Whenever people come to Bali for the first time, they most probably will go to Nusa Penida. The first time we usually want to see the most iconic places and capture the pics we’ve seen on the web. Upon my initial arrival in Bali in 2018, I immediately journeyed to Nusa Lembongan, making it my very first destination after leaving the airport.
This was exactly what I needed after a couple of months of ruthless backpacking. Nusa Lembongan is your typical grandma’s village but tropical. There is one main road and once you turn from it there are no lights. Food in the warungs is very cheap and locals treat you like they know you.
It’s not just friendly-to-tourist, it’s like you’ve been visiting this village every summer. And I have to mention clean white sand and turquoise water beaches with very few people.
There is absolutely nothing to do there. Sure, you can go swimming with mantas and see the mangrove forest, but it will take you half a day. The perfect schedule for Nusa Lembongan is sleep, eat, chill at the beach, and a quiet mindful entertainment of your choice.
Meanwhile, you have a wide range of natural scenery in Nusa Penida. The infamous Kelingking Beach and Cliff, Diamond Beach, Rumah Pohon Treehouse, and Broken Beach. The itinerary is never changing and the main point is to take pictures. Make sure the pictures look the same as on Pinterest though.
There will be queues and it will be boiling hot. Don’t get me wrong, to each their own. I have no desire whatsoever to take a typical pic, that can be generated with AI. I know I’ll have to go there at some point just to see those wonders of nature through crowds of tourists.
Until then find me chilling at a little family-run warung in Nusa Lembongan, feeling like I am the only foreigner, who discovered this tiny island.
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