News and rambles from Nusa Lembongan

No more Scallywags - it's The Beach Club at Sandy Bay!

2011-05-03T11:20:00.000+08:00

In April 2011, the best restaurant on Nusa Lembongan was re-branded and became The Beach Club at Sandy Bay. The changes evident from when it was Scallywags, are subtle but nonetheless noticeable.

The pool and decking at The Beach Club at Sandy Bay

The menu has been streamlined a little from the over-long selection previously offered, and there are some great new additions which I tried, including an excellent Thai Red Curry. The drinks list has remained pretty much the same and they still make the best cocktails on the island by far. The owners do plan to expand the already impressive wine list.

Daily Fresh Seafood Barbeque

The new branding looks great and the staff are very smart in their new uniforms. All the well thought through features which has made this place such a success remain - the beach-front infinity pool, daily barbeque, air-conditioned wine cellar etc.

Guests in the beach-front pool

Scallywags had rapidly become an institution on Nusa Lembongan and it is clear that in its new incarnation as The Beach Club, things will only get even better. It is great for Nusa Lembongan to have a restaurant of this quality, and I urge all visitors to pay a visit. The free pick up and and drop-off service is a great idea. Give them a call to book the pick up on 0828 97005656.

Scallywags opens on Nusa Lembongan

2010-07-22T09:48:00.007+08:00

Last Saturday July 17th saw the official opening of Scallywags Bar and Grill on Nusa Lembongan. The first night was a tremendous success with an unbelievable number of people turning up. The island has been crying out for an establishment of this nature and quality for a long time, and I am sure it will be an enduring success story.

Beachfront pool and lounging area

Scallywags is a name well known to those who have visited the Gili Islands, and the format which has been so successful with their two venues there has been repeated on Lembongan. It is located right on the beach at Sandy Bay in the southwest of the island.

Daily barbecue with fresh fish

Key offerings include a wonderful beachfront pool with a wooden deck and lots of loungers, a very long and smart bar serving ice cold beers and superb cocktails, the best wine cellar on anywhere on the island, a daily barbecue and well thought out a la carte menu.

Superb bar serving excellent cocktails and ice cold beer

Scallywags serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, opening at 8AM and closing around 11PM. Call 0828 97005656 for free transport from other parts of the island.

Pandanus - the walking trees of Nusa Lembongan

2009-08-13T10:53:00.016+08:00

I have always been fascinated by those tall, spindly, almost cactus-like trees with spikey leaves that seem to thrive on Pacific-rim beaches. Those of you who have visited south-east Asia or the Pacific Islands will know what I mean. The Pandanus genus contains approximately 600 species and they can grow up to 20 metres in height.

Typical beach-side Pandanus tectorius trees on Nusa Lembongan.

In Nusa Lembongan, the local Pandanus (p. tectorius)species seems to very much enjoy the beach-side sandy soil and is certainly tolerant of salt spray from the ocean. There is something almost primeval about the way this tree clings to the earth and spreads its spikey canopy. The habit of dropping prop roots from existing branches has resulted in the locals calling this the walking tree. It certainly does sometimes look as if the trees are indeed 'walking'.

A spectacular tangle of Pandanus drop roots - the walking trees

Pandanus makes for a spectacular beach-side flora around the island but especially in the south-western quarter. There are excellent examples in the Devil's Tear, Dream Beach and Sunset Beach areas. The owners of recently completed villas here have tried wherever possible to keep the Pandanus trees - they really do make for a superb component of a landscaped garden on a tropical island.

Pandanus as part of a landscaped waterfront garden on Nusa Lembongan

A fruiting Pandanus tree on Nusa Lembongan
As well as their form, Pandanus trees can be appreciated for the beauty of their reddish orange fruit. I do not know of any human uses of the fruit or flowers but they are an attractive component of the tree and seem to be popular with fruit bats and squirrels. Thoughout Asia and the Pacific islands, the leaves of Pandanus species are widely used for weaving traditional mats and other products. The leaf extract from one particular species (now widely cultivated) is also used as an aromatic flavouring in both savoury and sweet cooking.

