Well Worth It: Nusa Lembongan, Indonesia

Finding more magic away from the mainland

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Apr 10, 2025

The last stop on our Indonesia tour: The Nusa islands.

This portion of the trip gave us arguably the most stunning photos of our lives. Do yourself a favor and keep reading until you get a glimpse of the Nusa Penida tour.

In the Nusa Islands, we made our home base on Nusa Lembongan—a quiet island that impressed us and challenged us to rethink how we travel. Nusa Lembongan was the refreshing shift we didn’t know we needed. It reiterated that there’s so much more to Indonesia than Bali. And we hope this post gently nudges you to consider appreciating Bali… from afar.

So if Bali’s on your list, consider this your sign to zoom out—just a little.

Our honest recommendation? Skip (or just spend a little less time) on Bali’s mainland and explore its neighbors instead—places like the Nusa and Gili Islands. This isn’t a hit piece on Bali, but a candid reflection from our experience. Tourism can be a force for good, but it can also wear down the special places people come to admire when left unchecked.

It’s no secret that Bali suffers from overtourism. Even during the rainy (slower) season, Bali felt overwhelming. The strain on space, resources, and the environment was hard to ignore. And yes, we were tourists and arguably a part of the problem. Our days in Bali made us reconsider how we want to travel—not just for our enjoyment but for the sake of the places we visit.

We want to prioritize spending time in smaller, less-traveled places when possible. Our stops for the rest of this 6-month trip are mostly set, but our goal is to move away from tourist epi-centers and find spots less strained by overtourism. It won’t be perfect, but we hope to make more mindful moves when possible.

As a traveler, how do you practice more mindful tourism? Let us know your perspective. We’re learning.

The Destination: Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Lembongan is one of three Nusa Islands off the southeastern coast of Bali, easily accessible via a 30-minute fast boat ride from Sanur, Bali. However, we arrived in Nusa Lembongan via fast boat from Gili Air. The boat trip was pleasant and took about two hours. It wasn’t like any of the horror stories we saw on Instagram.

We chose to have our home base in Nusa Lembongan, instead of Nusa Pendia, to have better views of Bali and be closer to the ferry port in Sanur for our return journey.

On our Ferry from Gili Air to Nusa Lembogan, we were dropped off at Mushroom Bay - a gorgeous, flat white sand beach. There wasn’t a pier, so we got off the ferry in calf-deep water to walk to shore. A small inconvenience, but wear sandals for easy on and off of the ferries.

Nusa Lembongan is the perfect antidote to Bali’s crowds and provides more infrastructure than Gili Air. But the most compelling reason to visit is the access to Indonesia’s crown jewels: Nusa Penida’s epic cliffs and beaches. All our favorite viewpoints are in the post below!

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What to expect in Nusa Lembongan:

Getting There & Getting Around - Easier Than Expected

You're dropped off right on Mushroom Bay Beach. No pier, just some shallow water to traverse before you're met with a group of taxi drivers. Expect this to run 150-200k IDR for transport to your hotel.

Unlike the flat terrain of Gili Air, Nusa Lembongan has a lot of hills, so walking with all our things wasn’t an option. We waved down a cab and were on our way to our hotel (rideshare apps like Grab haven’t made it here just yet). Many of the hotels are in walkable areas.

Sunsets, Big Sky, Accessible Beaches

Nusa Lembogan is most heavily populated on the western side of the island. There's a concentration of places on the northern part as well as a little more south in Mushroom Bay. All areas have beautiful beaches that are incredibly easy to pop onto. There aren't strict private entrances or minimum spend Beach Clubs holding you back like we've seen in other parts of the world — we’re looking at you Tulum.

One of the best things about Nusa Lembongan is that you don’t have to go anywhere or plan anything if you don’t want to. While we recommend a tour of Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan itself is gorgeous. Staying at a beachfront hotel with a pool means you could easily spend your entire stay in sunset paradise—no need to leave until it’s time to head home.

