Located just one fast boat away from the main island of Bali, the small-island charms of the three Nusas – Penida, Lembongan, and Ceningan – offer a refreshingly slow and unhurried experience of the Island of the Gods
Bali isn’t as small as it often appears on a map. Almost as big as Brunei Darussalam and eight times bigger than Singapore, it takes roughly four hours by car to get from the east to the west. In the central region, where the sea is nowhere in sight, the hilly, jungle-draped interior makes it easy to forget that you’re still on an island.
It can also be easy to forget that, before becoming a regional dining destination and a favourite roost among jet-setting global digital nomads, the island was the textbook definition of paradise. Bali’s main charm was its stop-the-clocks barefoot getaway, with thousands of temples to explore, waves to surf and markets to visit. The Balinese deftly assembling canang sari, daily floral offerings to the gods to show gratitude for the blessings. Blazing sunsets to mark another day. Before ubiquitous Wi-Fi made disconnecting from the world extra challenging, Bali presented a satisfying retreat from regular life. All you had to do was bury your phone deep into your suitcase, then pick a beach or a little village among the rice paddies.
But as the slow pace of life gradually disappears on the main island, especially in bustling areas like Kuta, Canggu and Ubud, attention is turning to parts of Bali that still offer a gear shift to an almost languorous pace. If this is what you’ve been daydreaming about, set your sights on the three Nusas: Penida, Lembongan, and Ceningan. Just 30 to 45 minutes by fast boat, Bali’s three neighbouring islands are easily accessible from the new Sanur Harbour, a modern facility that opened in 2022.
The Sanur Harbour – whose design is a nod to the jukung, a traditional wooden fishing boat, and is adorned with the enormous head of a mythical elephant – has made these small islands much more accessible. Handled by more than a dozen boat operators, there is now a departure every 15 minutes to Nusa Lembongan and every 30 minutes to Nusa Penida.
In these islands, time walks like a sarong-clad grandma with a basket of fruit offerings on her head. Wi-Fi connection is still spotty in some areas and there are power cuts from time to time, but it won’t matter (this isn’t the place to check e-mails or take work calls). Days are lazy, marked by sunsets and the number of pages left on a thick paperback you’ve been meaning to read all year. Nights are made of barefoot dining on the beach while looking at the main island’s blinking infinity of lights. In other words, the perfect retreat. Here’s how to make the best of it.
You’ll need to pack a pair of sturdy sandals and a sense of adventure when visiting Nusa Penida, the biggest of the three islands. Jaap Wanningen, a Dutch traveller who has been coming to the island since 2022, sums it up nicely, when he says, “Nusa Penida begs to be explored again and again. There’s always a new spot to discover whenever I go there for a visit.”
Spend a few days exploring the craggy mass on a scooter (hiring a car and a driver is also possible), cruising the mostly empty roads at sunset, past miles and miles of stunning coastline and untamed forest. The western coast of the island is where you find famous sites such as the iconic Kelingking Beach and its dramatic T-Rex-shaped cliff. Because of its newfound fame on social media, it tends to get busy, although most of the crowd are happy to just have their pictures taken on top of the cliff. But if you hike down from the clifftops, you’ll be rewarded with stretches of made-for-brochure white sand and friendly locals selling coconuts fresh from the tree. This is also the case at the eastern coast’s Diamond Beach and Atuh Beach.
Accommodation on this island tends to be quaint. There are simple guesthouses, wooden bungalows, and only a handful of boutique hotels. Sea La Vie, a 19-room boutique hotel near Toyapakeh Harbour, is a dreamy place to return after a day of out and about. Its infinity pool showcases the comings and goings of the picturesque harbour. Nearby, one can have a delicious meal and thoughtful service at Penida Colada. The Balinese-owned beachfront all-day restaurant offers a stellar selection of Indonesian and Western nosh, from Soto Ayam to Grilled Octopus.
Apart from beach hopping, the island’s 22 dive spots would bewitch avid divers while snorkellers would find Gamat Bay’s plateau of coral reefs, brightly-coloured fish and turtles enchanting. Swimming, snorkelling or scuba diving with manta rays can be done in at least two spots. Diving with the pre-historic sunfish, mola mola, can be done from July to October when the huge and flat fish come up from the deep end where they live.
If you’re travelling with family, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Cenigan, present more options. Most visitors from Sanur arrive either at Jungut Batu Beach or Mushroom Bay ports. The former boasts a long coastline and calm azure-coloured waters while the latter is made of clear waters you just want to dive into. Unlike Penida, most beaches are accessible and safe for swimming.
It takes one hour to circle Nusa Lembongan and half an hour to Nusa Ceningan by scooter (locking up the scooter is entirely optional) If you don’t ride a scooter, or if you have kids in tow, rent a golf cart or rent a custom pickup truck. The sea, patched with plots of seaweed farms and dotted with floating boats, is never far away. Only one gas station serves both islands. Most of the time, the residents fill the tanks of their motorbikes with gasoline from vodka bottles sold on roadside stalls called warungs.
“For us, Nusa Lembongan is the perfect island paradise with so much natural beauty and a relaxed village vibe, similar to Bali’s years ago,” says Tania Walker, who is originally from Australia. Tania and her family have called the island home for the last six years. “We feel so privileged being immersed in a community that has a rich culture and that’s focused on their faith. It is a truly special place to live in.”
In Lembongan’s Jungut Batu, boutique hotels and private villas dot the surrounding hillside, offering incredible views of the mighty Mount Agung and the sprawling harbour from its perch. Three surf breaks – Shipwrecks, Lacerations and Playgrounds – are accessible by paddling or a short boat ride from the shore.
Stay at Morin Resort, which has access to two beaches and an ocean view. Its spacious suites and bungalows are perfect for families. Sleep with the doors wide open to feel the gentle, lulling sea breeze, the wake up to a lazy-day itinerary: breakfast of Eggs Benny and flat white at The Deck, one of the restaurants located along the boardwalk above Jungut Batu Beach. After a morning of lounging at the beach, troop to Ohana’s for lunch, a laid-back beach club with boho-chic vibe, tasty food and a dipping pool. Go for a barefoot dinner at nearby Indiana Kenanga restaurant and savour Tuna Crudo and Seafood Risotto.
Neighbouring Coconut Beach is a popular spot for families with kids. Nestled between Jungut Batu Beach and Tamarind Bay, it’s safe for swimming, standup paddleboarding, kayaking and chilling on the beach. Hop on a rubber boat and head to The Pontoon at Lago, a solar-powered floating bar moored next to the Playgrounds surf break, where you can lounge with a cool drink between rounds of swimming.
For a slight change of atmosphere, head over to Nusa Ceningan, across the scenic Yellow Bridge, the sole connector between the two islands, open only to pedestrians and two-wheeled vehicles. The daredevils among us will find the Blue Lagoon and Mahana Point, where there are two high cliff-jumping spots, hard to resist. The latter is also perfect for sunset and watching surfers riding the waves.
Most establishments on both islands close by 10pm, some even earlier. Stars shine brighter here. Crashing waves, in a cadence that’s both meditative and entrancing, are the only sound. Sure signs that you’ve disconnected from the world.
All photos by Agung Parameswara.