Nusa Lembongan
Nusa Lembongan (8 km²) is the most tourist-developed of the three islands — and the most laid-back. No cars, no hustle, no high-rise buildings: Here you ride scooters or bicycles on dusty paths between seaweed farms, surf breaks, and mangrove forests. Lembongan is the Bali of the 1990s — only with better coffee and faster Wi-Fi.
The island was traditionally a seaweed farming island — and still is to some extent. At low tide, you can see the farmers in the shallow lagoons harvesting, and the dried seaweed drying on wooden racks by the roadside. Tourism has replaced seaweed as the main source of income, but the culture lives on.
The Jungut Batu Bay on the west coast is the tourist center: hotels, restaurants, and dive schools line the beach. The Mushroom Bay in the south is the most beautiful beach — calm, clear water, ideal for swimming and snorkeling.
Dream Beach★★
Dream Beach on the southwest coast of Lembongan truly lives up to its name: a small sandy beach framed by high cliffs, accompanied by crashing waves and a dramatic panorama. However, Dream Beach is only partially suitable for swimming — the currents are strong and treacherous. But as a backdrop for a sundowner at the Dream Beach Hut Bar (one of Bali's coolest bars), it is unbeatable.
From Dream Beach, a cliff path leads east to the Devil's Tear: a rock formation where the surf shoots through narrow crevices, creating meter-high spray fountains — particularly spectacular at sunset when the light turns the spray golden.
Mangrove Forest
In the north of Lembongan, there is a surprisingly large mangrove forest, which can be explored by canoe or on an elevated wooden walkway. The mangroves are a nursery for fish, shrimp, and crabs and provide habitat for herons, kingfishers, and, with luck, monitor lizards.
Kayak tours through the mangrove roots are a magical experience — especially in the morning when it's quiet and the birds are active. Tours can be booked through the hotels or directly at the mangrove pier (from 100,000 IDR for 1 hour).
The Mangrove Boardwalk (wooden walkway) is freely accessible and offers a lovely walk through the ecosystem. Information boards explain the importance of mangroves for coastal protection and biodiversity.