NUSA LEMBONGAN FOR FAMILIES

One of the most common questions we get asked seems to be variations along the line of "is Nusa Lembongan a family friendly destination"? In short yes, Nusa Lembongan is a wonderful destination for a family holiday with children of all ages, whether it be babies, toddlers, young kids or teenagers, there is plenty to do for the whole family. In this blog we discuss information particularly useful for families with children and we try to answer some of the more common questions. "Children" and "families" are quite broad topics and with us having guests from all over the world with different proficiencies and familiarities (particularly around water). We discuss topics relevant to a range of ages from babies to infants, to young children right the way through to adolescents and older teenagers, so as you read through, you will need to pick out the snippets of information relevant to your family.

The Ohana's gelato hut is always a hit with the kids!

Why Nusa Lembongan is a great family friendly destination? Nusa Lembongan stands out as an exceptional family-friendly destination, blending unique features to create an unforgettable experience for all.

Convenient Accessibility: The island is easily reachable, requiring just a 30-minute fast boat ride from Bali. Children often find the journey itself exciting, adding a special touch to the adventure.

Compact and (comparatively) Traffic-Free: With its small size, there are no lengthy car trips for sightseeing. The island's minimal traffic compared with Bali allows convenient transportation through taxis or popular golf buggies, particularly favored by families.

Abundance of Activities: Nusa Lembongan is brimming with diverse activities suitable for all ages, ensuring a wide range of options for families to explore and enjoy.

Community Vibe and Safety: The island exudes a close-knit, almost country-town atmosphere. Crime is virtually non-existent, and locals are exceptionally friendly, providing a secure environment for families, whether with young or older children.

Access to Medical Services: In the event of unforeseen circumstances, the island offers decent access to medical facilities, providing reassurance to families.

Diverse Accommodation Options:

Nusa Lembongan caters to families of all sizes and preferences, offering a variety of accommodation choices, from beachfront resorts to intimate villas, ensuring a comfortable stay.

Stunning Beaches and Safe Waters:

The island boasts pristine beaches with calm, clear waters, creating a safe haven for families to partake in water activities, offering peace of mind to parents.

Adventure Opportunities:

For families with an adventurous spirit, Nusa Lembongan provides opportunities to explore the underwater world through snorkeling or guided boat tours. Older kids and teens can engage in thrilling activities like surfing or paddleboarding.

Culinary Exploration:

The island's culinary scene offers a diverse range, from local Balinese dishes to international cuisine, accommodating various tastes within the family.

Educational Experiences:

Nusa Lembongan presents chances for educational experiences, such as visiting seaweed farms or participating in cultural workshops, providing insights into local life and marine ecosystems.

Scenic Landscape and Sunsets:

The picturesque landscapes, including dramatic cliffs and breathtaking viewpoints, offer ideal settings for family photos and unforgettable sunset views.

Relaxed Atmosphere:

The laid-back ambiance allows families to unwind and bond without the hustle and bustle of more crowded destinations, contributing to a stress-free environment for families of all ages.

All in all, Nusa Lembongan's diverse offerings, safe environment, adventure possibilities, culinary richness, educational opportunities, scenic beauty, and relaxed atmosphere collectively make it an ideal destination for families seeking a well-rounded and enjoyable vacation experience. The island provides an excellent opportunity for children to embrace new concepts, cultures, languages, and activities not readily accessible in their home environment.

Is Nusa Lembongan a good family holiday destination? You bet it is!

We've split this topic up into three sections: 1. Our properties with children 2. Activities for children on Nusa Lembongan

3. Getting around Nusa Lembongan with children 4. Safety precautions with children on Nusa Lembongan

This discussion is not supposed to be an exhaustive of every possible activity for children, or safety precaution (common sense always prevails), though a helpful reference point for your next family holiday.

