In Reply to: Trawangan or Lembongan for snorkelling?? posted by Laurel on Wednesday, 24. November 2004 at 23:05 Bali Time:
I have been to lembongan but not the Gilis. Have a husband that won't travel further because you enter the malaria area, and they are Muslim islands.
So can't compare the snorkelling but can tell you that it is good snorkelling at Nusa Penida but not the places that the big tourist boats like the bali hai go. You need to get a local to take you and they anchor in a bay that is delightful and then we drift in the current along a wall until we get to where all the tourists are, and yes the coral is fairly dead at this area, unfortunately from the throwing of the anchors onto the coral.
As far as staying on lembongan, there are only a few places with all day electricity, the island generator goes from 4pm unitl 7am and all day Sunday. Lots of restaurants and all of them nice food. All the bungalows have a restaurant attached approx at least 14 along Jungabatu bay. But no night clubs and only one bar, the scooby doo bar. Not sure if the boys that run it are capable of making a cocktail.
We stay at Puri Nusa and one year the owner was drinking with us and we were all behind the bar making up cocktails, showing the staff !!!!! and having great fun. Sumbawa power was born, and the owner still laughs at the fun we had that night. By 10pm my 12 yr daughter was the only one capable of working the blender!!!