So when you visit Nusa Lembongan, take a few moments to appreciate those wonderful, primeval trees.

And perhaps Mr Tolkien was right about Ents after all?

A great new Nusa Lembongan map for free

2009-07-22T13:55:00.011+08:00

Visitors to Nusa Lembongan have for some time been lamenting the lack of a decent map of the island. I am pleased to report that NLP have put that right and produced a superb new Nusa Lembongan map which is available free to anyone who wants it.

The map accurately and clearly shows places of interest, accomodation, restaurants and the road & lane network on the island. A great initiative and one which will be warmly welcomed by all visitors to Nusa Lembongan.

To receive a complimentary copy of the Nusa Lembongan map as a high-resolution, print-quality PDF, please send an email to NLP here.

Visitors to Nusa Lembongan doing their bit to save sea turtles

2009-07-06T17:00:00.014+08:00

There are few people out there who would not be aware of the threats posed to the various species of marine turtle which grace our oceans in different corners of the world. I am very pleased to report that Nusa Lembongan is participating in a program to help address these threats.

Sunset Beach in Nusa Lembongan - a location for releasing baby turtles to the Indian Ocean

Bail Hai Cruises is running an adopt a turtle cruise programme whereby visitors release a baby Olive Ridley Turtle to the ocean on the Nusa Lembongan. These turtles have been hatched in a supervised facility in neighbouring Bali from eggs collected from beaches in west Bali where scavenging from dogs and other disturbance provide very real threat. All revenue generated from the release programme goes towards:

i. incentivising local villagers in Bali to report incidents of laying turtles so that the eggs can be taken away from areas of danger into the supervised hatchery

ii. education of schoolchildren in Bali about the importance of marine conservation and the role of turtles in that

iii. the administration and improvement of the hatchery

iv. the collection of data for research into turtle populations

This weekend I was lucky enough to witness the release of 15 or so baby turtles on my very favourite Sunset Beach on Nusa Lembongan. Each of the tiny youngsters made it successfully to the ocean and it was great to see the interest from all the participating visitors and the children in particular.

Clearly this is a very worthy programme and one which we would urge all visitors to island to participate in. For just US$10 you can adopt and release a baby turtle. There may be other participants in the scheme but I can certainly recommend Bali Hai Cruises from everything I witnessed this weekend. According to the supervisor they are running multiple release cruises at the moment and more details are available on the Bali Hai Cruises website.

Getting to Nusa Lembongan from Bali

2009-06-28T13:32:00.014+08:00

It is a relatively short ride across the channel from Bali to Nusa Lembongan and there are several scheduled boat services now plying the route. It can be a little confusing for first timers and I hope this article proves useful in explaining the various transfer options available.

Most of the scheduled boat services (fast and slow) depart from Sanur beach in Bali at the end of Jalan Hangtuah. Most taxi drivers will know where this is. If in doubt, ask to go to Sanur Beach close to the Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel. The prices and schedules given are correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We strongly recommend though that you check as these are subject to quite regular change.

Scoot Fast Boat

Tel: +62 (0) 361 285522. http://www.scootcruise.com

Leaves from Sanur beach. Scoot operates fast comfortable boats which take you to Jungut Batu for US$45.00 return (adults). Hotel vehicle transfers are included. The tickets can be bought from the Scoot office next to Dunkin' Donuts in Jalan Hangtuah, Sanur or on the beach near the departure point. The crossing is 30 to 40 minutes. The service departs Sanur daily at 9.30am, 1.30pm & 4.00 pm and departs from Nusa Lembongan at 8.30am, 11.30am & 3.00 pm.

Scoot is the service used most often by the writers of this blog.

Blue Water Safaris (BWS)

Tel: +62 (0) 361 723479. http://www.bwsbali.com

BWS operates a daily fast boat service out of Benoa Harbour (NOT Sanur) to Nusa Lembongan and also offers a very useful direct connection to the Gili Islands in neighbouring Lombok. The crossing to Lembongan takes about 30 minutes and costs IDR 325,000 one way including hotel transfers.

