After spending one whole week on this beautiful little island, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite things to do on Nusa Lembongan in Indonesia!
Nusa Lembongan is a heavenly slice of paradise located just southeast of Bali, Indonesia. This tranquil little island is a popular day trip from Bali, but I spent a whole week here and loved every second!
With beautiful beaches, quiet streets, lovely eateries, and lots of nature, Nusa Lembongan is the perfect place to relax and explore.
Whether you have one day here or one week here, there are many fun things to do during your stay.
Drink coconuts in a bean bag chair on the beach as the sun sets. Or have an ocean adventure with a surf lesson, snorkeling tour, or scuba diving course.
Venture out to the neighboring islands of Nusa Penida or Nusa Ceningan. Or just enjoy the relaxed energy of the pleasant streets on Lembongan.
This stunning island is a nice break from the chaos of Bali. I absolutely loved the friendly locals, the eco-friendly cafes, and the tropical scenery on Nusa Lembongan.
Here are all the best activities to try during your stay!
I recommend booking your ferry from Bali to Nusa Lembongan in advance to save hassle at the Sanur ferry port. I booked Glory Fast Boats on Bookaway for just 7 USD and it went so smoothly!
17 Fun Things To Do On Nusa Lembongan
Get ready to relax and slow down on the small, tranquil island of Nusa Lembongan. The island is most famous for scuba diving and snorkeling, but there are so many more things to do on Nusa Lembongan if you have time.
The best way to explore Nusa Lembongan is to take the ferry from Bali and spend at least a few days here. But if you’re short on time, you can also combine all the highlights into a day trip from Bali!
1. Kayak through the Mangroves
The north of Nusa Lembongan is covered in a sprawling system of mangroves.
With serene waterways weaving through dense mangrove forests, this mystical area feels like something out of a fairy tale or mystery novel.
You can hire a kayak for an hour and just paddle along the gentle rivers, admiring the enchanting scenery.
Just walk towards the north of the island to find a mangrove kayak hire. The main road continues along the northern edge of the island and eventually stops where the mangroves begin.
Along this road, there are lots of places that sell mangrove tours. We just passed a local guy who asked if we wanted a mangrove tour and we said yes! So he led us to his family’s shop and gave us the kayak for an hour.
- Cost: Prices might vary but our kayak was 100,000 IDR (10 AUD / 6 USD) for the hour
2. Order a Good Karma Smoothie
Lots of the cafes and restaurants on Nusa Lembongan sell Good Karma Smoothies. It’s part of the Cube Project, which was started by a local family making their own protein-packed seaweed cubes.
These seaweed cubes support local seaweed farmers and add an extra dose of goodness to smoothies and juices.
So if you buy a Good Karma Smoothie, you’re directly supporting the local seaweed farmers and you get a nutrient-dense, delicious drink. As stated by the Cube Project, “Good for the farmers, good for you!”
Every cafe makes their Good Karma Smoothie differently, but I tried 3 different ones and they were all delicious (they don’t taste like seaweed don’t worry).
- Cost: Around 50,000 – 60,000 IDR (5-6 AUD / 3-4 USD)
3. Go snorkeling
If there’s one thing that the 3 Nusa islands near Bali are known for, it’s the incredible snorkeling and diving.
These islands are surrounded by breathtaking, marine-life-rich coral reefs.
Daily snorkeling trips depart from Nusa Lembongan for various reef sites around the islands. All snorkel gear and boat transport will be included!
- Cost: Snorkeling day trips usually start around 250,000 IDR (25 AUD / 16 USD)
4. Go scuba diving or take a dive course
Take your underwater experience even further with scuba diving! If you’re a certified diver, there are countless dive centers all over Nusa Lembongan where you can book a variety of dives.
If you’ve never scuba dived before, this is an amazing place to learn.
There are lots of dive schools offering courses that are much more affordable than the USA or Australia. And your first scuba dives will be in some truly stunning locations.
My first dive ever was at Manta Point where I swam alongside at least 10 giant, graceful Manta Rays. It was one of the craziest and coolest experiences ever!
I did a 3 day open water course and Dive Concepts Lembongan and I cannot recommend it enough. Everyone is so nice there and my instructors were amazing.
So whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned diver, scuba diving is easily one of the best things to do on Nusa Lembongan!
- Cost: One certified dive is around 550,000 IDR (55 AUD / 36 USD). A 3-day open water dive course was 5,000,000 IDR (500 AUD / 330 USD)
5. Take a day trip to Nusa Penida
It might seem random that one of the best things to do on Nusa Lembongan is to explore another island. But a day trip to Nusa Penida is absolutely worth it!
