Nusa Lembongan Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know

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Post updated May 26, 2025

Nusa Lembongan is a magical and rugged little island located off the coast of mainland Bali. Surfers come here to hang ten at Shipwrecks surf spot, divers and snorkelers come here to swim with giant manta rays, and beach bums come here to chill out on turquoise beaches and while the days away at cool beach clubs. No matter what kind of experience you’re looking for, there are options for everyone, and you’ll be spoiled with the many unique things to do in Nusa Lembongan!

While Nusa Lembongan is far from Bali’s best kept secret, it’s does take some effort to reach from the mainland, so it offers a more authentic experience than places like Kuta and Seminyak. But if you don’t quite know what to do in Nusa Lembongan, I’ve compiled my complete guide to help you out.

From the must-see Nusa Lembongan attractions and activities to how to get around and where to stay, I hope this guide helps you plan your perfect trip!

What and Where is Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Lembongan is one of three small islands located off the southeastern coast of mainland Bali. Of the three Nusa Islands, Nusa Lembongan is the second largest and measures just 8 kilometers around. Despite being home to just 5,000 residents, Nusa Lembongan is by far the most visited of the Penida Islands. With its laid-back vibe, gorgeous natural attractions, and excellent surf, snorkeling, and diving, this is one of the most popular places in Bali for all manner of travelers – no matter what you’re into!

How to Get to Nusa Lembongan

The only way to reach the island is via a 45-minute ferry ride from Sanur. One-way tickets cost around 180,000 rupiah ($11) and you can book tickets for the fast boat here. But sure to book a fast boat. One time, I made the mistake of booking a small, slow boat on the ground in Sanur and the journey took 2 hours and was a fairly rough ride.

Your ferry will either drop you off at Jungutbatu Beach or Mushroom Beach. Most hotels will arrange to have someone pick you up wherever your ferry drops you off. If not, you can easily hop on one of the open-air trucks with all the other tourists and get dropped off at your hotel for a small fee. This is a small island, so the drivers will be able to find your hotel!

Getting Around Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Lembongan may be small but the terrain is hilly, the roads are windy and steep, and getting around on foot can be a challenge. Unlike mainland Bali, there are no official taxis and relatively few cars (though cars are becoming much more common!), meaning motorbikes are by far the most popular means of transport.

Scooter

• Where to rent – During my visits I’ve always rented mine from whichever hotel I’m staying at. If for some reason your hotel doesn’t offer rentals, you can pretty much go to any hotel or restaurant and they’ll either rent you a scooter or point you in the right direction. It’s that easy! You can usually rent them from the guys at the port where the ferry drops you off if you want to hit the ground running.
• Cost – I usually pay around 75,000 rupiah ($4.50) per day (including a full tank of gas) for my scooter You should get a small discount if you rent for multiple days. If you don’t want to drive yourself, you can also get a driver to take you around for around 165,000 ($10).
• Road conditions – The roads on Nusa Lembongan do have lots of potholes and the roads on Nusa Ceningan are just plain awful. I wouldn’t recommend riding a motorbike if you’re not at least a little experienced. For a beginner’s guide on riding a motorbike in Southeast Asia, read my complete guide here.

Truck

If you’re not comfortable riding a scooter, you can still get around on one of the many open-air trucks. You’ll see quite a few of these shuttling tourists around the island. You can easily arrange to get truck drivers to pick you up at your hotel and take you wherever you’d like to go. Most hotels should arrange this service for you, especially if you’d like to have a tour of the island. Otherwise you can always negotiate with drivers on the street.

Many restaurants in Nusa Lembongan will also pick you up and drop you off for free. Business owners are more than willing to cater to visitors who don’t have their own transportation, so don’t worry too much about getting around. But when in doubt, just ask the receptionist at your hotel.

Things to Do in Nusa Lembongan

Chill at Dream Beach

Wondering what to do in Nusa Lembongan? Go to Dream Beach!

Dream Beach is a perfect white-sand beach with giant turquoise waves. The strong currents make it pretty unsafe for swimming at certain times of the year. But for a 50,000 rupiah ($3) fee you can use the two split-level infinity pools at Dream Beach Huts, which overlooks Dream Beach.

With its thatched-roof bungalows, this is also a dreamy place to stay (check prices on Agoda.com)!

Get Soaked at Devil’s Tears

Located a short walk along the cliffs from Dream Beach, Devil’s Tears is another one of the top Nusa Lembongan attractions. Come here to watch huge waves crash violently into the cliffs. And, yes, you will get wet! Do be careful though because the waves can get violent.

To get here from Dream Beach just turn right and follow the dirt pathway along the cliffs. This is the perfect spot for sunset, so bring a Bintang and enjoy the show!

Go Snorkeling at Mushroom Bay

This is one of the places where ferries drop passengers off and it’s a super a popular place to stay, especially if you’re on a budget. There are a few restaurants and a decent swimming beach and great offshore snorkeling (that is if the boats aren’t docked in the bay).

See Mount Agung from Panorama Point

Stopping off at Panorama Point is one of the top things to do in Nusa Lembongan for a reason. It’s located between Mushroom Bay and the town of Jungutbatu. Pull off the road when you see the sign for “Panorama Point” to snap a photo from this unreal viewpoint of Mount Agung (Bali’s largest volcano) in the distance.

If you want to enjoy the views for even longer, Karana and Horison Hills restaurants both serve excellent food and drinks with even better views (pictured above!).

Get Village Vibes in Jungutbatu

Speaking of Jungutbatu, this is the main town and a must-visit if you’re looking for things to do in Nusa Lembongan, especially if you want to catch a glimpse of authentic village life. There’s plenty of traditional Balinese architecture to see and lots of delicious (and cheap) Indonesian food to eat.