Perama

http://www.peramatour.com

Perama is a local transport operator aimed at the budget traveller. It has almost cult status amongst back-packer visitors to Indonesia, plying it services across the vast archipelago for very reasonable prices. There is no same day return option to Nusa Lembongan. Fare is IDR 100,000 one way and there is a network of connecting bus-links from around Bali. Boat departures daily at 10.30am from Sanur Beach. The ride across is approximately 90 minutes. The office of Perama in Sanur can be found at Warung Pojok in Jalan Hangtuah.

Public Boats

Tel: +62 0361 7432344

These depart daily from Sanur beach at 08.00am in front of the Ananda Hotel or near the Grand Inna Bali Beach Hotel. The boats can be a little worrying at times (!) and are usually very crowded. There is no same day return. The ride across is approximately 90 minutes and the current fare is IDR 75,000 each way. To be frank, we would not recommend doing this unless you are on a really tight budget!

Day Cruise Operators

There are a number of day cruise operators who run services out of Benoa Harbour in Bali to Nusa Lembongan. These normally involve a package of some sort including meals, water sport activities on Lembongan and a day return fare. Not really recommended as an option for those wishing to reach the island and stay there, but if you are on a tight time schedule in Bali and just wish to see Lembongan very briefly then these could work for you.

Options include:

Sail Sensations http://www.sailsensations.com

Bali Hai Cruises http://www.balihaicruises.com

Bounty Cruises http://www.bountycruises.com

Bali Blue Ocean Cruises: http://www.balioceaneabiru.com

Air Bali Helicopter Charters

Tel: +62 (0) 361 767 466 http://www.airbali.com

For those wanting a truly adventurous experience! Air Bali is Bali’s leading helicopter operator and would be delighted to arrange a charter to Nusa Lembongan which could even be combined with an aerial tour of Bali and neigbouring islands.

I hope you find this article helpful and whichever transfer option you choose, I am sure you will have a great time visiting this most wonderful of Tropical Islands.

One of my favourite Nusa Lembongan photos

2009-06-10T10:58:00.013+08:00

Sometimes a photo just grabs you. It might not be the best shot technically but it encompasses a memory perfectly. The latter is certainly the case with the photo reproduced below.

This photo was taken by my dear friend's brother on his first visit to Indonesia earlier this year. He is neither a professional photographer nor even a keen amateur but has produced here a picture which means so much to me. It shows the view of east Bali from the north facing coast of the tiny neighbouring island of Nusa Lembongan. My own understanding of the spirit and atmosphere of Lembongan and Bali are both captured perfectly by this image.

The highest peak in the photo is Bali's fabled Mount Agung. To the Hindu Balinese this volcano represents 3,142 metres of pure sacred energy - the home of the Gods on the Island of the Gods; a replica of Mount Meru, the spiritual axis of the universe.

From the extraordinary crystal clear blue seas with rolling surf to the small fishing boats in Lembongan's Jungut Batu bay and then the undeniable majesty of Mount Agung, this photograph represents perfectly to me the image and atmosphere on Nusa Lembongan when looking back at Bali.

A Weekend in Paradise

2009-06-04T14:38:00.006+08:00

My husband and I spent last weekend on Nusa Lembongan – I had been there once before but this was the first time for my husband. It is hard to describe this beautiful island. Wild waves crash over rocks sending huge white plumes of water everywhere, yet there are charming, quiet bays where one can snorkel and swim in safety. It seems to be years behind the times in so many ways – no cars, no supermarkets, no boutique shops, no easy way on and off – yet there are many modern speed boats in the busy harbour pulling shrieking tourists on every floating toy known to man, resorts and bars and a few beautiful villas perched on top of the cliffs. Without question though, the untamed beauty of the island, the people and their way of life all seem to be a flashback to another time when things were more simple and natural.

