Lembongan Islands

Lonely Planet calls it the ‘the Bali many imagine but never find’. Clearly, the secret's out thanks to the famous guide book, but we decided to give it a shot anyway. Nusa Lembongan is a remarkably mellow island southeast of Bali, which main industries are seaweed cultivation and, thanks to The Book, tourism. Simple rooms and restaurants on the beach, uneven back roads, incredible sunsets and laidback locals make Lembongan an amazing little spot. Experienced surfers come for the challenging breaks and snorkeling is popular for obvious reasons: manta rays and turtles are casually spotted in the clear waters surrounding the island.  Despite a few other visitors, the relaxed vibe and authenticity remains.

Lembongan's stunning waters

We settled in a modest home stay on Jungutbatu, the lovely arc of beach we got dropped on. On our first day, we decided to explore the West coast of the island in a pleasant walk along the coast. Although many choose to rent a motorbike, the land to cover is small enough to make walking pleasant. The marked trail followed the coastline next to the funky upscale bars and resorts with stunning sea views amongst blooming bougainvilleas and frangipani trees, then changed into a rugged path hugging hidden bays and small beaches for kilometers. We reached our destination, Mushroom Bay Beach, a white crescent of sand somewhat disturbed by day-trippers and their boats. After a lazy lunch, we walked back to one of the quieter bays we had stumbled upon earlier and enjoyed a pleasant nap in the shade. 

Amazing trail around the island

On our second day, after a revitalizing morning jog, we decided to explore the other side of the island. We walked three kilometers towards the famed mangroves North-East, where snorkeling is supposed to be good. Along the way, we enjoyed watching the local seaweed harvesters hard at work and their bright green crops drying in the sun on rattan mats.

Yet another stunning beach in Lembongan

Locals harvest, dry and sell seaweed

Rather than joining an expensive snorkeling tour, we heard you could rent your own equipment from the little shops offshore and go by yourself, a much cheaper and hassle-free alternative. We did just that and it turned out great! Although the shallow waters and big amount of seaweed made me somewhat panic, the see-through waters and plentiful aquatic life made for a pleasant excursion.

We could have done a lot with our third day on this magically laid-back islet and had brilliant activity ideas: renting a bicycle, having a second go at snorkeling, walking uphill to a temple Chris had stumbled upon on his morning run… In the end, we did what you do best on a tropical beach – soak up the sun, read and remember to glance up and take it all in!