You’ll find the largest concentration of bars, restaurants, and beach clubs in this part of town, making it a great place to stop for lunch and an even better place to end the day with dinner and drinks.

Explore Nusa Ceningan

Nusa Ceningan is the smallest of the Nusa Islands and it’s connected to Nusa Lembongan by this famous yellow bridge. Driving over the narrow, wooden suspension bridge is one of the most iconic activities in Nusa Lembongan. It feels a bit sketchy but it’s safe! Though do note that it’s only wide enough for one motorbike at a time.

Head over the bridge and veer to your right and you’ll see rectangular crops of seaweed being harvested just offshore. I always love seeing these picturesque seaweed crops. Other top Nusa Ceningan activities are relaxing on Secret Beach, marveling at Blue Lagoon, and going surfing or cliff-jumping (if you dare!) at Mahana Point, to name a few things.

Take a Day Trip to Nusa Penida

If you’re really up for an adventure head over to neighboring Nusa Penida. This is the largest of the Nusa Islands and it’s a literal 15-minute boat ride away from Nusa Lembongan. This is easily one of my favorite places in Bali! 

It’s absolutely stunning and is rapidly becoming one of Bali’s most popular destinations. If you’ve got the time, I do suggest staying on Nusa Penida for at least 2 or 3 nights. That being said, you can easily take a day trip to Nusa Penida from Nusa Lembongan and see at least a few of the island’s most famous attractions.

Helpful tip: If you only have one day to tour Nusa Penida, understand that you won’t have time to go around the whole island. You’ll either want to hit the top attractions in the east or the west. For first timers, I recommend touring the west coast to see Broken Beach (pictured above), Angel’s Billabong, and Kelingking Beach, among other attractions.

Nusa Penida Snorkeling Trip: A good Nusa Penida day trip option is this Manta Point Snorkeling & West Penida Tour. This tour allows you to snorkel at two famous Nusa Penida locations, including Manta Point where you can swim with the massive manta rays.

I like this tour because it also takes you to the famous Broken Beach (pictured above), Angel’s Billabong, and Kelingking Beach. So you actually get to fit quite a few must-do Nusa Penida activities into this day trip.

Interested in traveling to Nusa Penida? You might be interested in reading these posts:

• A Complete Guide to Nusa Penida: Everything You Need to Know
• The Dangers of Motorbiking Around Nusa Penida
• Finding the ‘Real’ Bali on Nusa Penida

Where to Stay in Nusa Lembongan

I’ve stayed in quite a few hotels in Nusa Lembongan and there are pros and cons of staying in different areas. There are always amazing bungalows, cliffside boutique hotels, and gorgeous resorts popping up all around the islands so you’ll have loads to choose from. I use Agoda.com to book all of my Southeast Asia hotels because it gives nice discounts on rooms. But here are a few of my recommendations broken down by the top areas to stay:

Budget-Friendly hilltop hotel

Bukit Taman Cottages: If you’re looking for hilltopviews, I recommend Bukit Taman Cottages. You’ll get to stay in a beautiful Balinese-style bungalow on a hill complete with unreal volcano and Jungutbatu Bay views. There’s also an awesome infinity pool (with more views), complimentary breakfast, and the friendliest staff around! (Seaview bungalows start at $45)

I personally love staying up on the hill so I can take in epic views of the Jungutbatu Beach and Mount Agung from my balcony. Nothing beats the views from up there! You will need to rent a scooter to get around if you stay up on the hill, as there aren’t really restaurants to walk to and the main town is down the steep hill.

Budget-Friendly hotels at Dream Beach

I stayed in a bungalow overlooking Dream Beach during my very first visit to Nusa Lembongan and I cannot recommend the experience more. Do note, that these hotels are also located up the hill from town, which means you may want to rent a motorbike to get around. Here are two options overlooking Dream Beach:

Dream Beach Huts: Dream Beach Huts is the most popular option if you’re looking to stay on the cliff overlooking Dream Beach. There are 28 thatched-roof bungalows, each outfitted with comfy beds, AC, private open-air showers, and private terraces with stellar Dream Beach or garden views. The real standouts are the two infinity pools overlooking Dream Beach, as well as the pool bar and restaurant.

Water Blow Huts: Another very highly reviewed option overlooking Dream Beach is Water Blow Huts. You can choose from standalone thatched roof bungalows with ocean or garden views. Either way you go, you’ll get a comfy king-size bed, AC, a mini-bar, and a private terrace. There’s also an infinity pool overlooking Dream Beach and an on-site bar and restaurant.

High-End hotels in Jungutbatu

Jungutbatu is arguably the best area to stay in Nusa Lembongan if you want to be in the middle of the action, as well as be able to walk to the beach and restaurants. There are tons of hotels in this part of town but here are a few standouts:

Ohana’s Beach Club: Ohana’s Beach Club is the perfect pick if you’re looking for beach club vibes. This boutique resort is the epitome of cool and is situated right on Jungutbatu Beach. You can groove to live DJ sets at the beach club, sip sunset cocktails at the rooftop bar, float the day away in the pool, and dine at one of three beachfront restaurants. Even if you’re not staying here, you should hang out at Ohana’s during your visit! (Rooms starting at $170)

The Tamarind: If you want the same hilltop views but prefer to be within walking distance of the village and beach of Jungutbatu, The Tamarind is an incredible boutique resort. You’ll have three swimming pools, incredible morning breakfasts, a wellness center with a spa and fitness center, and more. All of the rooms just ooze luxury but the Pavana Suite gives you a furnished private balcony with insane volcano and sea views. Or if you want to go big, the property has a few lavish villas to choose from! (Rooms starting at $160; villas starting around $300)

That’s my guide to the best things to do in Nusa Lembongan, Bali. I hope it helps you plan your getaway!