Villages
2
Jungutbatu in the north and Lembongan in the south, which also covers Nusa Ceningan. No traffic lights anywhere.19
Bali, IndonesiaKlungkung RegencyIsland guide
Nusa Lembongan Island guide: plan your trip step by step
Thirty minutes by fast boat from Sanur, Bali gives way to a small island that still lives by the tide. Most boats stop in the shallows, so your trip starts with wet feet. From there, every place has its own moment, and the tide decides when.
- Devil's TearThe ocean swell squeezes through a narrow rock channel and bursts upward in spray. Dream Beach, a white-sand cove ringed by limestone cliffs, is a few minutes' walk away.
- The mangrovesOn the island's northeast side, small boats slide through calm, sheltered channels between the roots. Go at high tide, when the water is deep enough.
- The seaweed farmsAt low tide, the bamboo-staked plots off Jungutbatu lie open and the farmers are out tending their lines. Seaweed farming built this island long before surfers and divers found it.
- The Yellow BridgeA bright yellow suspension bridge that no car can cross. Walk or ride over to Nusa Ceningan for the Blue Lagoon lookout and the staffed cliff jumps at Mahana Point.
- Manta PointTake a boat to Nusa Penida's southwest coast. Reef manta rays gather there all year at a cleaning station, where small fish pick them clean.
- Sunset at JungutbatuThe long main beach by the harbour faces west. End the day at a beachfront warung and watch the sun go down over the water.
This guide follows your trip in order, from choosing a month to the boat home. Every number links to its source.
Twelve kilometres off the coast of Bali lies an island where the sea keeps the timetable.1 Farmers tend their seaweed when the water drops. Boats reach the mangroves only when it rises. Surfers read the swell, and divers wait for the cold water that brings the sunfish up. Once a year the islanders even give the sea a day of rest.1416 Learn that rhythm and Lembongan opens up to you. This guide walks you through it, step by step.
Quick facts
Nusa Lembongan is a small island of about 8.7 km² in Bali Province, Indonesia, 12 km across the Badung Strait from mainland Bali.1 Fast boats from Sanur take 30 to 45 minutes.10 The island has no traffic lights, scooters are the usual transport, and two to four days is a comfortable stay.9
Step 1 · It starts with a month
When is the best time to visit Nusa Lembongan?
Come between May and September for the calmest crossings and the driest weather.14 August is the driest month at 16 mm of rain. January is the wettest at 388 mm.7
The island year swings between two winds. From November the wind turns west and brings rain and rougher crossings. Around May the south-east trade winds return, the strait calms down and the surf breaks start to work.14 On the clock, January sits at the top. The petals show rain, the yellow line sunshine, the arcs the calm sea and the mola months.
Press play and watch the whole island year in 12 seconds, with the rain, the sun, the calmest crossings and the mola season for every month.
Start the clock hand to step through the year month by month.
| Month | Rain (mm) | Rainy days | Sunshine (h) | Max °C | Boat crossing | Mola |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 388 | 18.8 | 197 | 30.9 | rougher | |
| February | 299 | 16.5 | 190 | 30.9 | rougher | |
| March | 214 | 13.3 | 222 | 31.0 | rougher | |
| April | 114 | 8.8 | 238 | 31.0 | fair | |
| May | 73 | 6.5 | 265 | 30.5 | calm | |
| June | 51 | 4.7 | 240 | 29.8 | calm | |
| July | 30 | 3.3 | 263 | 29.0 | calm | season |
| August | 16 | 1.9 | 277 | 29.1 | calm | peak |
| September | 41 | 2.8 | 270 | 30.0 | calm | season |
| October | 68 | 4.8 | 281 | 31.0 | fair | season |
| November | 149 | 10.3 | 246 | 31.6 | rougher | |
| December | 299 | 15.9 | 186 | 30.8 | rougher |
Rough months
From November to March the sea is less predictable. Swells of 1 to 2 metres are not unusual in January and February, and sailings are cancelled more often.14 Keep a spare day if you travel then.10
Two silent days
On Nyepi, usually in March, all of Bali closes for about 24 hours, including the airport. Nyepi Laut is a separate day for the Nusa islands, usually in September or October, when boats and water activities stop.16 Check both dates before you book.
