Ceningan Island Near Bali
The sunset view from Twilight Ceningan on Ceningan Island near Bali
Four Nights at Twilight Ceningan, A Getaway From Bali
After three days in Ubud, we were ready for a move. We had four more days in Bali, Indonesia, and pondered several options. In the end, Twilight Ceningan on Ceningan Island won us over because it is affordable, away from the busier island of Bali, and has gorgeous ocean views.
Departure from Ubud was at 11 am, meaning we had plenty of time for breakfast and got a few travel details sorted out. The driver arrived on time, called our B&B, and asked us to walk up the road to meet him.
The drive to Sanur was smooth but again we were reminded of how busy Denpasar is. Honestly, we couldn’t wait to escape it.
The fast boat from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan
Fast Boat to Nusa Lembongan
We did not mind the hour-long wait for the fast boat from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan as we found a nice spot in the shade. We walked along the beach, and there were several small food outlets, souvenir shops, convenience stores, and a bathroom facility. Several boats arrive and depart Sanur for the islands in the region.
The crossing to Nusa Lembongan takes 30 minutes, and we sat outside at the very back, had a blast, and got our feet wet from the boat's splashing wake. Smiles could be seen on many faces, including ours, as we arrived at Nusa Lembongan.
Transport via scooter across the yellow bridge on Lembongan Island
Nusa Lembongan and Transportation
There is a different and more relaxed vibe on Nusa Lembongan, and we noticed it right away. While still touristy, it was nowhere near as busy as Bali. The roads were bumpy and narrow, making for interesting travel. Numerous small open-bed trucks met the ferry to transport guests to their accommodation.
We were huddled into one of these small trucks with a group of young women from Singapore. They were having a hoot on the drive, and so were we. We were dropped off by the Yellow Bridge separating Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan Island, as you cannot access Ceningan Island by car.
Two members of the Twilight Ceningan staff were waiting for us with two scooters. We were wearing our packs, one pack in front of the driver, two people on each scooter, and we were on our way for the final stretch. Fun!
The saltwater pool at Twilight Ceningan
Twilight Ceningan
The Twilight Ceningan is located on the west coast of the island. It has a wonderful saltwater pool overlooking the ocean. We had a one-bedroom bungalow suite with a balcony with a view of palm trees and the ocean.
The room had an outdoor private bathroom and AC which was a lifesaver, especially in the middle of the day.
There was a very chill vibe at the Twilight Ceningan, it was quiet, and yet there was music by the pool with decent playlists and this was a perfect spot to meet other travelers.
We spent most of the afternoon by the pool and ordered lunch and drinks from the bar. We took in the sunset from our bungalow.
Sunset seen from a bungalow at the Twilight Ceningan near Bali in Indonesia
Day Two
It was almost 7 a.m. by the time we woke up, had coffee in the room, and generally had a slow morning. We had missed this slower pace, and there was no rush. We had planned to do some work in the restaurant, but it was too hot, so we returned to our room for a while.
We moved the deck table inside our little bungalow, took care of a few practicalities, such as our visa for New Zealand, and looked at preliminary travel plans as well.
A surfer heads back to the beach after a day of surfing at Mahana Point on Ceningan Island
Di found a Danish book on the hotel bookshelf and dove in. She never thought she would finish it, but she read it in a couple of days.
It ended up being a wonderful, lazy resort day. We hung by the pool, ordered lunches, naps, dinner, and watched the most incredible sunset. It was probably the nicest sunset we witnessed during all of our travels.
Magical sunset from the Twilight Ceningan on Ceningan Island near Bali in Indonesia
Mahana Point - Surf Place
It's day three at Twilight Ceningan. Our days usually start with planning, and today was no different. The following day, we reunited with our friend Andrew for a day trip to Nusa Penida, and the last few details were put in place.
A morning swim at the pool was refreshing, but the area quickly became too hot, and we returned to the bungalow for a few hours. In the afternoon, I took off on a scooter to explore the nearby Mahana Point while Di dug into her book.
Surfing at Mahana Point, Ceningan Island
At Mahana Point, there is a quaint restaurant/bar in a spectacular location where you can dive into the waves from the end of their balcony. The balcony also provides amazing views of the surfers below. Several guests made the jump, while others filmed with their phones or Go-Pros.
