Let’s start with this little gem just across from Bali. Nusa Lembogan was only a 30 minute ride on the fast boat from Sanur. You might be wiser to carry a backpack and be prepared to get wet as there are no piers on the island and you must wade in and out to the boat. It's an adventure for sure, but the porters help carry bags from the fastboats to shore so it isn’t impossible. Actually, it’s quite fun!
The main industry here was once seaweed farms and you can still watch it being carried to the beach from the sea. Tourism, however, is quickly replacing the arduous seaweed farming culture with jobs taking care of tourists. Some visitors come for the day from Bali to explore the island on motorbike, snorkle, dive and most famously, surf.
I decided to come to see if the coral was as amazing as everyone claimed. The snorkle trip visited 3 spots, and each one was better than the last. I was the first to jump into the slightly choppy water at the urging of the boatman. I could tell, he’d spotted something just below the surface. As soon as my mask hit the water I saw the manta ray and understood what hed been so excited about a moment earlier.
Crystal blue waters of Nusa Lembogan
At the next spot, the water was crystal clear, and the coral and fish below were abundant. A few scuba divers passed below me, sending their bubbles up toward me like tiny jellyfish. It was not that deep, maybe 6 meters, and perfect visibility.
Even if you aren’t a diver or a snorkling fanatic, it’s a great place to come for a few days to slow down, check out the seaweed farming before it disappears, and to watch the amazing sunsets.
There is still a lot of local charm here as well, and if you walk along the small lanes you will see life as it has been for many years. This man was so excited that I wanted his photo after purchasing two tiny wooden dolphin carvings he’d made, that he showed me around his shop and sent me home with a free mask as as gift.
If you find yourself in Bali, consider jumping on a fast boat to Nusa Lembogan for a look at how Bali might have been twenty years ago.
