Three Nights on the Nusa Islands
A Three-Night Plan
Lembongan, Ceningan and Penida make a natural three-night trip, all in Klungkung Regency. Base yourself on Lembongan, where beds, food and dive shops are, and treat the other two islands as outings. Build a spare half day into the plan, because swell can cancel boats.
Day 1, arrival. Take a morning fast boat from Sanur, which takes about 30 minutes. Drop your bags, visit the Gala-Gala Underground House in Lembongan Village, walk to the Yellow Bridge, and finish with sunset at the Sandy Bay Beach Club. Sunsets here face the open ocean, and Mount Agung lies to the north-north-east across the strait, so the sun never sets behind it.
Day 2, Ceningan. Cross the Yellow Bridge on foot, by bicycle or by scooter. Look at the Blue Lagoon from the path, stop at Mahana Point and Sea Breeze, then return for the mangroves in the afternoon at mid to high tide.
Day 3, snorkel boat and Penida. Join a snorkel tour with Manta Bay and Crystal Bay stops, both off Nusa Penida. You can then continue by public boat from the Yellow Bridge to Toyapakeh, about IDR 50,000 to 60,000 one way, and hire a car with a driver for the west-coast viewpoints. Allow time for the last boat back.
Surf and Dive Stays
For a dive course, stay at Jungut Batu and allow three to four days for the Open Water certificate. Surfers should plan around the April to October season. Playgrounds is the gentle break, while Lacerations and Shipwrecks are shallow reef breaks for stronger surfers. In the dry season the water is cold from July to October, at about 18 to 22 C, which is also when mola mola visit the deep walls.
Onward to Padang Bai
Two companies run daily return boats from Lembongan to Padang Bai on the east of Bali, taking about 45 minutes. This is a handy way to continue east without returning to Sanur.
The Gili Islands Are Far Away
The Gili Islands belong to Lombok, a different province, and the boat ride takes two to three hours. They are not a Lembongan day trip, so treat them as a separate stop.
Dates and Weather
The dry season from April to October brings calm crossings. From November to March swell builds, with 1 to 2 metre seas in January and February, and boats are cancelled. Nyepi, the Balinese day of silence, falls on 9 March 2027, and no boats run that day.
Costs to Add Up
International visitors pay the IDR 150,000 Bali levy once for the whole trip, not per island. A small entry fee of about IDR 25,000 per adult covers the Nusa islands. Fast boat fares vary widely, with standard one-way tickets commonly between IDR 150,000 and 275,000, and cheaper returns.
Read more: Lembongan day trips gives detail on the Ceningan and Penida outings.
Visit the Sandy Bay Beach Club site for its pool and rooms, and the Lembongan Traveller fast boat guide for operators. Stays can be searched on Booking.com .