Our weekend started with a half hour speed boat (and the captain did indeed believe in speed!) ride from Bali to Lembongan. We landed in picturesque Mushroom Bay where we were met by one of the only four wheeled vehicles on the island – an old small truck set up with two benches in the box at the back (felt a bit like being in the back of a tiny cattle truck!). But we all – 5 adults and one large dog – gamely clambered into the back of the truck with our luggage, our food, and most importantly our wine! Then we set out on a bumpy but interesting drive to Sunset Beach where our friends have a delightful cottage set on one of the most beautiful bays we have ever seen. The surf crashes on the rocks day and night and the colour of the water has to be seen to be believed – I kept removing my sunglasses to see if they were distorting the colour it was so unusual.

After unpacking we explored this exquisite bay and then had a fantastic dinner complete with coq au vin, cheese cake and wine with our friends and a lovely couple they had also invited. We soon discovered that this couple had both given up successful teaching careers at a fine international school in Jakarta to move to Nusa Lembongan in order to fulfil a dream to own and run a dive school. Having lived many years in Jakarta, I can only imagine the culture shock they suffered coming from the busy, overpopulated, smoggy and constantly traffic jammed city of Jakarta to this quiet island! Hard to imagine on the one hand but hard not to envy on the other!

The next morning the “boys” went out fishing while we “girls” enjoyed the sun and read our books. Although they didn’t catch any fish, the fact that at one point they had 8 (they said 12, but we all know fishermen lie!) huge manta rays surrounding their boat was worth much more than a few extra fish for dinner! We then joined the men and took a boat tour of the island culminating in a picnic lunch on the boat in the middle of an incredible mangrove forest where some of the largest mangrove trees in the world shaded us from the sun. And, of course, we then had to stop off for a drink at one of the local bar & restaurants nestled at the edge of the mangroves where I had a drink that had so much rum in it that I couldn’t drink it – yikes, when did this happen that I began to dislike a strong drink? Next we walked up to a neighbour’s villa for a swim in his pool. His villa has one of the most spectacular clifftop views anywhere in the world – it is breathtaking indeed! Then back to the cottage for a barby – is that how the Aussies spell it? Or is that the doll? Anyway, we had tender juicy steaks not leggy dolls – but sadly no fish!

On Sunday morning we all piled back into the miniature cattle truck for a tour of the island. On the way, we saw a house being built where the “architect” seems not to have noticed that a very important electrical cable crossed the land so he just cut a hole in the walls both front and back and the cable runs right through the house – great ingenuity, much better than moving the wire! Highlights of the tour included seaweed farms and seaweed drying on every possible flat surface (including the road in some places), tiny homes built from recycled materials and gorgeous villas perched on the cliffs and many people swimming, snorkelling, fishing, cycling, walking and just generally enjoying their day. When we arrived back to the cottage, we walked to a nearby warung where we sat right at beachfront and enjoyed a delicious lunch.

Following this, we did a bit more exploring and visiting and then packed our gear in preparation for the trip back to Bali. This time the captain still believed that full speed was best but at least the sea was reasonably calm so we all arrived back safe and sound and already missing the pounding surf and the wonderful sea air!

kindly written and provided by Jane and posted by Sunset.

Wanderings with my faithful hound

2009-06-02T10:45:00.005+08:00

I am not a morning person. At least not through choice. But I find myself getting up earlier and earlier in Lembongan. This worried me at first. I thought it was definitely a sign of old age creeping up (have you ever heard of your grand parents having a 'lie-in'?) but I am learning not to get too paranoid about it now. This is greatly helped by the extremely magical morning light on the island. I cannot describe it. It really does have to be seen. And this is definitely the best time of day for discovering the island on foot.

The hound is of course delighted and leaps around to demonstrate her utter happiness. ANOTHER walk! She thinks she's died and gone to paradise. Which of course she has. At least the going to paradise bit. This is a brilliant walking island - pathways, little lanes, cliff tops, empty beaches - hardly any traffic and the demented gatherings of semi wild Bali street dogs have fortunately not made it over the water. I don't even need to bother to bring the hounds' lead.

