Getting to Nusa Lembongan and the tides
Did you know that the tides change time every day, and by how much varies. Our tides here vary between 30 mins to an hour later every day – not sure if that is the same everywhere else or if they vary by more or less in certain places.
I’m pretty sure we thought high tide (and its opposite low tides) were at the same time every day until we moved here.
As an example the next 10 days of high tides (from when I started writing this on 15th July)
2. 605am and 912pm
3. 709am and 1005pm
4. 807am and 1037pm
5. 959am and 1106pm
6. 945am and 1135pm
7. 1029am
8. 004am and 1112am
9. 0034am and 1155am
10. 105am and 1238pm
This is why the question of which boat to take or the best time to swim does not have a simple answer. It depends on several factors, tide being one of them.
For swimming Jungut Batu is a lovely beach but with a very shallow tidal plain within the reef making swimming only really possible at high tide, whereas Mushroom Bay, with it’s deeper bay, swimming is possible all the time.
The Majority of the boat crossings to Nusa Lembongan are easy, difficulties can arise around the moon cycle, combined with tide time, wind and swell but saying the early boat is always better is (to us) quite simply bonkers – BUT many swear by the first boat and we are ok with that because it leaves the later boats less crowded for us
Also worth remembering if you cross at low tide you may need to transfer to a smaller boat to get into the beach – depending on which boat company you are using and where they dock.
The harbour master in Sanur closes the harbour if there is any risk – this happens rarely – maybe a couple of times a year and we usually know about it the day before it happens.
If you do get sea sick taking tablets before the crossing is a good idea but honestly, it’s a short 30 minute crossing and it really is a smooth crossing the vast majority of the time
EDIT: All of the boats currently land on the beach except for Rocky who have a dry dock. Lots of people LOVE a beach landing, the depth of water you land in depends entirely on what tide your boat is landing at, it can be very shallow or pretty wavy. With mobility issues we found them ordeals at times – especially the Sanur end which thankfully now no one needs to contend with and we were very thankful when Rocky built their first, then subsequent better dock. ALL of the longstanding boat companies coming here are GOOD and safe – can’t comment on the new ones so won’t and won’t include them below either.
The island is not that big and it is not a huge deal to get dropped at any of the below and your accommodation be elsewhere, you can cross the entire island in 20-30 minutes.
Here’s a list of boat companies that are longstanding on the island: If we have any of the below wrong or are missing any please do tell us, it’s not a definitive list, simply who we remember, and hear recommended.
Jungut Batu: Arthamas, DStar, DCamel, Glory
Mushroom Bay: Tanis, Marlin, Dream Beach
Mangrove – dry dock: Rocky Fast Boat
