Bali has been romanticized in books and movies for its dreamy temples and the sacred vibes, but these days, it’s lost a lot of its charm due to the overwhelming popularity. Thankfully there’s another option – the Nusa Islands.
The Nusa Islands are, to me, the perfect option for those who want to experience Bali without the crowds and traffic. The culture is much the same, but the beaches and surf breaks have far fewer people, especially Nusa Ceningan.
It’s often referred to as the Bali of 30 years ago.
There are three Nusa islands and they’re easy to reach via a short ferry ride from Bali.
Nusa Ceningan is the smallest, nestled between Lembongan and Penida. While it’s not nearly as popular as Nusa Lembongan, I actually think it’s the much, much better option between the two. It’s quieter, more beautiful, and has less traffic.
I stayed on Nusa Lembongan and did a quick day trip over to Ceningan, however I’d reverse it if I were to do it over again, and stay on Ceningan and bike over to Lembongan for the main sights like Devil’s Tears.
For the best way to get to Nusa Ceningan, read the first section of the Lembongan guide for the ferry info from Bali, then take a motorbike over the yellow bridge – it’s quick and easy. If you’d rather not take a motorbike, you can get a truck ride over to the crossing, take a short boat ride over, and ask your accommodation on Ceningan to come pick you up. They may even be willing to do so from Lembongan.
Things to do
It’s easy to hit the main tourist attractions on Nusa Ceningan in an afternoon, though if you pool and beach club-hop around the island, it could easily stretch into a nice relaxing week! These are a few of the highlights:
The Sand
Upon crossing the bridge over to Ceningan you’ll notice how dazzlingly blue and clear the water is. I’ve honestly never seen a shade that baby blue anywhere else. If you veer right, one of the first things you’ll come to is The Sand, a funky, open air bar and restaurant.
I loved the light colors of the driftwood bar, the swings, and especially the hammocks over the water! They have a daily happy hour starting at 4pm and when I went, three puppies (though they do tend to grow). I love that they serve their drinks with paper straws as well. A+ for caring about the environment, guys!
The Blue Lagoon
About 3 minutes from The Sand you’ll see a sign for the Blue Lagoon on your left and trust me when I say you’ve never seen water this baby blue in your life. I’ve searched high and low all over the tropics and it just isn’t this hue anywhere else!
The cliffs over the water provide the perfect vantage point for the amazing lagoon. There’s also a cliff jump, which you can see directly across from me in the photo above, though rumor is it’s now closed due to the dangers. That said, it’s easy enough to walk to if you’re determined. You’ll need to keep an eye on the waves for safety’s sake if you decide to attempt it.
Mahana Point Cliff Jump
For a smaller and more manageable cliff jump, you’ll find Mahana Point across the street from the Blue Lagoon. It’s a bit annoying as the small jump costs 25,000 IDR and the higher one costs 50,000 IDR per jump, so there aren’t that many people jumping.
However, the restaurant at the Point serves up a nice no-frills lunch and the view of the surfers and Bali’s Mt. Agung in the background sure is beautiful.
Secret Beach
Secret Beach is another popular stop on Nusa Ceningan and while lovely, this is probably best for at least a few hours of chilling and eating rather than for a quick dip. The hotel on the beach, Villa Trevally, requests that those who use the beach at least spend 35k at the restaurant, or 100k for use of the pool and the beach. The road to get there leaves much to be desired as well.
At this point I was a bit annoyed that everything seemed to be privatized and cost money to enjoy so I kept exploring.
Zipline at Driftwood Bar
The Zipline at Driftwood Bar is probably one of the most picturesque ziplines in the world, zooming over that baby blue water. It’s a short zipline and costs 80k. Afterwards, enjoy the infinity pool and the view.
Surf
Ceningan is another great spot on the Nusa Islands for surfing. The main spot is near Mahana Point as mentioned above. When I was there, I only saw 5 surfers in the water. Not bad if you want a wave almost to yourself!
Diving and Snorkeling Excursions
You’ll see diving and snorkeling shops all over the island, though Ceningan Divers has the best reviews. Dive in the mangroves, rent a SUP, and take a snorkeling tour over to Penida to swim with the Manta Rays.
Yoga
If you’re into yoga, you can get your fix without having to travel over to Nusa Lembongan! Ceningan Yoga Shala offers classes for every skill level. My only yoga experience was at Yoga Shack on Nusa Lembongan so I can’t comment on the quality of classes, though it’s rated well on Trip Advisor. Find the schedule here.
When it comes to laid back islands with plenty of comfortable accommodation options, Nusa Ceningan seems perfect to me. Though I wish some of the activities, like beaches and cliff jumping, were free. That said, other awesome things like the bridge crossing, the Blue Lagoon, and surfing all were, so it’s all about balance!
If you’re deciding between Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan, I hope this edged you a bit closer towards Ceningan. It’s so laid back and gorgeous!