If you have the time, you may even want to spend a few days on Nusa Lembongan and then a few days on Nusa Penida. This gives you much more time to explore Penida, which is pretty huge compared to Lembongan.
But if you only have time for a day trip, you can easily book one from Nusa Lembongan. I just booked a day trip at my hostel which included the boat ride to Penida and a small-group tour of Nusa Penida’s highlights by air-conditioned car.
We visited famous locations including Kelingking Beach (T-Rex Beach), Angel’s Billabong, Broken Beach, and Crystal Bay.
Nusa Penida is much bigger, more mountainous, and has more dramatic coastal views than Nusa Lembongan. So it was worth venturing out to explore Penida for the day!
- Cost: A standard day tour to Nusa Penida is around 350,000 IDR (35 AUD / 23 USD). You can also book Nusa Penida day tours from mainland Bali.
6. Do yoga
There are a few yoga studios around Nusa Lembongan that offer drop in classes and multi day yoga retreats.
Whether you’re a dedicated yogi, or you’re just looking for a way to stretch, relax, and zen out, a yoga class is one of the best things to do on Nusa Lembongan.
Island Yoga Lembongan, House of Om, Serenity Yoga Lembongan, and Yoga Bliss lembongan are a few of the most popular yoga centers on the island.
- Cost: Around 120,000 IDR for a drop-in yoga class (12 AUD / 8 USD)
7. Admire the view from Panorama Point
Panorama Point is a nice little viewpoint near the center of Nusa Lembongan.
It’s basically just a bench on the side of the road. There is a cafe across the street, and literally no signs or anything.
But you get a great view of the northern half of the island! And you can see the beach, the ocean, and the volcanoes of Bali.
- Cost: Free
8. Watch the sunset
Definitely one of the best things to do on Nusa Lembongan is watch the sunset. The island faces west, so you can get gorgeous sunset views right from the main beach.
I tried to watch the sunset every night that I was on the island. You never regret a sunset on Nusa Lembongan!
I also went to the beach for sunrise, but you don’t really see the sun coming up because it’s blocked by the neighboring Nusa Penida.
- Cost: Free
9. Rent a paddleboard
With calm, flat waters surrounding much of the island, paddleboarding is one of the best activities to try on Nusa Lembongan.
There are lots of surf shops by the beach that rent paddle boards for an hour or two. If you want a fun water activity that’s more chill than surfing or scuba diving, consider paddleboarding!
- Cost: Usually around 100,000 IDR (10 AUD / 6 USD) per hour or maybe a bit less for 2 hours
10. Visit a beachfront cafe
Adorable beachfront cafes are scattered all along the coastline of Nusa Lembongan. Particularly along the west and north of the island, where the beach runs uninterrupted along the coast, there is an endless supply of cafes.
You can sit on comfy bean bags, beach chairs, and tables with your feet in the sand and your eyes on the waves.
Ginger & Jamu was my absolute favorite beachfront cafe on Nusa Lembongan. It opens at 7:30am, and most other cafes open later than that.
I came here right at 7:30 for tea in the morning and had basically the whole cafe and beach to myself in the soft light of morning. It’s the best way to start the day!
If you’re more into cocktails than tea or coffee, lots of beachfront cafes have twinkling lights that create a nice ambiance for having a drink in the evenings.
- Cost: Around 25,000 IDR for a tea, 35,000 for a coffee, or 80,000 IDR for a meal (2-3 AUD for drinks, 8 AUD for a meal / 1-2 USD for drinks, 5 USD for a meal )
11. Go surfing
Nusa Lembongan is also known for its surfing. Whether you’re a skilled surfer or hoping to learn, the island is home to lots of surf schools and board rental shops.
Most of the waves are a bit of a ways out to sea, as the beaches have lots of underwater bars and grates for seaweed farming and coral growth.
If you book a surf lesson the guides will take you out to the waves. Otherwise you can find little boats along the beach that say “surf taxi” and they will bring you to the best spots.
- Cost: A surf lesson is around 400,000 IDR (40 AUD / 26 USD)
12. Walk around the island’s quiet streets
Aside from the main roads of Nusa Lembongan, the streets of the island are super quiet and rural. Even the main roads are quiet compared to mainland Bali.
But a nice way to spend a few hours on the island is just wandering aimlessly along the countryside roads. You’ll see locals gardening in their homes, witness a few stray dogs or chickens, or stumble across some dirt trails through lush palm forests.
I spent a few hours walking around the center of Nusa Lembongan away from the coast. I barely encountered any other tourists the whole time, and it’s a great way to observe the local landscape and lifestyle.
- Cost: Free
13. Rent a bicycle or motorbike
The best way to get around in Indonesia is by motorbike. Just like on mainland Bali, Nusa Lembongan has lots of places where you can rent a motorbike.