About the data
Rain and sunshine are 1991–2020 averages for the weather station at Ngurah Rai airport on mainland Bali. The island itself can differ.7
Step 2 · Before the suitcase closes
Nusa Lembongan travel checklist: what to sort before you go
A few things are much easier to sort at your kitchen table than on the beach at Jungutbatu. Tick these off and arrival day becomes the easy part.
Bring the right licence
To ride a scooter you need an International Driving Permit endorsed for motorcycles, plus your home licence and passport. A car-only permit is not enough, and roadside checks happen.12
Pack mineral sunscreen and a bottle
Avoid sunscreens with oxybenzone or octinoxate. Bali bans single-use plastic bags, styrofoam and straws, so bring a reusable bottle to refill.16
Plan a buffer before your flight
No boat operator guarantees its schedule. Avoid flying out on the day you cross, especially from November to March.11
Step 3 · The crossing
Sanur to Nusa Lembongan boat: how to get there from Bali airport
There is no airport on the island. Drive from Ngurah Rai airport to Sanur Port, check in 45 to 60 minutes before departure, then cross by fast boat in 30 to 45 minutes.21110 Allow about two to three hours in total.
The island trip starts on the mainland. After the drive through Bali's traffic you check in at a small office in Sanur, your bags get a tag and the crew gives a short safety briefing.11 Then the boat leaves Sanur Port and heads out across the Badung Strait. Half an hour later the engines slow down off the beach. The crew helps with the bags and you wade the last metres ashore.1011 You have arrived on island time.
The total of two to three hours is our sum of the three steps. Traffic and the sea decide where you land in that range.
Drive to Sanur
35 to 60 minutes from the airport, depending on traffic.2
Check in
At your operator's Sanur office. Bring your ticket, passport and some cash.11
Cross the strait
From Sanur Port, in service since November 2022. Standard luggage is included.10
Wade ashore
Most boats land on the beach. Expect water up to your knees and keep electronics in a dry bag.11
Ride to your bed
Hotels often send a pickup. Jungutbatu to Mushroom Bay is about 3 km, 10 to 15 minutes.11
Operators confirmed most consistently in 2026: Scoot Fast Cruises, Rocky Fast Cruise, D'Camel Fast Ferry and D'Stars Fast Ferry.10 One-way fares quoted in 2026 range from IDR 175,000 to 450,000.2 Confirm the fare, the landing point and the cancellation terms when you book.
Compare fast boats from Sanur
Step 4 · Where you wake up
Where to stay on Nusa Lembongan
Stay in Jungutbatu for convenience near the harbour, in Mushroom Bay for a quieter bay with boutique villas, or on the south coast for cliffs near Dream Beach.9
Where you sleep sets the tone of your mornings. In Jungutbatu the harbour and the dive shops are on your doorstep. In Mushroom Bay the day-trip boats leave after lunch and the bay falls quiet again. On the south coast the cliffs are your neighbours, and Dream Beach is a short ride away.1113
Compare places to stayStep 5 · A plan that follows the tide
Nusa Lembongan 3-day itinerary
Spend day one around Jungutbatu, day two on the water and the south coast, and day three across the Yellow Bridge on Nusa Ceningan. Leave on the morning of day four.15
Stops marked with a wave depend on the tide. Stops marked with a coin charge a fee. Check the tide table each morning.
See the full 3-day itinerary
Day 1 · The first sunset
Drop your bags and climb up to Panorama Point. From the top you look down on the harbour where you waded ashore that morning, with Mount Agung rising across the water on Bali. Entry is free.15 Later, walk back down to the sand. Jungutbatu faces west, so the sun sets right in front of the beach tables.15
Day 2 · Before the day-trippers
Set off early. The snorkel boats head for Manta Point and Crystal Bay before the day-trip crowds arrive from Bali.15 Back on land, wait for high water and glide into the mangrove channels, from about IDR 100,000.12 Late in the afternoon ride south. Wade at Dream Beach, then watch the swell burst up through the rock at Devil's Tear, where an entry fee of IDR 25,000 applies.1312
Day 3 · Over the yellow bridge
In the morning you cross the narrow Yellow Bridge to Nusa Ceningan, on foot or by motorbike. Look down into the turquoise Blue Lagoon from the clifftop. Then time your jump at Mahana Point for high tide, and end the day with a calm swim at Secret Point Beach.17
Day 4 · The morning boat
Pack early. The pickup takes you back to the beach where it all began. A morning sailing leaves room for delays before any flight, which matters most in the wet season.11 Step 9 has the details.