Ijana Loss says
You’ve written about so many cool unknown Indonesia spots! I mean, there are probably a lot of them considering there are only a few really famous areas and yet Indonesia has approximately 2 billion islands. But I’m so glad you’re writing about them because otherwise I would have no clue they existed. I want to explore them all if I ever base myself in Asia to teach English!
Kristin says
I want to explore more of them too. They’re all so different and interesting!
GG says
This, along with previous posts, is a nice guide to replacing what was lost in Bali with the beauty of the Nusas. Sorry this happened to Bali. On an offbeat topic, I was curious about cliff jumping after reading this and the safety concerns (I have seen these everywhere and stupidly assumed if supervised, are perfectly safe). Thanks Kristin as always about identifying the risks of these things (if one wants to do it, at least be educated). I think everything comes with risk and one needs to use common sense. From what I researched regarding the Blue Lagoon, it was an official closure, with “prohibited” meaning “rather you don’t, we abandoned it, but if you do so, do it at your own risk” (apparently there are locals when the tide is right who on rare occasion come there ad hoc, drop a ladder, egg on some people, make you sign a waiver and “supervise” jumps for a nominal fee!) I dare to guess, but Australian tourism is big in the Bali area and I found articles in 2014 from Australian articles focusing on injuries and pointing to Blue Lagoon as an example and it seemed to close around then (just a theory!). Not saying this is a safe jump by any means and it sounds dangerous, but that actually all jumps have risk, even those at lesser heights, smoother seas, or overseen by someone and charging a fee (claiming it safe), and what I found below might be valuable to help prevent injury wherever one goes to jump. Before that do want to say based on what I read this is not an activity that should be done under the influence and by yourself (i.e., no one else in sight). I used to jump from boards at swimming pools at 10m as a kid (when they were allowed, it is amazing what we could get away with!) and it was thrilling, so I would do this activity all day if I felt safe about it. There are jumps from platforms into peaceful, deep lagoons that might be more up my alley though!
Looking at Trip Advisor (as you did Kristin and recommended), I found excerpts from one review of “Blue Lagoon Cliff Jump” that sums up how I think one could ideally approach these cliff jumps to have the thrill while being safe and smart about it, this is specific to Blue Lagoon, but could be anywhere, titled “Scary and Glorious Jump” which essentially said:
1. Went to Blue Lagoon just to check the cliff jump out.
2. Unsure since was completely abandoned, with no ladder to climb up
3. Listed the steps on how they did it, first swimming close to the landing area
4. Checked for waves, tides and currents (the current was not bad, there was some)
5. With snorkel gear confirmed that it was going to be deep enough
6. Demonstrated that they could swim to the side, and climb up to the jump spot safely (need footwear), although a little of a workout. A good further test that the waves weren’t too strong.
7. Jump was great from highest cliff (13m I assume, there are lower ones apparently), recommends perfect vertical landing, dangerous if can’t control your body in the air to prepare for landing-common sense.
8. Had a captain on a boat waiting for them during the adventure.
9. Ended with this quote; “i would say, check for water and surrounding conditions yourself and make sure you are not risking your life. If one of the conditions are not right, think it twice. It could be dangerous – It is at your risk!” I like this, patience. If determined to do this, the opportunity will come!
Kristin says
Thanks for researching that! How helpful š Good to know that it could be an issue coming back up and that they had a boat at the bottom. That’s a big part of the jump – what happens after!
Rob Morris says
Great photos Kristin, I’ve only been able to visit Nusa Ceningan for a day trip but this article will be great for my next visit.
Shona says
Hey Kristina, Love all the details you have provided above. Me & my husband have come up with an impromptu plan to spend a week at the Nusa Islands. Would love to hear your recommendations on stay (maybe Nusa Ceningan).
Kristin says
I thought that sunrise bungalows there looked pretty good!
Andi says
Hi, Iām at Nusa Ceningan now and it is truly spectacular. Thank you for the terrific guide; it is helping me navigate a one week stay. One tip: unless you want to drive a scooter and eat out every night, get groceries before the ferry. There are zero stores here and the restaurant choices are a bit slim. But absolutely incredible and such an escape from Bali chaos.
Kristin says
Oh I didn’t think of groceries. Have you been able to find a kitchen? Clearly, lol. If so share where!
Andi says
Luckily we have a kitchen because our villa is out of this world BUT there is nothing to cook in the kitchen. After major searching, we found a bag of corn chips, noodles and two Snickers bars. The restaurants are pretty grim. So while it may seem like a major hassle before you come, getting groceries on Bali is key. But this island is hands down the best part of Bali and what they lack in food, they make up in scenery, people, clear streets and breathtaking experiences.
IQ says
Thanks so much for this! We were about to book a place on Lembongan for our Bali trip in July, but your post made us change our minds and book a few nights on Ceningan instead. Best decision ever! Ceningan turned out to be the highlight of our entire trip.
Kristin says
Yay that’s so wonderful! It’s a much nicer island to stay on š
Lebo says
Where in ceningan did you guys stay?