Nusa Lembongan — Big & Little Adventures

What island dreams are made of…

We had a blast on the incredible island paradise of Nusa Lembongan. Firstly, we found it quite different to mainland Bali. We stayed in an area called Jungut Batu, looking out over ‘The Playgrounds’ which is the name given to the surf breaks of which we had a great view. The beautiful blue waters, trendy little cafes, restaurants, markets & happy & kind local people really give it a great vibe.

When were picked up from our resort in Jimbaran, we were taken by shuttle to Sanur Harbour where we took a 30 minute fast boat over to Lembongan. We were met on the beach by the wonderful staff from our villa & they escorted us to our home for the next 10 nights - OPERA VILLA

Boarding the boat at Sanur for Lembongan Island.

View from above. That’s Opera Villa with the beautiful pink bougainvillea out the front.

After a wonderful welcome from villa manager, Gede, it didn’t take us long to settle in, beginning with cocktails & a traditional Indonesian feast for dinner on our first night at the villa.

We all enjoyed paddle boarding (approx $5 per hour) & the kids had their first surfing lessons (approx $35 for 2 hours). These activities happen from beautiful little Coconut Beach which is just down the steps from Opera Villa. We went on a snorkelling safari (4 different locations for only $15 per person!) & loved trying out all the restaurants & bars in the area.
The Deck cafe & bar (about 5 minutes walk from the villa) was our favourite.

Surfing lessons on Christmas morning! The beach was just a short walk down the steps from our villa.

Snorkelling at Gamut Bay - a short boat ride from Nusa Lembongan.

We explored the island by open backed truck (with seats). Scooters are also available for hire at about $7 per day. We watched the sunset at Devil’s Tears, had lunch at Mushroom Bay (Hai Bar and Grill, right on the beach) visited a seaweed farm, Dream Beach & the iconic Yellow Bridge (joins the islands of Lembongan & Ceningan) & had a bit of a barter at the local market stalls.

Most nights we ate out & a lot of the restaurants provide complimentary transport to & from their venues.
Our favourites were Sandy Bay Lembongan & The Coconut Hut (they have mini golf for an added bonus to your dinner). We were hoping to get to Indiana Kenanga Luxury Boutique Villas & SPA & Ohana’s (also apparently excellent) but unfortunately missed out. Depending on the time of year, you may have to book a couple of days ahead.

Dinner and Mini Golf at The Coconut Hut.

On the nights we stayed in, the beautiful Komang & Wayan provided delicious meals for us at the villa.

One of the beautiful meals prepared by Komang & Wayan at our villa.

We set off fireworks on the beach most nights, which was a ton of fun as it’s such a novelty for us Queenslanders! Note: Only allowed for a period of 7 days during Christmas & NYE.

On New Year’s Eve we went to a beach party at Mahagiri Resort Nusa Lembongan at the opposite end of the island - buffet, live music, dancing & swimming for the kids. Fun!

We also explored the beautiful little island of Nusa Ceningan which is connected by Yellow Bridge, also known as ‘The Bridge of Love’. The bridge is accessible by scooter or on foot only. Ceningan is a small but beautiful island known for its Blue Lagoon (overlooked by a great restaurant and bar called KLYF Club - definitely stop in for a cocktail/mocktail) & its quaint little beach cafes along the beachfront. We loved The Island Ceningan & Seabreeze Ceningan. Both quite different, but equally enjoyed.

View from the Klyf Club overlooking Blue Lagoon on Nusa Ceningan.

Ceningan Cliff looks out to another island, Nusa Penida.

We (Amber) cried when we left this beautiful island & the beautiful people at Opera Villa. Kids paid me out of course 🙄 Ben just shook his head 😆. We had such a wonderful time & we look forward to returning in years to come.

Next we visited Nusa Penida, but that needs to be a whole other post!

Happy Travels!