Ohana's beachfront resort & beach club for families

Ohana is a Hawaiian word that means family. Naturally, our resort caters to families. The owners of the resort created Ohana's really as an extension of what they enjoy in life and as a place for them, and others, to share wonderful times with their families. The resort (whilst obviously very beautiful), has been purposefully designed to have an informal, casual and homely feel to it. Families of all ages, from the newborn to the grandparents can all feel comfortable, and there are areas and amenities for everyone. The location Being situated on the absolute beachfront in the heart of the main town, means you'll be hard pressed to find a better location on the island of Nusa Lembongan. For families this means we have a beautiful ocean and beach out the front, and within walking distance are dozens of restaurants, cafes, boutiques, spas and local stores. You pretty much never need to get transport unless exploring the island, and even then the longest ride is about 15-minutes to the opposite side of the island.

The amenity The property caters for children of all ages. We have high chairs in the restaurant and cribs available for the accommodation. There is a kids specific menu at the restaurant, though the main menu also is very accessible to children. The wood-fired pizzas are often a hit too with the kids. Youngsters also love that we light the bonfire each night and cook marshmallows at sunset. We have two pools at the resort. Both pools have shallow ends.  Not to mention the world's biggest pool at our doorstep (the ocean and beach)! For younger children we have a wonderful playground with slides, cargo nets, play kitchen and more!

The children's playground at Ohana's

For teenagers, they will love exploring up and down the beach and the local shops, paddle boarding and swimming out the front in the ocean, we also have the best surf breaks on the island at the outer reefs directly out the front of the resort. Our team can help you in organising all activities, for example go snorkelling (get picked up by boat right from our beach), or hire a golf buggy to explore the island.

One of the two pools at Ohana's. The other pool is at the beach front.

The rooms We have great options for families, and our rooms have flexible bedding configurations to accommodate families with different numbers of children, and children of different ages. The Suites and Junior Suites are very popular for families with children. In this set up, the parents are typically in the main bedroom, and the living room of the Suites or Junior Suites is converted with bedding for the children. The beds in the living room are proper sprung mattresses for the children. The floorplans on the individual room type section of the website have images to better illustrate this.

A Suite room featuring a freestanding bath

Sometimes parents will choose to put older teenage kids in one of their own rooms, and that is also fine. Often parents will stay in one of the Suites or Junior Suites (as they are a bit more luxurious), and older teenage children stay in the Deluxe Garden Rooms. The rooms are close by (within 20m of each other), though also give everyone a little bit more space if that is what they are after. The 3-bedroom villa with private plunge pool is a great option for larger families or those again wanting more space.

Activities for children on Nusa Lembongan

You're never too young (or old) to learn to surf!

We offer a general age range for activities, though of course this also depends on your children's interests, and abilities (for example comfort with being in the water).

We talk about Lembongan specific activities for kids and mostly "outdoors" style activities and experiences that are a bit more unique to the island that your children might not be able to do back at home, though also have a look at the "activities. Click the arrows below for more information on each activity:

Snorkelling (all ages)

Snorkelling on Nusa Lembongan is a great activity for children of all ages and abilities.

The experienced tour guides have life jackets, safety equipment, goggles and snorkels, and will take your group to locations relative to the experience and abilities of who is on board the boat. So just communicate with the captain on your families level of comfort and abilities.

The captains will often through ropes out from the boat to hold onto if you or your kids want to stay "connected" to the boat, and younger ones can have added safety devices whilst snorkelling (wearing life jacket or other flotation devices). Swimming with the manta rays, seeing the bright corals and colourful fish is always a great talking point for everyone.

Obviously, if you're children are not able to swim, then snorkelling won't be a great activity for them, though, the snorkelling tours will take you around the island by water and the snorkelling locations are around the three Nusa Islands (Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan & Nusa Penida), so even if you're not big on getting wet, it makes for a great morning of site-seeing and seeing the tropical islands from a different perspective.

Beach days and beach club hangs at Ohana's (all ages)

As parents ourselves, something we really value is venues where parent can relax and enjoy some time to themselves, whilst knowing the kids are entertained and won't be nagging around our feet needing something to occupy themselves. Beach days at beach clubs are a great activity for the whole family; the perfect place for adults and kids alike.

