Nusa Lembongan…..another day, another walkabout

Bali and Lombok 2016......with a taste of China

As we draw our drapes the start of the day bodes well:

…. sunny with a light overcast with temps in the 30C range, after a nice breakfast we are ready for a walk. Today we are setting off for the village below us (see pic above) which serves as the main harbour for the island and thereafter the Mangrove Forest. After about 15 minutes we are on the main drag with its assortment of small stores, bemos, dogs, cats dust, but it all seems to work ….

Abandoning the road, we decide to walk on the promenade which is faced with tour shops, warungs (local food restos), cottages etc. catering to every budget from surfies on up. It is funny to see mini infinity pools set right against the promenade ….clearly set backs and the like do not exist here. In fact, it is like being in the Wild West….a land before regulations etc, set in. Lots of boats for tourists and the island fishers ……with much loading and unloading going on…..both tourists and provisions, as the island produces nothing > so everything comes from Bali.

When the promenade ends we carry on, on the beach, which is actually reasonably clean and with nice chunks of coral >>>> perfect for an aquarium, albeit a tad heavy for our suitcases.

Back on the road we pass various lodgings and a nice temple en route to the tip of the island where the mangroves begin:

…and eventually reach the entrance to the mangrove area, where we are assessed a 2x5m Rp entrance fee…lord knows for what, as the road is a mess, with garbage etc. on the sides ….not particularly uplifting. Offshore several hundred meters off the beach, many boats of various sizes are posted up, ostensibly snorkelling…..as well as a Water Playground where seemingly dozens of Chinese tourists are frolicking:

It all looks underwhelming > not exactly our scene …at the end of the road, the area looks better:

with some lodgings right at the edge of the mangrove >>> btw bean bags have come full circle and are featured at almost every bar/ beach resort etc.:

….as well as the Nano Nano Warung where we have lunch > not bad:

Feeling a bit tired (the walk towards the end was hot & tiresome) we elect to return home by bemo. Another negotiation, including the classical walk away strategy….15 minutes later we are back at our place:

and more than ready for some quality pool time:

The final decision of the day was to deal with supper ….opted for a pick-up/drop-off resto at Dream Beach….a bit of a circus atmosphere with the young posing on the 6 inch edge of the infinity pool, wedding party photographing/selfieing, and so on ……the place was only about 20% full, so in season it must be a real show.

……..even the odd surfer wannabe:

Nice dinner overlooking the surf >>> kebabs were excellent……..and a bumpy bemo ride home…..asleep by 21:30 !!….just no staying power !!