Step 6 · The sea up close
Where is it safe to swim and snorkel on Nusa Lembongan?
Swim at Tamarind Beach, Mushroom Bay or Secret Point Beach. Only wade at Dream Beach, where rip currents are strong. Never swim at Devil's Tear, Sandy Bay or the Blue Lagoon.131712
For many visitors the water is the reason to come. It is also what asks for the most respect. Some bays are calm enough for a first snorkel off the sand. Elsewhere on the same coast, waves slam into the cliffs and rip currents pull hard, with no lifeguard in sight.13 Read the scale below from left to right before you get wet.
Plan your snorkeling and divingManta Point
A cleaning station off Nusa Penida where reef mantas gather. It is open water, dived only when swell allows. Keep at least 3 metres from the rays and never touch them.1816
Mola season
Ocean sunfish rise to cleaning stations at Crystal Bay and Blue Corner from about July to October, when cold water rises from the deep and cools the sea to the low 20s °C. August is the strongest month.188
Advanced sites
Crystal Bay and Blue Corner have strong, shifting currents. Blue Corner is a drift dive from about 10 to 40 metres, for advanced divers only. Go with a licensed local operator.18
A protected sea
The island sits inside the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area. It was set up by Klungkung Regency in 2010, covers 20,057 hectares and records 296 coral and 576 reef fish species.5 National protection followed by ministerial decree in 2014.16 Two manta species live here, both listed as vulnerable.6
Step 7 · Six things that shape a stay
Things to know about Nusa Lembongan
Between the boat trips you start to see how the island works. Two villages, one bridge, a forest that floods twice a day and farms that grow in the sea. These six details tell that story. Hover or tap a card to set its scene in motion.
Mangroves
≈212 ha
Mangrove forest lines the north-east. Tours by kayak, paddleboard or small boat need a high tide to reach the channels.112
The Yellow Bridge
≈140 m
The steel bridge to Nusa Ceningan opened in 2017, after the old one collapsed in 2016. It is free and open around the clock.1217
Beaches
5 named
Jungutbatu for sunsets, Mushroom Bay and Tamarind Beach to swim, Dream Beach and Sandy Bay to look.13
Surf
3 breaks
Off Jungutbatu. Most reliable from April to September. Lacerations is for advanced surfers and dangerous at full low tide.12
Seaweed farms
45 days
Seedlings mature in about 45 days, so farmers harvest several times a year. See the plots best at low tide, and keep boats out of the rows.1216
Step 8 · Leave the island better
How to travel responsibly on Nusa Lembongan
Lembongan is small, and every guest leaves a trace. The island has little fresh water of its own and no connection to Bali's power grid.16 A shorter shower and a switched-off air conditioner count for more here than at home.
Read the responsible travel guideSave water and power
The island has little groundwater and is not connected to the Bali power grid.16
Hands off the reef
Don't touch coral. Keep your arms in near reef walls and let guides manage buoyancy.16
Dress for temples
Cover shoulders and knees with a sarong and sash in inner courtyards. Step around offerings, not over them.16
Refill, don't buy
Bring a reusable bottle. Plastic bags, styrofoam and straws are banned in Bali.16
Spend locally
Eat at family-run warungs and dive with local shops. Bargain in a friendly tone.16
Respect the farms
Keep boats, swimmers and paddleboards out of seaweed rows, especially at low tide.16
Step 9 · The crossing back
Leaving Nusa Lembongan: the boat back to Bali
Book a morning boat, tell your accommodation your operator and time for the pickup, and avoid a flight on the same day.11
If a sailing is cancelled, go to the counter or call the number on your ticket and ask for the next boat or a refund under the operator's terms. Terms differ: some refund in full until two weeks before travel, others only allow date changes.11
Read the arrival and departure guideAfterwards
What the tide teaches you
On the boat back, Lembongan shrinks to a strip of green and sand. What stays is the rhythm: the tide before the mangroves, the swell before the beach, the sea before the clock. Seaweed farmers here have worked that way since the 1980s.914
Start planning your tripFAQ
Nusa Lembongan FAQ
How do I get to Nusa Lembongan from Bali airport?