Kids will love playing between the ocean, beach and pools at the beach clubs, whilst parents can enjoy relaxing and working their way through through the cocktail menu, whilst easily being able to see the children and the kids having plenty to occupy themselves. At Ohana's we have plenty to occupy the kids including: - Calm ocean for swimming or paddle boarding (in the natural lagoon formed by the outer reefs) - Surf right out the front (at the outer-reefs behind the lagoon)

- Beautiful beach for kids to enjoy

- Sunset bonfires (a favourite for children is cooking marshmallows on the bonfire)

- Two pools, both with shallow ends for toddles and young children

- Kids playground (conveniently in view of the swim up bar for parents to keep an eye on their children)

- Extensive food and drinks menu with lots of healthy options as well as snack food, pizza, and treats such as marshmallows or donuts

Buying knick knacks (ages 6+)

This is a highlight for kids from the age of about 6 and up, as they are starting to learn about money and understanding of purchasing decisions.

There are often vendors along the beach who are selling knick-knacks (bracelets, souvenirs etc.), and kids often really enjoy the experience of looking through these items and bartering for the first time.

Scuba diving (ages 10+, subject to comfort in the water)

Scuba diving is a much more accessible activity for kids than a lot of people realise, and like riding a bike, it's a life-long skill.

Introducing your children up to being able to scuba dive from a young age will open up a world of exploring for them for years to come, as well as an appreciation for the environment. The Nusa Islands are home to some of the best scuba diving on the planet. The diving instructors experienced, and your kids will be raving about seeing the underwater world.

Mangrove tour (all ages)

A visit to the Mangrove Forest is a fun and relaxing activity for the whole family. From Ohana's it's about a 10 minute drive to the Mangrove Forest.

Once at the Mangrove Forest the local tour guides will offer to take you for a guided tour in a traditional boat (pushed by a long stick, gondola style) through the hidden waterways the weave through the mangroves. These guided tours go for about 45-minutes, and you will often see lots of birds, fish and even sting-rays in the crystal clear water, as well as the local village and people getting along with their day-to-day life.

Golf buggy island tour (all ages)

Golf buggy's can be hired on Nusa Lembongan (just ask our reception to assist), and are a novel way to self-drive the whole family around the island.

Mini golf (all ages)

There is a mini-golf course located about 5-minutes drive from Ohana's at The Coconut Hut.

The course is 18-holes and designed around a traditional Indonesian theme. Great fun for the whole family.

Water park (all ages)

There is a water park located on Nusa Lembongan called Sunday's Water Park.

Okay, sure it's not the same as a big theme park elsewhere in the world, though there are a couple of larges slides, some equipment and also shallow areas to entertain the kids for a couple of hours.

Stand up paddle boarding (depends on level of comfort in the water)

Stand up paddle boarding is a great family activity, especially in the lagoon out the front of Ohana's.

You can paddle up and down the beach, in between the moored boats, and even out to the reefs to explore. There are half-a-dozen or more rental shops within a short walk of Ohana's to pick up stand up paddle boards.

Banana boat and donut rides (depends on level of comfort in the water)

Zipline (flying fox)

There is a zipline (flying fox) on Nusa Ceningan that is popular for families.

Cliff jumping (depends on level of comfort in the water)

At Mahana Point there are cliff jumping opportunities at different heights.

The best time for cliff jumping is at high-tide.

Sightseeing and day trips (all ages)

Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida are fantastic places to site-see with the whole family. Part of what makes sightseeing so accessible on Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan in particular is just how close everything is.

You don't need to sit in the back of a car for hours to get to the next destination, most places are 5 or 10 minutes away, which is great for keeping young kids entertained. In our other blog posts you'll find guides for sightseeing and suggested itineraries for exploring Nusa Lembongan and the other Nusa Islands.