I concentrated on the surfers below and was pleased to come away with a few keepers. You would normally need a much longer lens to capture surfers, but due to the restaurant's location, where the waves break along the rocky shores, it became possible to use my Fujifilm X-Pro2 and XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR.
Blue Lagoon View on Ceningan Island, Indonesia
I had left without my wallet, and hunger hit all of a sudden. I swiftly returned to Twilight Ceningan for a bite, but also wanted Di to see the area around Mahana Point. Back on the scooter, we had drinks on the deck at Mahana Point and snapped a few more photos of the surfers.
We explored the area around Blue Lagoon View and Secret Beach. If you want to get out and explore, scooters are the way to go.
Mahana Point, Surf Place, on Ceningan Island near Nusa Lembongan and Bali in Idonesia
Nusa Penida, Day Trip
Andrew is our old friend, a neighbor from Vernon, British Columbia, a former colleague, not to mention a guitar duo partner for many campfire songs over the years. Early in our travel project, we stayed with Andrew in Al Ain. You can see our posts from the United Arab Emirates here:
When Andrew saw that we were in Southeast Asia, he wrote to us and suggested a meet-up in Bali. After sorting out logistics, we settled on a day trip to Nusa Penida.
T-Rex Bay, Nusa Penida
After breakfast, we took a scooter to the Yellow Bridge and expected an hour-long wait, but a boat was leaving for Nusa Penida as soon as we arrived. It was a quick crossing to Crystal Bay Beach, and so many drivers were approaching us, but Andrew had already booked a driver/guide for the day.
Since we arrived early, we walked up the beach and ended up ordering a drink and snack at a restaurant by another ferry pier, not knowing that this would be where Andrew got off a few minutes later. We spotted him right away and quickly found our driver.
Reunited with buddy Andrew for a day trip to Nusa Penida
The rain started as soon as we arrived at T-Rex Bay and was relentless for the entire day. It didn’t really bother us; in fact, it lifted our moods as we enjoyed the company and laughed at ourselves for being incredibly soaked.
The next stop was Angel Billabong and Broken Beach, where we did a short hike and had a refreshing dip. Then, we went on to lunch, which was included in our day trip. We were escorted to the restaurant under umbrellas in the torrential downpour and were the only patrons on this rainy day.
I would normally have more photos from such a day trip, but I kept the camera out of the rain for parts of the day. The day was wrapped up with another refreshing swim, this time at Crystal Bay Beach. The boat back to Ceningan Island departed at 4 p.m., and we said our goodbyes to Andrew.
It was a wet boat and scooter ride back to our bungalow, and we were soaked to the bones, but it was a blast. The rain continued throughout the evening. It was a memorable day for sure.
Di and Andrew go for a swim at the Broken Beach on Nusa Penida in Indonesia
Departure Day - Ceningan Island
We woke up just after 6:00 a.m. and put everything out to dry before we could properly pack. Check-out was at noon, so we had some time by the pool after breakfast. The day felt surreal. This would be our travel day to New Zealand, and country number 50 was in sight.
We did it! Or, at least we were very close, and with butterflies in our stomachs, we started our jaunt back to the airport. First, on the back of the scooters to the Yellow Bridge, then the tiny truck from the Yellow Bridge to Nusa Lembongan, then the fast boat back to Sanur, and finally a cab to the airport.
The Fast Boat from Nusa Lembongan to Sanur
Final Thoughts on Ceningan Island
Ceningan Island was what we had envisioned Bali to be. I am sure you can find similar pockets in Bali with the same laid-back and quiet atmosphere, but perhaps you just have to get further away from Denpasar.
The staff at Twilight Ceningan were super friendly and made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived. The saltwater pool was a big hit with us, but it was a downside that the beach beneath wasn’t suitable for swimming.
Ceningan Island was a perfect way for us to wrap up almost four months of travel before heading to New Zealand for a month. And with New Zealand being country number 50, and the final country in our travel project, these were indeed exhilarating times for us.
Selfie at Blue Lagoon View on Ceningan Island
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The photos in this article are made using a Fujifilm X-Pro2. Lenses: XF 14mm f/2.8 R - XF 23mm f/1.4 R - XF 35mm f/1.4 R - XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done in Capture One Express. I have made use of Fujifilm film simulations.