That can’t be said about a lot of our stops that require a taxi somewhere, a long walk to a viewpoint, or daily tours to see the beauty. The sunrises, sunsets, and beautiful beaches are front and center without lifting a finger.

A stranger asked to take our photo while we were enjoying the sunset.

Well Worth It Eats

Heads up: Since our time on Nusa Lembongan was short, we didn’t eat out as many meals. This section is a bit smaller than normal, but here are the highlights.

Pemedal Beach Resort - Our Stay & Ultimate Sunset Spot

After picking a few meh spots on the island the first night and walking into a gorgeous sunset over the resort’s pool, we both felt silly for not just eating there. They were even playing Leon Bridges! What were we thinking?

On the first night, Justin complimented a man’s tuna plate, and it turns out he was a boat captain guide who had the restaurant grill his group’s catch. Thirty minutes later, the boat captain brought over all the tuna they couldn’t finish to us. These are the travel stories we both treasure. The second night, after our day tour, we opted for the actually-on-the-menu seafood platter.

The convenience of having an oceanfront restaurant at our Airbnb made dining here a win. The fresh seafood dishes, traditional Indonesian plates, and beachside breakfast made this spot a favorite. Bean bag chairs under these stars and a purple sunset. This is our happy place.

Makataki Resort - Breakfast Buffet

We always say we’re not buffet people, but sometimes, they’re the most practical option—or they just happen to hit the spot. While out on a run, Justin stumbled across a resort buffet with all the things we’d been missing: crispy bacon, fresh sourdough, yogurt, and best of all, unlimited coffee.

It ended up being a perfect setup. We built our breakfast sandwiches, smoothie bowls, and coffee drinks just the way we like them. After weeks of eating out, it felt good to just handle our own food without worrying about special requests or substitutions.

We had a slow, relaxed morning and even squeezed in time to finalize some wedding planning. (Oh yeah, we’re getting married in October!) Since it was a travel day back to Bali, loading up on a big breakfast made things easier—we didn’t have to stress about squeezing in lunch before checkout.

Pro Tip: On big travel days, we stack our meals early—think hearty breakfasts or late brunches—and always pack snacks for the road. A refillable water bottle is a must, and while we’ve been handed more plastic bottles than we’d like to admit, we do our best to reduce and reuse.

Bonus: Making our own coffee not only saves money, it also helps cut down on single-use cups.

Well Worth It Experiences & Adventures

Full-Day Beach & Cliff Tour: Nusa Penida

Our first look at Manta Rays in Nusa Penida.

One of the biggest draws of staying in Nusa Lembongan is the easy access to Nusa Penida. They are connected via ferry. We booked a full-day tour that included a fast ferry, a scenic drive, and stops at some of the most breathtaking sights we’ve ever seen:

Atuh Beach & Diamond Beach – Two of the most stunning beaches in the world, framed by dramatic cliffs and turquoise waters.
Molenteng Hill – A viewpoint that felt straight out of a dream, offering panoramic views of the coastline.
Angel’s Billabong & Broken Beach – A natural infinity pool and a picturesque cove carved by the sea. We even saw a pack of black Manta Rays here! The most incredible way to end the day.

Nusa Penida is raw, rugged, and breathtaking. The roads are rough, and the hikes can be steep, but every bit of effort is worth it. Big strenuous hikes humble us and remind us why staying physically fit is a core value. We want to do this as long as we can!

As gorgeous as the pool photos are, it's truly one of those places you must see in person to really appreciate.

Cost: $49 per person
Includes
- Hotel Pickup / Drop-off From Nusa Lembongan
- Ferry to Nusa Penida
- Private driver for the 8-hour tour
- Lunch

Well Worth It Stays

Pemedal Beach Resort

We lucked out with this beachfront resort. Our bungalow was steps from the sand, and the pool overlooked the ocean. The sunsets here were unreal, with hues of pink, purple, and orange lighting up the sky behind Bali’s Mount Agung. We caught ourselves asking: Is the sky bigger in Indonesia? But seeing the stars appear as the sun set made us feel like we were in a real-life planetarium. The location was perfect—quiet but still very walkable and close to the island’s main street.

