A stay on Nusa Lembongan has always been on out 'to do' list and this trip we allotted three nights. Oh my golly gosh, what have we been missing out on!!. Sorry to harp on but this may be a long read.
We transferred over on the 'Scoot' speed boat from Sanur, which was fast and efficient, at what seemed a premium rate. (The wife suggested I should have haggled?) Jumping off at the beach many locals were lined up to cart away peoples luggage to various accommodations. I learnt later that they also line up to giggle at the Westerners who fall over disembarking in the swell. Now that's my type of humour, a live Funniest Home Videos!!
Our stay was at the Lembongan Island Beach Villas (LIBV). Hello, I have died and gone to heaven. This place was just great!! Our fantastic villa was perched on the hill with sweeping views over looking the bay and across to the spectacular Mt Agung on mainland Bali. Each morning we were delivered continental breakfasts on our balcony. Each evening we spent time winding down after dinner, sitting there watching the twinkling of the lights, the seaweed farmers going about their work and soaking it all up.
LIBV is made up of 11 two-three bedroom units (some with plunge pools). They are modern, spacious and all the bedrooms have aircon. There is one villa which backs onto the reception with no view. They originally wanted to put us there, which would have been a bum steer, but we fixed that promptly.
Yes there are a lot of steps, (ps. Your on a steep headland). But unlike the Peneeda View its not very slippery because, guess what the groundsmen are constantly using? .... Yes a 'Karcher', which brightens it all up as well.
There is a cooling infinity pool and bar at the bottom which is a hop skip and a jump from the main beach. The pool bar does snacks but no dinners. Will we return here ... definitely .... we reckon for 5-6 days next time. We had been monitoring the rate on Wotif but June is the start of the high season on Lembongan so we had to ring direct and do some bartering on the room price. When it's on Wotif in the shoulder and low season the rate is very reasonable and a 'plunge pool villa' for us would be the only way to go.
Dinner was had the first evening at the Reef Restaurant (about 30 meters away) and the fare was good.
The next day we organised a snorkelling trip with 'Captain Nemo' who hangs out nearby outside the Playgrounds Resort when he's free. Our kids snorkelled last year off Koh Tao in Thailand and they started off very apprehensive then, but loved it. We went through the same thing this time but Captain Nemo was very patient and after a while they were off exploring all over the place. Having a size 13 foot meant I was the only sucker without fins. Without fins meant I swam on the spot a few times against the current. Mental note, bring own fins next time!
Nemo took us to a few great snorkelling spots and circumnavigated us around Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. The swell was up on the way back pounding parts of Lembongan with huge white water sprays hitting the coast, .... Very speccy!.
As there are very limited cars and trucks on Lembongan everyone gets about on automatic mopeds, which are cheap as chips to hire. So that afternoon we rented two scooters for a couple of days. I have a motorbike at home but the wife has never ridden a powered bike before, this was going to be interesting. We took the kids pushbike helmets and tandemed them about. First wobbly corner and the wife drops the front end into a drain. No damage except a bruised ego, and our son saying that she was going to kill him and he didn't want to get back on. There were some firm words from the wife and off we go. Again, my type of humour HAHA!
We then rode down to Mangoes beach and then along the coast to Dream Beach for a drink where we watched the local grommets tackling the swell. Dinner that night was at Lindas Restaurant, again food was fine. Big servings and cold beer.
I have read a few reports that some people find Lembongan a bit dirty, compared to other parts of Bali, .. I beg to differ. The next morning I was up early for a walk around the village. The locals were all up & busy, collecting and laying out the seaweed to dry. The main beach was then swept and any bottles and rubbish washed up was duly taken away. There were some piles of bottles between shacks but they were for recycling. People had baskets of rubbish outside their houses and shacks and one of the few trucks getting about was a huge garbage truck collecting it all. I think these people truly know where their bread is buttered. Seaweed farming and tourism totally depends on a clean sea and coastline. I like to see modern culture in action. For me it's great to see the early morning, things like, wood smoke in the palms, blokes stroking their pet (probably fighting) roosters and kids chatting away in their immaculate school uniforms.
Day two and there was more exploring on scooters, Tamarind Beach, Mushroom Beach, Dream Beach, Devils Tear, and a bit of Ceningan Island across the narrow bridge. The wife came a cropper at about 2km/h in the mud which left me in hysterics again. As you can tell there is little compassion amongst us. Heaven help me if I contract 'Man Flu'.
Sorry for rambling ..... I did notice out near Swallows Point on Nusa Ceningan they were developing some large wooden framed stilted villas with top views. I noticed a sign which read AUD $10000 single bedroom and $25000 family villa. Geez if you were a hermit or had robbed a bank or just wanted to surf for a few years this seemed a cheap option.
Anyway we loved Lembongan. The tourists seem to be made up of backpackers, surfers, mid range families (some attracted by the surf breaks) and a few high end tourists tucked into places like the Batu Karang and Indian Kenanga. We did check out the Batu Karang where we were promptly whisked around in a golf cart up multiple bends to the 3 bedroom family villas at the top. Wow!, the views and the pools were magnificent. At US $750 a night we might stay there if we win the lotto. I don't know if we would easily mingle with the other patrons though.
Dinner on our final night was Thai at Ketuts Warung which was our culinary highlight of Lembongan. It is set back from Jungutbatu Beach and quite hard to find. This is not a flash joint and a unique & bizarre dining experience. You sit down with a chatty family at a big table. The Dad knocked a few tunes out on his recorder and their new petty puppy kept the kids engaged. The menu has no prices but fear not it is super cheap. I had an exceptional Pad Thai and the wife dined on chicken & cashews. The kids had toasted sandwiches (AKA Jaffles) and spring rolls (AKA Lumpia). Oh I'm sorry did I mention lumpia, .... yes this was the lumpia find of the century!!.
The Mum makes them fresh a few times a week and this is the day to get them. There are three to a plate. They are scrumptious and larger than a McDonald Apple Pie. A meal in itself for my nine year old who has an incredible fang on him.
Next morning we lazed about til midday and caught the Scoot back to Sanur with a transfer included to our next digs in Nusa Dua,
Coming in Part 4 Nusa Dua