I like walking and I like particularly walking in Lembongan. The coastline is absolutely gorgeous. But if you're going to do it, try it early in the morning. It's worth being a morning person there. But in case you're wondering, I'm not getting old - as soon as I am back at home, I like to languish under my duvet for as long as I can get away with it.

The Jewels of Nusa Lembongan, Part I - Beaches

2009-05-30T22:29:00.003+08:00

Dream Beach
Many Lembonganites rate this as their favourite beach and bay on the whole island. Dream beach is a gorgeous spot with an often deserted powdery white sand beach. Be careful with swimming here though as the waves are big and the current can be very strong. Never enter the water close to the rocks at the southern end of the bay. There is a good cafe and bar at the northern end of the bay which is part of Dream Beach Bungalows, the only place to stay in this area and it is right on the beach. A visit to Dream Beach, perhaps to spend a lazy day, is highly recommended.

Mushroom Bay
Quaint Mushroom Bay is home to the established Nusa Lembongan Resort and the Bali Hai Tide Huts. This is a great swimming bay with calm waters and little alfresco cafes along the beach to while away lazy afternoons. Mushroom Bay is also the centre for most watersports activities on the island. Visitors wishing to get away from the busier Jungut Batu and discover the rugged untamed coastline of the west coast will generally arrange to come into Mushroom Bay by boat directly from Sanur in Bali. Day trips from Sanur are feasible.

Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach lies almost equi-distant between Dream Beach and Mushroom Bay. The white sand beach here makes for a quite stunning setting with spectacular, crashing waves. It is not a beach for swimming though and please do not try. A simple beachfront cafe has recently opened at Sunset Beach and is a perfect starting spot for exploring on foot the spectacular western coastline. To the south is Devil's Tear and Dream Beach and to north the rugged cliffscape of Cap De Blanc. This area has recently become the "in place" for lovers of Nusa Lembongan to build sophisticated holiday homes and when you visit there it is easy to see why. As you might imagine from the name, the Sunset Beach area is a great spot for viewing the spectacular Nusa Lembongan sunsets.

Photos: kindly provided by BPC, copyright@Bali Property Consultancy

Diving in Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan

2009-05-30T11:37:00.002+08:00

DIVING IN NUSA PENIDA
Abundant Pelagics, Some Fierce Currents

Nusa Penida, across the Badung Strait from Bali's southern tip, offers some of the best diving to be found anywhere. But conditions around Penida and its two small sister islands-Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan-can sometimes be difficult, with unpredictable currents reaching four or more knots. This is not a place for beginner divers, inexperienced boatmen, or engines in less than perfect condition. Also, Upwellings from the deep water south of Bali, which keep visibility here clear, can also make the water uncomfortably cold. Even if you are an expert diver, contract with one of Bali's well-organized diving services to dive Nusa Penida, and make sure that You get a reliable boat and a guide with plenty of experience.

The currents in this area can usually be predicted from the tide tables, but they can increase, decrease or shift direction with no advance notice, and vary dramatically with depth. We recommend that your guide bring a buoy, and that you do not wander off by yourself. The dive locations are all close together, and an experienced guide can easily shift you to an alternate site if the conditions at your planned location are unsatisfactory.

Dive boats to Nusa Penida leave from Nusa Dua or Sanur, or from Padang Bai. (See map page 101.) From either of the resorts the 34-kilometer (18-nautical-mile) trip takes 1.5 hours; from Padang Bai, just 17 kilometers (9 nautical miles) from Penida, it takes 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the boat. You can also rent a speedboat at Padang Bai (about $110 round-trip) to shave tlip time to the minimum, but if you do, make sure your dive guide knows the boatman. 'ne chap could fall asleep while You're under and be out of whis-tle range when you come up with the current. It has happened.

