South Bali - Bali and Lombok - page 64

Pondok Baruna (

has an offshore pontoon only slightly less ugly than Bali
Hai and offers similar cruises.
Island Explorer Cruises (

0812 3900 686; www.world-diving
.com; r 75,000-100,000Rp, dishes 10,000-18,000Rp;

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SEAWEED SUNDAE
The next time you enjoy some creamy ice cream, you might thank the seaweed growers of
Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. Carrageenan is an emulsifying agent that is used to thicken
ice cream as well as cheese and many other products. It is also used as a fat substitute in 'diet'
foods (just look for it on the endless ingredients label). In nature it turns seawater into a gel
that gives seaweed its structure.
On Lembongan 85% of the population work at farming seaweed for carrageenan (as opposed
to 5% in tourism) and it is the major industry. Although returns are OK, the work is very intensive
and time-consuming. Women are the main labourers.
As you walk around the villages you'll see - and smell - vast areas used for drying the sea-
weed. Looking down into the water, you'll see the patchwork of cultivated seaweed plots. Small
pieces of a marine algae (Eucheuma) are attached to strings that are stretched between bamboo
poles - these underwater fences can be seen off many of the beaches, and especially in the
shallows between Lembongan and Ceningan and at low tide. Growth is so fast that new shoots
can be harvested every 45 days. This region is especially good for production as the waters are
shallow and rich in nutrients. The dried red and green seaweed is exported around the world
for final processing.

) As-
sociated with World Diving, this is one of the
best places to stay. Staff, led by the manager
Putu, are friendly, the seven rooms are pleas-
ant and porches face the ocean. The restaurant
serves excellent meals.
Bungalow Number 7 (

i

0361-728088; www.bali
-activities.com; per adult/child US$55/27.50) This has three
ways to get to Lembongan, which all get you back to Bali
around 5pm: relaxing and slow-sailing yacht, party boat
and fast, stomach-churning boat. These trips include use of
the outfit's Coconuts Beach Resort pool.

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24497; r 70,000-100,000Rp)
This good, clean and friendly place has 14
rooms, with three on the beach with great
views. The grounds are attractive and it is a
little apart from the rest of the strip. It has a
beachfront restaurant serving simple but good
dishes (costing 7000Rp to 20,000Rp).
Bungalow Tarci (

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Sleeping
JUNGUTBATU
Most places to stay in Jungutbatu are basic and
many of the following places have beachfront
restaurants serving typical travellers' fare.
The strip of beachfront joints is going through
the classic Bali development cycle: each year
more rooms are added and old ones are
spruced up. Unless noted otherwise, ameni-
ties are limited to cold water and fans.
More upmarket establishments are
spreading like weeds across the hillside to
the south.

24494; r from 100,000Rp) The
front units upstairs at this two-level place
have excellent views of the water. It's got a
popular bar.
Mandara Beach Bungalows (

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24470; www.man
dara-lembongan.com; r 100,000-160,000Rp, with air-con
250,000Rp;

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Activities
Most places rent gear for a passel of activities.
Surfboards go for 50,000Rp per day.

around all three islands. There are a few other
dive operators based at Jungutbatu that oper-
ate from various hotels. See Diving the Islands,
p155 for details on the area's dive sites.

) Eight large bungalow-style
rooms are set around a popular café. There's
a nascent garden away from the water.
Puri Nusa Bungalows (

a

24482; r 70,000-200,000Rp)
The 17 rooms here are clean and comfort-
able, the two upstairs have excellent views
and there's a good café (dishes 7000Rp to
25,000Rp).
Ware-Ware (

Budget
Agung's Lembongan Lodge (

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SURFING
Surfing here is best in the dry season (April
to September), when the winds come from
the southeast. It's definitely not for beginners,
and can be dangerous even for experts. There are
three main breaks on the reef, all aptly named.
From north to south are Shipwreck , Lacerations
and Playground . Depending on where you are
staying, you can paddle directly out to which-
ever of the three is closest; for others it's better
to hire a boat. Prices are negotiable - from about
10,000Rp for a one-way trip. You tell the owner
when to return. A fourth break - Racecourses -
sometimes emerges south of Shipwreck.
The surf can be crowded here even when
the island isn't - charter boats from Bali
sometimes bring groups of surfers for day
trips from the mainland, or as part of a longer
surfing trip between Bali and Sumbawa. For
day trips to Nusa Lembongan boats can be
chartered from Sanur Beach for a minimum
of 600,000Rp.
For more on surfing here, see p79.

24483; r 50,000-
150,000Rp) The simple rooms are mostly in col-
ourful bungalows. The restaurant has hanging
bird cages, ocean views, a pool table and a
much nicer atmosphere than many others.
Nusa Lembongan Bungalows (

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SNORKELLING
There's good snorkelling just off the Bali Hai
and Bounty pontoons off Jungutbatu Beach,
as well as in areas off the north coast of the
island. You can charter a boat from 150,000Rp
per hour, depending on demand, distance
and the number of passengers; for more in-
formation ask at your hotel. Snorkelling gear
can be rented for 20,000Rp to 30,000Rp per
day. World Diving allows snorkellers to join
dive trips and charges 75,000Rp for a four-
hour trip.
There's good drift snorkelling along the
mangrove-filled channel west of Cenigan
Point between Lembongan and Ceningan.

0812 397 0572; r 120,000-200,000Rp;)
The nine units at this hillside place are a
mix of traditional square and groovy circular
numbers with thatched roofs. Rooms are large
with rattan couches and big bathrooms. The
café has spectacular, breezy views and dishes
cost between 20,000Rp and 50,000Rp.
Oka Bungalow Number 7 (

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24484; nusa
[e-mail]; bungalows 60,000-150,000Rp)
Of the five nice units here, the front one is a
duplex with great views from the 2nd-floor
patio.
Linda Bungalows (

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24495; r 70,000-90,000Rp) Of the
12 very clean cold-water rooms in this two-level
place with bright blue roof, one offers an ocean
view. Everything is well run, although the con-
crete mushrooms out front are a bit odd.

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24497; r from 250,000Rp;

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) This good, clean and friendly place has
three rooms, each with a good veranda and
views down to the water. Units are spacious.

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TRAVERSING LEMBONGAN
You can walk around the entire island in a day. It's a fascinating journey with good views all
around. Or you can just cover the major sites in a few hours. To do this follow the hillside trail
from Jungutbatu past the Mutiara Villa and on to Pantai Selegimpak . Here it becomes a little
tricky to reach Mushroom Bay , but with a little Tarzan spirit, you can stay with the faint trail
and be rewarded by refreshments.
From Mushroom Bay, head over to dreamy Dream Beach . You can easily do this on foot or
hail a passing vehicle: 5000Rp will get you there.
Next go to Lembongan village. From here it is a gentle uphill walk along the sealed road to

CRUISES
A number of cruise boats offer day trips to Nusa
Lembongan from Benoa Harbour in South
Bali. Trips include hotel transfer from South
Bali, basic water sports, snorkelling, banana-
boat rides, island tours and a buffet lunch. Note
that with hotel transfers, the following day trips
can make for a very long day.
Bali Hai (

DIVING
The excellent World Diving ( 081 2390 0686; www

.world-diving.com) , based at Pondok Baruna on

0361-720331; www.balihaicruises.com;
reef cruises adult/child US$85/42.50, catamaran cruises

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