Exploring the beach at low tide (all ages)

On the low tides along the front of Jungut Batu beach is the time to go for an explore in the beach and see what you can find. Beautiful shells, small crabs, starfish and other exposed sea critters, or even see the seaweed farms. Just remember, looking only, and try to minimise your impact on the local ecosystem. It's a good idea to wear foot protection as there can often be dead coral or sharp shells.

Playing with the local children

Along the beach, especially at sunset you'll find the beach becomes a hive of activity as the temperature drops and a lot of the local community heads down to watch the sun say good-bye for another day. Often local children will come down with their kites, start games of soccer or be playing in the water and love interacting with other kids on holidays so get your kids to join in on the fun!

Fishing charter

A fishing charter is often a lot of fun for older children. Go out for the day and catch a feed! The fishing around the Nusa Islands is excellent!

The local kids are always keen for some fun!

Getting around Nusa Lembongan with children

The main ways to get around Nusa Lembongan are either on a truck transport, in a golf buggy or on a scooter when on the land, or boats for water activities. Click the arrows below for more information on each transport type:

Truck - taxi

In the back of trucks, particularly if you have little children, be mindful for them to keep their arms and limbs inside the truck, as some of the laneways can be quite narrow. That's actually pretty sound advice regardless of age! There are no seat-belts in the back of these trucks, so be mindful to remind your children to hang on to the railing. We often will put our children closer to the cab of the truck so the adults are a bit of a barrier to the back of the vehicle.

Golf buggy - self drive

Golf buggies are a great way for families to get around the island and self-drive, especially if not comfortable on a scooter.

Scooter - self drive

If you are taking children on a scooter, anyone on the scooter should be riding appropriate safety gear (including helmets for children).

Remember, take it slow on the roads, there is no need to get anywhere in a rush and part of the adventure of getting from point A to point b is enjoying the scenery and things there are to see.

Safety precautions with children on Nusa Lembongan

Happy days with bubs at Ohana's

Navigating Child Safety: Practical Tips for a Worry-Free Experience

Approaching the topic of child safety requires a nuanced perspective. While we acknowledge that creating an exhaustive list is challenging, common sense serves as a crucial guide. Especially for international guests, there are noteworthy aspects to consider that might differ from safety norms in your home country.

1. Water Everywhere:

Nusa Lembongan's abundant water bodies demand extra vigilance. Keep a close eye on children near beaches, pools, or any water source.

2. Respect for Street Animals:

Encountering street animals is common, and while they can be charming, maintaining a safe distance is advisable to prevent any unforeseen interactions.

3. Unpredictable Traffic:

The local traffic may not follow the patterns you're accustomed to. Exercise caution when crossing streets and always prioritize safety, even in seemingly quiet areas.

4. Helmet Awareness:

If you find yourself on a motorbike, ensure everyone, including passengers, wears a helmet. Safety first, regardless of your role on the bike.

5. Electrical Safety:

Keep a watchful eye on children around power points and electrical outlets. While exploring, educate them about potential hazards.

6. Sun Safety:

The tropical sun in Nusa Lembongan can be intense. Apply sunscreen regularly, provide adequate shade, and ensure children wear protective clothing and hats to prevent sunburn and heat-related issues.

7. Less Regulation, More Common Sense is required:

Unlike some home countries, Nusa Lembongan may have fewer warning signs and regulations. In such instances, relying on common sense becomes paramount for a secure experience.

While our list isn't exhaustive, these practical tips can go a long way in ensuring a safe and enjoyable stay for families. Always prioritize safety and use your instincts to navigate new environments with children. In Indonesia in general, you will find less "nannying" regulation than other parts of the world; rather more of an approach that people are responsible for their own safety.

Don't expect there to be a warning sign saying "do not swim here" or "check for traffic" or "don't pat the dogs" or "parental supervision required", what this means is that everyone needs to have a heightened sense of responsibility for making safety judgements for themselves and their families.

Remember to slip, slop, slap and stay hydrated!