We celebrated my birthday this past weekend on Nusa Lembongan, an island around 12 miles South East from Bali's mainland. It was such a special trip! Here are some photos, if you'd like to see.
Relaxing by the pool.
We caught a speed boat from Sanur (in Bali) to Lembongan and we were there in half an hour. We stayed at Batu Karang, a boutique resort carved into the hillside overlooking the ocean. The view from our balcony was epic - sea, boats, and Mount Agung (an active volcano!) in the distance.
The view from our villa, with Mount Agung in the distance.
The three of us slept so well at Batu Karanga and we've been trying to figure out their secret. Was it the mattress? Feng Sui? The cocktails? Lembongan island vibes? Who knows, but it worked a treat!
Justin and Rosie checking out the views from our balcony!
I never tire of the beautiful Balinese tradition of outdoor bathrooms!
Lembongan is small, around 3 square miles, with a population of around 5000 people. The island is all about laid back beach vibes, white sand, crystal clear turquoise water, snorkeling and diving (the reefs are pristine), winding roads, mangrove forests, local villages, beach bars, and a spot of seaweed farming.
We spent our time exploring the island by motorbike (there are no cars on the island!), scuba diving, swimming, and enjoying the delicious food and cocktails on offer.
Puttering around and getting a feel for the island.
Mama Mia makes a good Gin Fizz and offers some pretty awesome views!
The view from the bar at Mama Mia, overlooking a seaweed farm.
This was basically our mantra while we were on Lembongan...
Mushroom Bay, another gorgeous beach.
Sand underfoot, and such a sweet combination of footprints (bare feet, flip flops and sea birds)!
Boats and mangrove trees...
A swing overlooking Dream Beach.
Justin is very excited to have discovered Dream Beach!
Some of the bungalows at Dream Beach.
HIGHLIGHTS & RECOMMENDATIONS
The Deck is a great place to hangout. Their coffee is good, and their cocktails are world class. I'd highly recommend the the Thailander (chili and kaffir lime leaf infused vodka, Malibu, and muddled lime, ginger, lemongrass and fresh chili) - delicious!
Indiana Kenanga is the finest restaurant on the island. Their French head chef was in the kitchen on the night that we dined, and we were blown away by the quality of the food. We weren’t expecting to find (delicious) foie gras on offer?!
We dove with World Diving Lembongan and had a great experience. We’ll definitely dive with them again in the future.
On the Southern tip of the island, stop off at Mama Mia for a drink overlooking the seaweed farm. The view is spectacular.
Muntigs Restaurant at Batu Karang Resort was also fantastic (great location and quality food), and was incredibly child friendly. In particular, the lamb shank was exceptional.
We had a lovely afternoon lunching and hanging out by the pool at Lembongan Beach Club. The resort is right on the sand, and the rooms are stylish and spacious.
Dream Beach is aptly named. It's picture perfect. Sometimes the seas get rough here and make swimming a bit dangerous... but you can always retreat to Cafe Pandan, perched on top of the cliff overlooking the beach, for a cocktail and dip in the pool.
The picture perfect sand and sea at Dream Beach. It doesn't get much better than this!
NEXT TIME
I heard that Nyoman's Warung serves the best local eats on the island, but we ran out of time. We also didn't make it to neighboring Nusa Penida or Nusa Ceningan on this visit... but I have a funny feeling we'll be back!
Until next time!