

To get to the Nusa Islands you must take a ferry from Sanur, Bali which takes around 30 minutes. There are many different companies that will take you to the islands however we chose to go with Rocky Fast Cruises and we are so glad we did as their service was exceptional. We organised our transfers and ferry directly through them which took the hassle out of the day, a car picks you up from your accomodation and they arrange transfers on the otherside when you arrive. They also offer day trips and snorkelling tours of Nusa Lembongan.

Where to Swim and Snorkel?

Song Lambung Beach

This small secluded beach is located overlooking the Playground surf break. It is a relatively quiet beach to swim at and in the bay there are places to hire surf boards, snorkels or paddles board from. There is also a little Warung that does great priced food and drink compared to many of the other places that are located on the beach.

Mushroom Bay

Mushroom Bay Beach is a great place for swimming and snorkelling. It is a large enough beach that it doesn’t get too crowded so you will always be able to find somewhere along the sand. Be aware however that lots of boats park in this area so please take this into consideration once you snorkel further out.

Dream Beach

This white sandy beach is located near to Devil’s Tears, one of Nusa Lembongan’s natural attractions. It has several restaurants and beach clubs located directly behind the beach if you’re looking for somewhere to lounge the day away. The sea here is prone to strong currents so please be aware of this is you aren’t a great swimmer.

Snorkelling & Tours

For snorkelling day trips we went with Aqua Man Snorkelling Trip. This tour departs Nusa Lembongan at 7:30am, which may seem like an early time to be departing for your trip however you’ll be grateful when you beat the crowds to the best spots. On the tour you will stop at 3 – 4 different destinations where you will see Manta Rays, Turtles and lots of beautiful fish. The tour includes all your equipment and a snack on board which is much needed after all the swimming. We absolutely loved out tour and highly recommend this company.

If you’re coming across from Bali for the day this Nusa Penida Land and Sea Tour would allow you to see all the highlights in one day. There are also many other options for snorkelling and island tours on Viator which you can check out here!

Where to eat?

Next Level, Ceningan

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This local family business is the best place to get coffee on the island. Located on top of their family house Next Level serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This is a great place to come and enjoy the views so make sure to add this to the top of your Nusa Lembongan food list.

Ketut Warung

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Don’t be alarmed when it feels like you’re walking into someone house because Ketut’s is located inside Ketut’s family home. This long table set up allows you to meet other travellers and share stories while eating delicious home cooked food. Make sure to have their spring rolls and try to save room for fried bananas for dessert.

Bali Eco Deli

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This Eco friendly restaurant is leading the way for other restaurants on Nusa Lembongan to help locals recycle and implement more sustainable practices into their environments. The menu reflects their health conscious ethos and is located in a beautiful relaxing space to match.

Ombak Zero Waste

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If you’re looking for a hardy brunch then Ombak has you covered. They’re located on the beachfront giving you spectacular views over the bay when the sun is shinning.

The Island, Ceningan

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The Island is a beach front restaurant with perfect sunset views. It serves a fantastic happy house from 4 – 7 pm where you can lounge about and enjoy the view before tucking into their extensive menu for dinner. They offer a lot of western options here so if you’re looking for a change from Indonesian then The Island is great.

Where to stay?

Nusa Lembongan is one of two islands that are connected via the famous yellow bridge. One island is Nusa Lembongan and the other island over the yellow bridge is called Ceningan Island. Ceningan Island is much quieter and only accessible by motor bikes. If you don’t feel as comfortable riding a motor bike or scooter then you we would recommend to staying on Nusa Lembongan.

Nusa Veranda, Ceningan

Nusa Veranda is a small family run hotel that goes above and beyond to make your stay comfortable. The rooms themselves are slightly outdated however it is made up by the beautiful infinity pool that over looks the ocean.

Ohana’s Beach Club & Boutique Beachfront Resort

Ohana’s Resort backs onto the locations beach club and restaurant which is located on the beachfront. If you’re looking for a hotel that allows you to walk around the island and located on the beach this is a great hotel.

Tigerlillys Boutique Hotel

If you’re looking for a smaller more tucked away hotel Tigerlillys is for you. The hotel has 8 bungalow styles rooms and is located off the main road making it only a short walk away to the beach.

If you’re looking for a different hotel in Nusa Lembongan you can check them out here on Agoda!

Make sure to also check out Our Guide to Uluwatu and Our Guide to the Best Bali Cafes for Coffee to help you plan your next adventure!

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