Travel Guide for Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan

Travel Guide for Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan

Lembongan and Ceningan Islands are located southeast of Bali and are the perfect beach getaway. It is a great destination for beachgoers, honeymooners, and those wanting to get on a snorkel or scuba diving trip while on holiday. The islands are connected by a bridge, and it is easy to get around by scooter to explore all the sites.

These islands are pretty quiet at night with not much to do except explore the area during the day. You can easily spend 2-3 days in the area. With enough time, definitely combine these two islands with a few days on Nusa Penida. Our travel guide to Nusa Lembongan & Ceningan is perfect for backpackers, honeymooners, and families with the top places to visit and things to do!

Content and photographs provided by Yana Kogan and Timon.

Travel Guide for Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan

How to Get to Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Lembongan Bali
Coastline at Nusa Ceningan

There are several ferries to Nusa Lembongan. A wide range of boats from local slow boats to fast boats depart from the Sanur ferry terminal. The ride typically takes 30 minutes. It can get a little rough on the crossing, especially towards the end of the trip. Boats stop at Jungut Batu Beach and Mushroom Bay.

Local Slow Boat: Departs at 8:30 am and 10 am, but not every day, and only departs with enough passengers and goods. Cost 100k IDR per person.

Fast Boats: There are a dozen fast boat companies going to Lembongan. We went with Perama, which departs several times a day, usually, around 8 am, 10 am, 12:30 pm, 2 pm, and 4:30 pm. Cost 150k IDR per person.


Getting to Nusa Ceningan

Nusa Ceningan is a small island next to Nusa Lembongan. It has less development than its larger neighbors, Lembongan and Penida, but has a few worthy stops. The best way to get to Nusa Ceningan is by scooter from Lembongan. The aptly named Yellow Bridge connects the two islands. When driving on the east coast of Lembongan, you cannot miss the bridge.

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ATMs on Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Lembongan Island: Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon on Nusa Ceningan

Lembongan used to have issues with limited ATMs that were not reliable. At least five ATMs are located at Jungut Batu and Mushroom Bay, and it is no longer a problem to get cash on the island.


Where to Stay on Nusa Lembongan

Jungut Batu Accommodation

Nusa Lembongan Trip: Sunset
Sunset at sunset point!

Jungut Batu is the main village on Lembongan with hundreds of homestays, stores, dive shops, and restaurants. Basic homestays begin at 150k and AC rooms around 250k.

Budget Stay: Nyoman Guesthouse and Grill has bungalows with breakfast included.

Budget Stay: The Chillhouse is a popular choice and has good food along with private rooms.

Mid-Range Stay: Putra 7 Cottage has very nice rooms.

Luxury Stay: Lembongan Sanctuary Villas have amazing views over Jungut Batu at your private one-bedroom pool villa.


Mushroom Bay Accommodation

Nusa Lembongan Bali Vacation: Mushroom Bay
The quiet Mushroom Bay

Mushroom Bay has fewer options than Jungut Batu, but it is a nice place to stay on Lembongan. It is quieter than Jungut Batu with fewer restaurants, but enough to get by and stay at this beach every night. It is a 10-minute scooter ride to Jungut Batu.

Budget StayDream Beach Hostel Lembongan has excellent reviews and is minutes from the beach, with bunk beds.

Mid-Range Stay: The Palm Grove Villas Lembongan gives a lot of bang for the buck with beautiful resorts and villas.

Luxury Stay: The Point Resort Lembongan is stunning and the perfect place to watch the sunset in your infinity pool each night.


Dream Beach Accommodation

Budget Stay: Devadav Hostel has bunk beds.

Mid-Range Stay: The Cubang Huts Lembongan has beautiful rooms and an infinity pool overlooking the beach.

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Where to Stay on Nusa Ceningan

Nusa Lembongan Bali: Jungut Bat
Views of Jungut Bat from Oka 7

Budget Stay: The Waterfront Beach House has AC rooms and it’s only a minute walk to the beach.

Mid-Range Stay: The Ocean Sunset Villa Ceningan has bungalows with an infinity pool and ocean views near Blue Lagoon.

Luxury Stay: The Puncak Sunset Ceningan Villas has stunning cliff views and an infinity pool at this 2-bedroom private villa.


Where to Eat & Drink on Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Lembongan Island: Nusa Ceningan
Scenic coastline at Nusa Ceningan at Blue Lagoon

Lembongan has great food, whether it is a burger, vegetarian food, or sunset cocktails, it has a wide range of choices to choose from. Some of our favorites:

Green Garden Cafe – We ate here several times and enjoyed every meal. Whether it is breakfast, a curry, or a burger, Green Garden is a great option in Jungut Batu.

Bali Eco Deli – We would stop here several times a day. They offer a water refill at a low cost, they have excellent ice cream popsicles, and their food is also very tasty.

Oka 7 – the best happy hour spot with a deck on the water overlooking Jungut Batu beach. Located at the end of the beach near The Deck. Drinks for 30k at happy hour.

Mickey’s Sports Bar and Grille – this is the best sports bar in the middle of Jungut Batu. They have live music several nights a week, and this is a great place to grab a beer.


