Nusa Penida & Lembongan Manta Ray Snorkelling Trip from Bali

Sanur Port and the Fast Boat Crossing

Sanur, on the calm east coast of south Bali, was one of the island's first resort areas and remains its gentlest beach, protected by an offshore reef. It is also the main gateway to the Nusa islands, and boats leave right from the beach harbour. On clear mornings you can see the volcano Mount Agung rising inland as you head out to sea.

In the default option our shuttle collects you from your hotel in Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Kuta, Legian, Seminyak or Sanur from 7:15, so you avoid the early-morning scramble at the port. The crossing to Nusa Lembongan takes about 40 minutes on a large aluminium fast boat, which rides the swell more smoothly than smaller speedboats, a real plus if you have searched for a Nusa Penida snorkelling trip from Sanur without the rough ride.

Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Lembongan is the smallest and most relaxed of the three Nusa islands, a place of white-sand coves, mangroves and seaweed farms where villagers still dry their harvest in the sun. A narrow yellow suspension bridge links it to neighbouring Nusa Ceningan, and the larger, wilder Nusa Penida lies just across a short channel.

On arrival you are welcomed at the beachside base with a refreshing drink and a light snack, a chance to settle in, put on sunscreen and meet your guide before the snorkelling begins. The base is also where you return for lunch and for the afternoon on the water, which keeps the day simple: no long transfers, just short boat rides between the island and the best snorkelling sites.

Manta Bay off Nusa Penida

From Lembongan a smaller boat takes you along the dramatic cliffs of Nusa Penida to Manta Bay, where plankton-rich water draws reef manta rays with wingspans that can reach four or five metres. They come to feed and to be cleaned by small reef fish, and when conditions are right you float at the surface while the mantas glide beneath you, often just a metre or two down.

This is the heart of any trip to swim with manta rays in Bali, but mantas are wild animals and sightings depend on the season, currents and swell, so they are never guaranteed. The guide watches the strong Indian Ocean swells closely, and if Manta Bay is not safe the boat heads to a calmer alternative such as Crystal Bay or Toyapakeh. You spend about 30 minutes here.

Gamat Bay and Mangrove Point

Gamat Bay, on the north-west coast of Nusa Penida, is a sheltered spot where the reef drops gently from shallow coral gardens into deeper blue water. Hard and soft corals, angelfish, butterflyfish and schools of fusiliers make it a favourite with snorkellers of every level, and the calm water is a welcome contrast after the open sea at Manta Bay.

The third stop, Mangrove Point, lies off the north-east tip of Nusa Lembongan, where a gentle current often carries you along a colourful reef slope like a slow underwater ride. Turtles are seen here from time to time, along with reef fish of every colour. Each snorkelling stop lasts about 30 minutes, and the guide chooses the order of the spots according to the tide and the sea on the day.

Lembongan Mangrove Forest: Buffet Lunch and Kayak

Back on Nusa Lembongan, lunch is an Indonesian buffet served next to the mangrove forest, with rice, noodles, vegetables and local dishes, a well-earned meal after a morning in the water. The mangroves cover the north-east of the island and form a maze of quiet channels where the roots of the trees rise out of clear, shallow water, a refuge for crabs, small fish and birds.

After lunch you explore these channels for about 30 minutes by kayak or stand-up paddleboard, gliding through calm green water in the shade of the trees. It is the perfect gentle end to an active day. The boat then takes you back to Sanur in about 45 minutes, and the shuttle returns you to the same hotel. Other options on this page swap the kayak for a 30-minute massage or start at Sanur Port.