Our first stop in Indonesia was Lembongan Island, a small island within sight of the island of Bali. We decided to go to Lembongan because it was reputed to be quiet, laid-back, scenic, and has good diving. The guide book describes Lembongan as the Bali you would have found 20 years ago. Not that the Bali you find now is any problem, but we wanted the prices of the Bali of 20 years ago. Additionally, earlier in our travels, we had met another family (from Breckenridge, CO, where we used to live) with kids near our kid’s age, and we had hit it off well, and they were staying there. It was a good choice; we ended up staying 11 days, and had a great time.
On our arrival there, we had a tout show us around in order to find just the right place. Touts are found the world over, wherever tourists congregate looking for rooms, and are often a major annoyance. Persistence for them must pay off, though, as they do not understand the concept of “no thanks”. However, we have at times found them to be of use when we did not know where we wanted to stay, and when we could find someone who was not the usual pushy type. Ours ended showing us a place on the beach in the quiet part of town, complete with a pool, AC, beautiful, elaborate wood carvings, and a nice, budget price. Our room was a bit snug for four of us, but since we didn’t spend much time in the room, except for sleeping, we were quite pleased with the place.
Diving was the one activity that we (well, maybe just I) most wanted to take advantage of in Lembongan. Since last summer in Roatan, Honduras, we had not done a lot of diving, having skipped it altogether in Thailand and having done little in the Red Sea because of the higher costs where we were, and the lack of great dive sights. The diving in Lembongan was reported to be good, and it exceeded my expectations. The dive sites were set in beautiful locations, had few other divers, and were just a short boat ride away. We were treated very well by the dive company; probably the best service of any dive operation I have ever experienced. The kids each had a dive master with them, who would hold onto their tank to ensure that they wouldn’t have any trouble with the current. Additionally, we were served coffee and lunch, and all the equipment was carried on board for us, was set up, and carried off at the end of the day. I felt a bit guilty about doing so little.
The best part of diving in Lembongan, though, is the coral. It is very healthy, and you find none of the dead or bleached coral that I have encountered in other areas over the last few years. It is likely a reflection of a number of factors; fewer divers, no dynamite fishing (a type of commercial fishing where the “fishermen” throw dynamite into the water above the reef to kill the fish ), and probably most importantly, water temperatures that do not get too high. Unfortunately, as ocean temperatures rise, and with severe El Nino’s, bleached coral zones will become even more common. Here, though, there were colors that were new to me; day-glow pink, fluorescent blues, and new shapes such as mushroom and tables, as well as forests of staghorn coral that went on and on. Plus, we also got to see Manta Rays. Huge, distinctively shaped rays, they range up to 9′ from wingtip to wingtip. Their graceful movement through the water gives the impression of a large bird flying through the air. Additionally, the fish were so abundant that at times it made me feel like I was diving in an aquarium. It was like being a kid in a candy store. My only regret was that I didn’t dive more, but we are on a year-long trip, and budgets must be respected. There are still more places to visit on our trip.
-Mitch
April 30, 2011
long4adventure