Nusa Lembongan. Island paradise located just South East of Bali, and right next to its big Brother, Nusa Panida.
If you’re looking to escape the Bintang Singlet wearing brigade, this might just be your Indonesian Island. The diving is great too.
With just a quick walk along the beach, you get to the Lembongan Dive Centre. The boat picks you up right outside, and off you go.
There’s a bit to see on the way out, like the floating playground or the sunken crane outside the famous ‘Shipwrecks’ surf spot. An epic right hander for the more advanced surfer.
One dive site I’d highly recommend is Crystal Bay – technically this is Nusa Penida though. The reef is incredibly healthy and you’re likely to see a huge variety of sea life.
One thing you’re definitely guaranteed to see are turtles. Lots of them. I wish a turtle was my totem animal. Slow and methodical. Truth is I’m a labrador though.
The more experienced divers aren’t here to see turtles though. At 30 metres that’s where you’ll find the sunfish, or Mola Mola to the locals. Mola Mola are the heaviest bony fish in the world and can grow up to 3 metres long, and 2 tonnes in weight.
The next spot I want to take you to is manta bay where I’m attempting to break my manta curse. As you can see from the footage I finally broke the curse after two decades of trying.
These gentle giants can grow up to 5 and a half metres long, and swimming with them is close to a spiritual feeling like they hold ocean secrets long forgotten by man. It’s important never to touch them as they are coated with a light natural film that protects them from illness and infection.
There are plenty of things to do above sea level in this chilled-out paradise too though. Grab a golf cart or a tuk-tuk and go exploring through town. The town is small, so it won’t take long.
Check out one of the many beach clubs with live music. It’s also mandatory to grab a cocktail or two if you’re walking past. One of my favourite bars to watch the sun go down is Lago Pontoon. To get there you grab a boat, or swim. The drinks are good, the view is good and you can dive off for a look if you’re wanting to see a little more healthy reef.
