Carlotta Arona

Tag: Nusa Lembongan

  • Nusa Lembongan – Bali

    Nusa Lembongan – Bali

    Finally, after what seems like an eternity, here I am back in the tropics. Back in my natural habitat.
    Yes, those who know me well, know that I am at my happiest where it’s hot.

    Almost 2 weeks ago we landed in Bali for a 4-week vacation. It is kind of a strange vacation because, to be honest, I feel like I leave here. As soon as we stepped out of the airport I was welcomed by the unmistakable smell of Bali. Incense and frangipani…a bit of pollution as well but hey that was ignored for a moment.

    I had teary eyes on our taxi ride from the airport to our accommodation in Sanur, only 20 minutes away. While feeling happy, free and liberated, I felt the old self me.

    Nusa Lembongan, Little Paradise

    As I write this, I am sitting outside our home, for the time being, a cosy bungalow in Nusa Lembongan a small island only a few kilometres from the south-east coast of Bali.

    Kubu Sunset, Nusa lembongan Bali, Indonesia

    It is very easy to get to Nusa Lembongan by speedboat from Bali. There are many services departing throughout the day from the north of Sanur beach provided by several operators.

    We picked Sunrise speedboats. Actually, we did not have much of a choice as we were lead there by a friendly local. We paid 550,000 Rupiah each for an open return ticket that includes pick up and drop off from/to your hotel.

    Prices are very similar to all the operators. They range between 500,000 and 550,000 Rupiah return and they all include pick up and drop off to/from your accommodation.

    It takes approximately 30 minutes to reach Nusa Lembongan.

    A Comfortable Home

    We arrived at Jungutbatu, the main village on the Island, and then transported on a local transport to our accommodation, Kubu Homestay, only a few minutes walk from Mushroom Bay and just around the corner from Sunset point.

    We love it here. Komang and Kadek, our hosts, and their 3 lovely children are wonderful and very welcoming. They make sure their guests have a good time. There is a nice view of the sea just behind some empty land opposite the guest house, which makes me think that probably in no time there will be some other property built on it obstructing the view.

    One of the reasons why we picked Kubu Sunset is because there is a pool. It is perfect to chill out when returning from the beach in the afternoon.

    Kubu Sunset, Nusa Lembongan Bali, Travel to Indonesia, Indonesia Travel

    It does not feel like a holiday. In fact, it is not a holiday. It is a home for now. Let’s say we relocated here for few weeks. At the end of the day, home is where you park your bags.

    Click here to check availability at Kubu Sunset and claim your €15 discount on your stay! It’s a gift from me, everybody loves a discount.

    Have you been to Nusa Lembongan? Share your thoughts and experience in the comments 🙂

  • Did We Find Mantas in Nusa Lembongan?

    Did We Find Mantas in Nusa Lembongan?

    Nusa Lembongan is a very small island in the south of Bali. It can be easily reached by ferry from Sanur in only 30 minutes.

    After Tulamben we drove back to Sanur and the next day we headed to Lembongan.

    Reason why I wanted to go there, besides having heard it is a beautiful island perfect to chill out, was because until then I had never ever seen a Manta Ray!!

    There is a dive site close to the island called Manta Point and it is almost guaranteed to see a Manta Ray every dive. I was craving for seeing a Manta. I had only seen it in pictures and videos or heard stories from other divers. I always seemed not to be in the right place when Mantas were seen.

    I remember last year in Pulau Weh coming back from a dive, a group of divers saw five mantas and we didn’t even see the shadow of them! (and we were in the same dive site!).

    Dom was lucky to see a few when he was working on one of the liveaboards in Koh Lipe, now I wanted to see them. Or at least one. It was also still Mola Mola season (Sun Fish) and there was good chances to spot them here.

    After a short ferry ride we arrived in Nusa Lembongan and headed straight to Drift Divers, a dive shop that was recommended to us by a couple of diving instructors we met in Pulau Weh, and booked the dives for the next day.

    It was October and low season so there was not many divers around, but the owner of the dive shop agreed to take us to Manta Point and Crystal Bay (this one is the dive site for Mola Mola). Awesome all sorted!

    Now we needed accommodation which wasn’t difficult to find since a friend of the shop owner sorted us out with a room at a very cute resort on the beach called Linda Bungalows and a motorbike. We had a room at the top of the building with awesome views over the surf brake.

    Massive waves could be seen every day with brave surfers riding them. We learned later that that particular surf spot is called “Laceration Point”, only for the very experienced surfers.

    The beaches of Nusa Lembongan are being used as seaweed farms. The locals work hard to grow and harvest seaweed which is then sent to the main cities or exported internationally to make beauty and health products.

    The locals, mainly the elderly population, work very hard in the seaweed farms, all day long. If they are not harvesting with their feet in the water, they are sorting out the crops sitting under the hot sun.

    The next morning we woke up nice and early to join the dive trip. I was very excited but I tried not to expect too much since I might have been out of luck again.

    After about a 30 minutes boat ride we got to the dive site, Manta Point. Our guide told us we were going to stay shallow, max 10 meters and look for Mantas.

    We hit the water and descended. The water was quite refreshing, about 22C. It was the coldest I have ever been diving! Dom and I were wearing two wetsuits and it still felt quite chilling. After about 15 minutes into the dive one Manta passed over our heads.

    That was it, I thought. Finally I saw a Manta and I wasn’t as excited as I thought I would be (maybe I was disappointed cause it was only one and it passed by rather quickly!). Then another… and nothing else. I was almost disappointed now but then… I couldn’t believe my eyes! Six of them (I mean S I X!) all together came towards us and just danced and played on top of our heads for about twenty minutes!!

    That was absolutely magical, awesome and almost unreal. I was there, at last, with these beautiful creatures. It was overwhelming and I was so happy I could experience it with Dom. There we were Dom, I, another diver, our guide and six Mantas. An exclusive treat, I’d say. I was happy.

    When we ended the dive and went back to the surface, we noticed at least another five boats but none of the divers saw the Mantas. That was a lucky dip!

    We headed to Crystal Bay and half hour into the dive we spotted a Mola Mola. Unfortunately it was quite far away, but at least we saw it. It was an amazing lucky day! We didn’t do any more dives afterwards. We were happy to have seen what we had come to see.

    We spent the following days chilling out, exploring and drinking cold Bintang. We stayed in Lembongan for a week and then headed back to Bali. Dom had to catch a plane to get back to New Zealand and I was going to travel Indonesia for another month and a half before joining him in his Country.