Snorkeling at Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Lembongan Trip: Snorkeling
Snorkeling at the underwater Buddha statues

Nusa Lembongan has excellent snorkeling spots around the island. Boat trips leave from Jungut Batu daily going to one of many spots in the channel between Ceningan and Penida, and typically a stop at Manta Point. The Nusa has some great trips, even for snorkeling beginners.

The price of snorkel trips has a huge variance depending on who you ask. Nice hotels and dive shops will charge 300k per person. We paid 150k IDR per person which included three snorkeling spots AND they dropped us off at Nusa Penida with all our luggage. So we saved 50k per person on the transfer as well.  

Popular stops for snorkeling are Manta Point, underwater Buddha statues, Gamat Bay, and Crystal Bay.


Nusa Lembongan Scuba Diving

Nusa Lembongan Bali Vacation: Manta Point
Manta Point

There are several dive shops on Nusa Lembongan that have dive trips daily. The popular dive locations are Manta Point, the Crystal Bay cleaning station, drift diving off the coast of Ped, Mangrove, and the Blue Corner.

The impressive and massive Mola Mola fish can be seen between June and October. Compared to mainland Bali, diving is expensive in Nusa Lembongan and can range between 425k and 600k IDR per dive.

The following dive shops are all highly rated. Prices are shown for a single fun dive:

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The Top 8 Things to See on Nusa Lembongan & Ceningan

1. Sunset Point

Nusa Lembongan Bali: Sunset Point
Views from sunset point

This rocky coastline has great views and is perfect for sunset. It is located at the bottom of Lembongan only five minutes from Mushroom Bay. The road narrows and eventually becomes a small path to the end. There is a small area for parking and depending on the tide, you can watch the sunset from above the rocks, or wander around the tide pools if the tide is low, but be careful of rogue waves.


2. Sandy Bay

Nusa Lembongan Island: Sandy Bay
The picturesque and rocky Sandy Bay

Private villas, beach bungalows, and high-end restaurants are located on this beach. The bay is quite rocky, so it is not the best for swimming. While it was not our favorite place on Lembongan, it is picturesque.


3. Dream Beach

Nusa Lembongan Trip
Dream Beach is the best beach on Lembongan, and good for swimming too!

By far, Dream Beach is the nicest beach in Lembongan. Is it also a decent swimming beach. The waves can get big and the current is strong, so don’t swim out too far. There are several hotels, a hostel, and beachfront restaurants to choose from. This is a great spot to chill for the day.


4. Mangrove Point

Nusa Lembongan Bali Vacation: Mount Agung
Views of Mount Agung from the north of Lembongan

The northern part of Lembongan is full of mangroves and small rivers. You can hire a kayak or go on a 30-minute boat tour for 100k IDR per person. Several beachside restaurants have scenic views of the mangroves and are great locations for lunch or a beer.

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5. The Yellow Bridge

Nusa Lembongan Bali: Bridge
The yellow suspension bridge connecting Lembongan and Ceningan

The iconic pedestrian/scooter bridge between Lembongan and Ceningan is well, yellow. It is located on the west coast of Lembongan. Be aware it is a bit scary driving a scooter across.


6. Ceningan Cliffs

Nusa Lembongan Bali: Ceningan Cliffs

The east side of Ceningan has tall scenic cliffs. Ceningan Cliffs restaurant is perched at the top and has cute swings and great views of the channel between Ceningan and Penida.


7. Secret Beach

Nusa Lembongan Bali Vacation: Secret Beach
A rainy Secret Beach on Nusa Ceningan with views of Nusa Penida

This beautiful beach is private with a 30k IDR fee per person. However, it can be used for food and drinks. It is the nicest beach in Ceningan and worth it if spending the day there.


8. Blue Lagoon

Nusa Lembongan Bali: Blue Lagoon
The milky Blue Lagoon on Nusa Ceningan

Blue Lagoon is a bay on Nusa Ceningan carved by steep cliffs with milky emerald water. It is very scenic and probably the best place to see on Ceningan and Lembongan. Unfortunately, the views are only appreciated from the top as there is no way to reach the bay.


Next Stop: Nusa Penida

Nusa Lembongan Bali: Kelingking Beach
Kelingking Beach on Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida is our favorite of the three islands. It costs 50k IDR to get to Nusa Penida from Lembongan, where ferries depart beneath the Yellow Bridge. Nusa Penida has incredible places to see, including Kelingking Beach, Broken Beach, Angel’s Billabong, and Atuh Beach. For more on Nusa Penida, check out our top 10 things to see.

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That’s it – have a wonderful time in Nusa Lembongan & Ceningan in Bali!


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About the Author:

  • Yana and Timon

    Yana & Timon met at college in Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating, they started their professional careers. They moved to San Francisco in 2010, a city they loved living in for nearly six years.

    After working and saving up money for several years, they quit their jobs and set off on an adventure of a lifetime. They started living a nomadic lifestyle in December 2015 and have not looked back since.

1 thought on “Travel Guide for Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan”

  1. Please review your ATM info. Only two ATMs on Lembongan and both are notorious for card skimming – bring enough cash. REPEAT – bring enough cash.

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