Nusa Lembongan is a much more chill and relaxed places to drive a motorbike compared to mainland Bali. There is far less traffic and the roads are more simple and straightforward.
It’s a small island, so you can zip around the whole thing in an hour or two. A motorbike is a fun way to go sightseeing on Nusa Lembongan, and you can even ride over to Nusa Ceningan as well.
If you don’t want to drive a motorbike, you can also rent a standard bicycle. This is another peaceful and efficient way to travel around Nusa Lembongan.
- Cost: 80,000 IDR for a full day motorbike rental (8 AUD / 5 USD)
14. Feast on healthy food at Bali Eco Deli
For delicious and healthy food on Nusa Lembongan, Bali Eco Deli is the best place to go!
This cozy cafe is open for breakfast and lunch (closing at 6pm). They have a wide range of main meals, smoothie bowls, juices, and healthy desserts.
Accurately named, the deli focuses on sustainability and quality, healthy food. They only cook with coconut oil instead of rancid vegetable oils. They also don’t serve straws, and they let you refill your water bottles for free with any purchase to cut down on plastic.
I ate so many meals here during my stay on Nusa Lembongan!
- Cost: A meal is around 80,000 IDR (8 AUD / 5 USD)
15. Drive across the Yellow Bridge to Nusa Ceningan
If you are biking around Nusa Lembongan, head to the east of the island and cross the Yellow Bridge.
This narrow, bright yellow suspension bridge connects Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan.
There is a great view of the turquoise ocean and the seaweed farms from the Yellow Bridge. And you can admire the tropical coastlines of both islands.
Once you cross the Yellow Bridge, spend some time driving around Nusa Ceningan! Top sights on the small but beautiful island include the Blue Lagoon, Secret Point Beach, and lots of nice cafes and snorkeling spots.
- Cost: Free
16. Visit Devil’s Tears
Devil’s Tears is often considered one of the best sunset spots on Nusa Lembongan. It’s a rocky headland on the southwest coast of the island with lots of tide pools and rugged cliffs.
You’ll probably need to get a taxi or drive a motorbike to get down here from the main street of Nusa Lembongan. But it’s worth it if you’re looking for an epic sunset spot that’s a different vibe from the main beach!
- Cost: 25,000 IDR (2.50 AUD / 1.30 USD)
17. Stroll along the beach
Just walking on the beach was one of my favorite things to do on Nusa Lembongan. I especially loved walking on the beach in the morning around 7am, when the beach is still basically deserted and the soft morning light creeps over the trees.
It was never crowded and the peaceful coastal scenery just soothed my soul.
The sand on the island is also fascinating (to me at least, I’m excited by the little things in life). It’s quite coarse and rough, and your feet sink in which makes walking a good calf workout. But if you observe the sand up close, you can see how each individual, spherical grain is a tiny piece of coral.
I found similar sand in Uluwatu and I think it is just incredible. So take a moment to crouch down and really stare at this amazing sand!
- Cost: Free
Where to stay on Nusa Lembongan
There are lots of amazing places to stay on Nusa Lembongan. But for backpackers, budget travelers, or solo travelers, consider Nyah Gading Homestay!
I cannot recommend this place enough. Because I came to Nusa Lembongan alone, I was looking for a safe, cozy, and cheap hostel in a great location on the island.
I found Nyah Gading Homestay on Hostelworld and I loved it so much. It was only 15 AUD / 10 USD per night for a bed in the 20-room dorm. The dorm was honestly so comfy and each bed had its own charging port, shelf, light, and curtain.
There is even a pool, a little cafe, and a reception desk where the friendly staff can book tours and ferries for you.
It’s also just steps away from Dive Concepts Lembongan where I did my dive course. And it’s right next to the beach and the main road!
If you’re lucky you might even get to hear the locals doing karaoke in the main room around 8pm in the evenings, which is honestly adorable.
Thanks for reading my list of the best things to do on Nusa Lembongan, Bali, Indonesia!
I had such an amazing time here and I highly recommend staying for longer than just a day trip. There are so many amazing viewpoints, eateries, and water sports to try. It’s the perfect place to relax and unwind after being on the more chaotic island of Bali.
I also highly recommend travel insurance for travel in Indonesia. Especially if you’re doing adventurous sports like diving or surfing. Read my budget traveler’s guide to travel insurance for more info.
Check out my other posts about traveling in Southeast Asia!
5 Beautiful Ubud Walks In Bali, Indonesia
The Perfect Ubud Waterfall Itinerary: Self Drive Tour
Thailand On A Budget: The Ultimate Travel Guide
Thailand Island Hopping: Ultimate Budget Travel Guide
The 18 Best Things To Do In Siem Reap, Cambodia
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