Coral Walls and Pelagics

Most of the dive spots are around the channel between Nusa Penida and Nusa Ceningan.The standard reef profile here has a terrace at 8-12 meters, then a wall or steep slope to 25-30 meters, then a fairly gentle slope to the seabed at 600 meters. Pinnacles and small caves are often encountered. At 35-40 meters, long antipathatian wire corals are common, spiraling outward more than 8 meters.Pelagics are the main attraction here, and you have a good chance to see jacks, mackerel and tuna. Reef sharks are so common that after a while you stop noticing them. Mantas are frequently sighted. Perhaps the most unusual pelagic visitor to Nusa Penida is the weird mola-mola or oceanic sunfish (Mola-mola), a mysterious large, flattened fish with elongate dorsal and ventral fins, and a lumpy growth instead of a tail fin.

Dive guide Wally Siagian says he has seen a mola-mola here about once every 15 dives. On two occasions he has been able to swim up and touch the bizarre, up to 2-meter-long animals. The most common dive spots are just south of the dock at Toyapakeh, or a bit further cast, at Ped, the site of an important temple of the same name, Sam palan Point, and "S.D.," named for the sekolah dasar or primary school there. There are other dive spots down the northeastband southwest coasts of Penida but these areas, swept by tricky currents, require an experienced guide and more time than is available in a daytrip to reach.

A Dive off Penida

We were staying at Baruna's Puri Bagus Beach Hotel in Candi Dasa when the opportunity came to dive Nusa Penida. One of the hotel's minibuses picked us up early, and after a 15-minute ride dropped us off at Padang Bai, where the large diesel - powered Baruna 05 dive boat was already waiting for Us. We waded through waist-high water to load our gear, and were soon on our way for the hour-and-a-half trip. The boat anchored off the Ped/S.D. area, and we dropped into a practically currentless sea. From an initial 7 meter depth, we followed the slope of 45 degrees down to 37 meters. There good hard coral cover, and an occasional pinnacle reared 5-6 meters from the slope. We crossed a big school of black triggerfish mixed with a few sleek unicornfish. A small cave in one of coral knolls held a densely packed school of pygmy sweeps (Parapriacanthus ransonetti). These greenish, semi-transparent fish feed at night on small plankton attracted by the bioluminous organs located just in back of their pectoral fins.

Early in the dive we crossed paths with a large black-spotted stingray. He allowed us to approach to within just over a meter, but after just one photo flew off to his next appointment. Shortly after we saw a hawksbill turtle, one of the largest we have ever seen.This 1.3-1. meter animal flippered off before I could approach within decent camera range.

The rest of our dive passed through busy schools of tailed and lunar fusiliers and occasional schools of longfin bannerfish. We saw several groupers and even more sweetlips, and an occasional clown or Titan triggerfish. A good-sized barracuda observed us from above. Visibility was good, in the 15-meter range. When we ascended we noticed the surface current increased markedly since we seen in pairs or small began our dive. Wally complained that we had not spotted any big sharks, which are common in this area.

Toyapakeh

We motored a bit further west along the coast of Nusa Penida, and dropped anchor a few hundred meters from the dock at Toyapakeh. We descended through a slight current (less than 1 knot) into veritable clouds of peach fairy basslets (Pseudanthias dispar), each the exact color of a blue-eyed Nordic tourist who had done too much time in the sun. The anthias were mixed with large aggregations of firefish, which are more often increased markedly since we seen in pairs or small groups. A long stretch of our dive route-this at 25-30 meters- consisted of an almost unbroken thicket of pastel-tinted Dendronephthya soft corals. A school of two dozen or more greater amberjacks swam several lazy circles around our group, mixing sometimes with a larger school of bigeye jacks. As we started upwards, we saw a huge black spotted moray, with about 1 meter of its snaky body sticking out of its lair.
We surfaced just at funnel mouth of the channel between Nusa Penida and Nusa Ceningan. The local fishermen were unfurling the sails of their jukungs, and we climbed back on board just as the current began to pick up speed. The Baruna 05 tied up to dock at Toyapakeh, and Wally borrowed a bystander's bicycle to go fetch us some food. While he was gone, a fisherman pulled up in his outrigger, a bought a just-caught 20-kilo yellowfin tuna for dinner.