Drive from Ngurah Rai airport to Sanur Port in 35 to 60 minutes, check in 45 to 60 minutes before departure, and take a fast boat for 30 to 45 minutes. Allow about two to three hours in total.21110
What is the best time to visit Nusa Lembongan?
May to September has the calmest crossings and the driest weather. August is the driest month. January and February are the wettest and roughest.147
How many days do I need on Nusa Lembongan?
Two to four days suits most visitors. Three days lets you see Jungutbatu, spend a day on the water and cross to Nusa Ceningan.915
Can you visit Nusa Lembongan as a day trip from Bali?
Yes. Fast boats from Sanur take 30 to 45 minutes each way, so a day trip is possible. Day-trip boats usually arrive around midday, and Mushroom Bay gets quiet again after they leave. To see the mangroves, Nusa Ceningan and a sunset, plan two to four days.10139
See the one-day planWhen can you see mola (ocean sunfish)?
From about July to October, when cold water from the deep brings them up at Crystal Bay and Blue Corner. August is the strongest month. These are advanced dive sites.188
Where is it safe to swim on Nusa Lembongan?
Tamarind Beach, Mushroom Bay and Secret Point Beach on Nusa Ceningan are the calmest. Only wade at Dream Beach and never swim at Devil's Tear, Sandy Bay or the Blue Lagoon.1317
Do I pay the Bali tourist levy for Nusa Lembongan?
Yes, if you are a foreign tourist. The island is in Bali Province, where a levy of IDR 150,000 per foreign visitor applies under Regional Regulation No. 6 of 2023.34
Can cars cross the Yellow Bridge?
No. The Yellow Bridge carries pedestrians, bicycles and motorbikes only.17
Sources
Where every number comes from
- Nusa Lembongan, Wikipedia.secondary · read 13 Oct 2026
- Bali Airport (DPS) to Nusa Lembongan, The Lembongan Traveller, 28 Jul 2026.secondary · read 13 Oct 2026
- Love Bali, Bali Provincial Government.primary · read 13 Oct 2026
- Bali tourism tax guide 2026, What's New Indonesia, 24 Apr 2026.secondary · read 13 Oct 2026
- Nusa Penida, a tropical marine paradise, Coral Triangle Center.primary · read 13 Oct 2026
- Nusa Penida MPA declared Hope Spot, Mission Blue, May 2020.secondary · read 13 Oct 2026
- Denpasar climate table, Wikipedia, 1991–2020 normals for Ngurah Rai airport.secondary · read 13 Oct 2026
- Mola mola diving in Bali, Ocean Earth Travels, 28 May 2026.secondary, commercial · read 13 Oct 2026
- Visit Lembongan Island, home page.our guide · read 13 Oct 2026
- Getting there, with operator, ferry and port sources.our guide · verified 20 Sep 2026
- Arrival and departure guide, citing operator terms and timetables.our guide · verified 20 Sep 2026
- Things to do, citing Klungkung Diskominfo, Bina Marga, The Jakarta Post and others.our guide · verified 23 Sep 2026
- Beaches, citing Love Bali, Wikivoyage and local operators.our guide · accessed Sep 2026
- Weather, tides and sea conditions, citing BMKG.our guide · verified 23 Sep 2026
- 3-day itinerary.our guide · accessed Sep 2026
- Responsible travel, citing legal databases, the Manta Trust and government sites.our guide · accessed Sep 2026
- Nusa Ceningan guide, citing Bina Marga and independent guides.our guide · accessed Sep 2026
- Snorkeling and diving, citing PADI and NusaPenida.org.our guide · verified 23 Sep 2026
Pages marked "our guide" list their own primary sources at the bottom of each page.