Where to stay in Nusa Lembongan

Jungutbatu is the island's main settlement, strung along a beach that serves as the primary landing for the fast boats from Sanur. It has the widest choice of guesthouses, warungs and dive shops, and a long beachfront good for sunset views back towards Bali and Mount Agung. Surf breaks lie just offshore, and seaweed farming still goes on at the southern end. It is the most convenient and social base, though the beach doubles as a working harbour and can be busy with boat traffic.

Mushroom Bay is a small, sheltered cove south of Jungutbatu, named for the mushroom coral offshore, with clearer water for swimming and snorkelling than the main village beach. It has a cluster of small resorts and beachfront restaurants and a more relaxed feel, though day-trip boats do pull in during the day. It suits travellers who want a prettier swimming beach and a quieter base while staying within a short ride of the village. Access is by a hilly road or by boat around the headland.

The south of Lembongan around the Yellow Bridge, and neighbouring Nusa Ceningan across it, is the quietest and most rustic part of the island group. Stays here are simple guesthouses and small villas among the seaweed farms and mangroves, close to the Devil's Tear blowhole and the Ceningan cliffs and blue lagoon. It suits travellers after a slow pace and fewer crowds, with the bridge, wide enough only for scooters and pedestrians, linking the two islands. Amenities are basic and a scooter is useful for getting around.