Sunset Show

Just before sunset, the current picked up,to 5-6 knots. We watched the jukungs literally shoot through the channel on their way out for a night's fishing. Others, taking advantage of the wind and a back current, headed for "mainland" Bali in the direction of towering Gunung Agung. This was one of the finest sunset shows I had ever admired in Indonesia.

The tuna we bought ended up as sashimi and charcoal-grilled tuna steaks, and combined with a lobster Wally had snatched from a grotto on our first dive, we had a splendid supper. We then spread our mattresses on the top deck, and settled down to drinking beer. A few little boats fished around us with bright pressure lamps, and we drifted off to sleep.

The night was surprisingly cool, and I woke up at midnight to a sky full of stars. I quickly discarded all thoughts of a night dive as I heard the current rushing by the boat. The beer had taken its usual route, and I relieved myself overboard creating swirling bioluminesce on the water's surface.

Another Dive at S.D.

The next morning, after the sun had warmed us thoroughly, we headed back east along Nusa Penida's coast to begin our next and last dive where we had ended the previous morning: in front of the long, red-roofed elementary school.This was a drift dive, in a 1.5 to 2 knot current that occasionally "gusted" to 3 knots. The fish hovered effortlessly in the current as we sped by. Swimming diagonally, we approached two large map puffers, and several smaller, but exquisitely patterned cube trunkfish. We also took a closer look at a hallucinogenic scribbled filefish.

Between two coral knolls we came on an aggregation of some 40 sweetlips.The fish were split into four groups, all facing the current. The sight of these attractively patterned fish was too much to just pass by, so we carefully grabbed onto some hard corals and crawled along the bottom for a closer look at the sweetlips show. Perhaps feeling there was safety in numbers, these magnificent animals allowed us to approach to within 2 meters before they drifted off to find a new spot just a bit further away. While we watched our sweetlips, a turtle rose up just ahead and, with no effort at all, swam off straight into the current. Then, a huge grouper, well over a meter long, appeared out of nowhere, buzzing one of our group before disappearing just as suddenly. Consulting the fish books later, we came to a consensus that our visitor was likely to have been a blotchy grouper (Epinephelusfuscogattus). We later saw triggerfish, a barracuda and a reef white-tip shark; still, it was anticlimactic.

Reproduced from Bali Vision.

All about Nusa Lembongan

2009-05-27T23:55:00.006+08:00

Nusa Lembongan is an unspoilt tropical paradise, with very little traffic and no pollution. The smiling and friendly locals will welcome you to their idyllic surrounds, to their rich and diverse culture, beaches, quaint villages, and hindu temples. This eight square kilometre island paradise is a world away from the pollution, hassles and hectic pace of Bali. There are no hawkers, no traffic, magnificent scenery and it is the perfect place to put your feet up and relax.

Located 12km off the coast of Sanur and just 8 square km in size, Nusa Lembongan offers some of the best diving and snorkelling in Indonesia as well as several popular surf breaks. Fishing, mountain biking, hiking and a variety of water sports are also available.

Just 30 minutes by fast boat or 10 minutes via a scenic helicopter ride. Lembongan is in a group of three islands - Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida lie to the south - and is the only island of the group with tourist accommodation and facilities.

Two towns are located on the island which has a local population of only 5,000. Jungut Batu is the one that first attracted surfers some 20 years ago. This is the main bay where the majority of tourist activity is based and accommodation ranges from basic huts to luxurious resorts.

Mushroom Bay, a smaller and very pretty bay, is home to the established Nusa Lembongan Resort. This is a great swimming bay with calm waters and little alfresco cafes along the beach to while away lazy afternoons. Visitors wishing to get away from the busier Jungut Batu and discover the rugged untamed coastline of the west coast will generally arrange to come into Mushroom Bay by boat.

The purpose of this blog is to publish just about anything about Nusa Lembongan. It could be news, travel tips, travel guide information, write-ups of experiences from the world class diving and surfing sites on the island.... let's see where it takes us.