Well Worth It Wellness

Running Paths

No official gym sessions were had, but we snuck in some sunrise running, and our bodies enjoyed the flat terrain. With its relatively small size and coastal paths, Nusa Lembongan is made for an excellent (and scenic) running route. Early morning jogs were the perfect way to start the day.

What we missed:

Lombok 4-day Boat Tour - This is on our bucket list for when we come back!
Mangrove Forest Tour – We heard great things about kayaking through the mangroves. While we didn’t get to do the full tour, we did get to walk through them on as a halfway stopping point on our sunrise run.
Mangrove Forest

What we learned:

Short On Time? Pack It In.

Sometimes, you just need to go all-in on the full-day tours — especially when your stay is short. We’re so glad we were able to see all of Nusa Penida. Have a good attitude, pack lots of snacks, stay hydrated, and remember that at the end of it all, you’ll remember what you saw — not how exhausted you were in the moment.

But Make Time to Rest, Reset, and Reflect

Go, go, go. That’s how most days have felt over the past couple of months, but you must bookend chaos with calm. We always try to bake in time to decompress, as well as have alone time to care for ourselves. Alone time when you travel with a partner is another lesson learned. When you spend 24-7 with someone, you need to stay in touch with yourself. We do this through separate workouts, activities, and journaling.

Try our favorite busy day or travel day remedy. Turn off the lights. Lay down. Play a 30-minute sound bath on Spotify. (Search something like “Relaxing Crystal Bowl Sound Bath”) Rest, reset, and reflect to get ready for your next steps.

What we spent per person in Nusa Lembongan: $187

Number of days: 3
Here’s a link to our full spending breakdown by location if you’re interested.

This includes accommodations, excursions, transportation, dining out, groceries, gym…everything we promise.

Wrapping It Up

Nusa Lembongan reminded us that the best moments come from slow mornings, borrowed tuna, and landscapes that make you feel small. This stop was a quiet but meaningful pivot point —one that helped us realign and reflect on what truly brings us joy when we travel.

Here’s another thing we’re learning: Just because a place is on everyone’s bucket list doesn’t mean it has to be on yours. Not every spot will be worth it for you—and that’s okay.

Before you book your next flight, try this: Write down 10 things that make you feel alive. If your destination doesn’t check at least half of those boxes, maybe keep looking. The world is big, beautiful, and full of places that don’t have a million Instagram tags—and those just might be the ones that mean the most to you.

We’re leaving Indonesia grateful—not just for the postcard photos but for all the moments that made us more resilient, more present, and more adaptable.

Do you have any questions about our time in Nusa Lembongan? Leave a comment below!

Coming up next: Our Vietnam Chapter Begins

We left Nusa Lembogan by ferry and arrived back to Sanur for a single night at a homestay to reset, repack, and get geared up for country number three - Vietnam. Our first stop in Vietnam is Hanoi, the capital and second-most populous city of Vietnam.

We made the most of the last night in Indonesia by trying one more dish on our bucket list: Martabak, a street food found all over Indonesia. Martabak’s can be sweet or savory, and vendors all have their spin on the texture and fillings.

Think of martabak as a thick, indulgent pancake/bread hybrid that’s folded over and stuffed with fillings. It's crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. It’s cooked (probably covered in butter and oil), then cut into squares to share (or not—we don’t judge).

Common sweet fillings: chocolate sprinkles, crushed peanuts, condensed milk, cheese, Nutella, or banana. Common savory fillings: Eggs, minced meat, scallions, and spices. We tried both - for research, duh. One chocolate almond and one special-style with chicken wrapped with an egg. Peep at the grease on that box!

Alirghty, that’s all for now. Here we come, Hanoi!

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