nusapenida.infoIndependent guide to Nusa Penida
Surf break at Lembongan
The sea off Lembongan toward the Playgrounds surf breakPhoto: Lembongan (Wikivoyage user) / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

ombak waves

Nusa Lembongan surf: when the swell runs and what to sort out first

The sea around Nusa Lembongan, the island off Nusa Penida in Bali, Indonesia, carries waves in every month, so surfing here is not tied to one season. The Badung Strait runs biggest from June to September and smallest in November, as the swell ribbon below shows month by month from the Meteo-France MFWAM wave model, 2022 to 2025. Klungkung Regency names Pantai Mahagiri as the venue of the 2026 LST Surfing and Music Festival. Before you go, sort three things: the boat's fee for your board bag, travel insurance that covers surfing, and a local surf school or boat for the break that suits you.

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musim season

Surfing in Nusa Lembongan, month by month

The ribbon follows the typical size of the sea in the strait through the year; the bars show how often it reached BMKG's moderate wave band. Pick a month for its figures and the sea temperature. It describes the open water of the strait, not the wave at any one break, so read it as the season, then ask the surf schools about the day.

Swell ribbon: typical wave height in the Badung Strait, month by monthTwelve months from January on the left to December on the right. The top edge of the ribbon is the median of each day's highest significant wave height; it is highest in July and lowest in November, and rises from May to a peak in the middle of the year before falling again in November. Two dashed lines mark the lower edges of BMKG's moderate and high wave bands; the ribbon stays between them most of the year. Bars below show the share of days in the moderate band or above for each month.BMKG high band startsBMKG moderate band starts (dashed)JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecBars: share of days in the moderate band or above
  • Ribbon: median of each day's highest significant wave height
  • Bars: days in BMKG's moderate band (1.25 to 2.5 m) or above
  • Dashed: lower edges of the moderate band and of the high band (2.5 to 4 m)

January in the Badung Strait

Median of each day's highest wave
1.3 m
Days in the moderate band or above
57% of days
Days in the high band or above
0% of days
Mean sea surface temperature
29°C (84°F)

Wave figures from the Meteo-France MFWAM wave model, 2022 to 2025: 4 years of daily values at one model point in the open strait west of Lembongan, not a reading at any surf break. Sea temperature: NOAA OISST, 1991 to 2020. A likelihood from past years, not a forecast; BMKG's high-wave warnings give the coming days.

Every month in a table
Badung Strait by month, model point west of Lembongan
MonthMedian highest waveModerate band or aboveHigh band or aboveSea temperature
January1.3 m57%0%29°C (84°F)
February1.3 m55%0%29°C (84°F)
March1.3 m53%0%29°C (84°F)
April1.3 m60%0%29°C (84°F)
May1.4 m76%1%28°C (82°F)
June1.6 m83%3%28°C (82°F)
July1.7 m94%2%27°C (81°F)
August1.7 m90%4%26°C (79°F)
September1.6 m80%1%27°C (81°F)
October1.4 m82%2%27°C (81°F)
November1.2 m42%0%28°C (82°F)
December1.3 m59%0%29°C (84°F)

laut sea

Reading the strait figures as a surfer

The figures are significant wave height: the mean of the highest third of the waves, the measure BMKG builds its bands on. BMKG warns that single waves can reach up to 2 times that height, so a month with a median of 1.7 m can bring single waves well above it.

In the Meteo-France MFWAM wave model, 2022 to 2025, the strait's median ran from 1.2 m in November to 1.7 m in July. July had the most days in the moderate band (1.25 to 2.5 m) or above, 94%, against 42% in November. Days in the high band (2.5 to 4 m) were rare in every month, at most 4% in August.

The point the model reads sits out in the strait, west of Lembongan, as the map shows. BMKG forecasts the Badung Strait as a sea area of its own; its warnings for that area are the ones to check in the days before you paddle out. A run of 4 years is short, so treat one month against its neighbours as a tendency, not a rule.

Weather on land, rain and the month to pick for the whole trip are on Nusa Penida weather.

Where the wave figures are taken: the model point in the Badung Strait west of Nusa LembonganNusa Lembongan sits in the right half of the map with Jungutbatu in its north and Sandy Bay on its south-west coast. Nusa Ceningan lies just south-east of it and the tip of Nusa Penida at the lower right. The model point for the wave figures is out in the open Badung Strait at the lower left, well west of both islands.wave model pointJungutbatuSandy BayBadung StraitNusa LembonganN
Coastline and points from OpenStreetMap. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. The model point is a grid cell of the wave model, not a buoy. Jungutbatu to Sandy Bay: 3.6 km in a straight line.
Seaweed farms with the Ceningan surf break
Seaweed farms at low tide on the Lembongan coastPhoto: Burmesedays (Wikivoyage) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

rumput laut seaweed

Seaweed farms line the shallows of the Lembongan coast; the photo shows them at low tide. Ask about the tide before you walk out with a board.

pulau island

Nusa Ceningan surf and the festival at Pantai Mahagiri

Lembongan and its smaller neighbour share the same strait and the same swell. Nusa Ceningan is joined to Lembongan by the Yellow Bridge, and its west coast looks out over the same strait. Surfing Nusa Ceningan means the same months on the ribbon; the cliffs on that side, and the cove below them, are on the Blue Lagoon page.

Lembongan has a surfing scene of its own. Klungkung Regency reported on the LST Surfing and Music Festival 2026, held at Pantai Mahagiri and organised by the Lembongan Surf Team and PSOI, Indonesia's surfing association, with the regent closing the event (news item of 7 September 2026). If you want to watch local surfers compete, keep an eye on the regency's news for future events.

For what else to fill the flat days with, things to do on Nusa Lembongan sorts the beaches, the mangroves and the boat trips, and snorkelling around Nusa Penida covers trips that leave from Lembongan.

perahu boat

Getting to Lembongan with a surfboard

You reach Nusa Lembongan by boat, most often a fast boat from Sanur. Ports, crossing times and fares for each operator are on Sanur to Nusa Lembongan; from other parts of Bali, start with Bali to Nusa Penida.

A board costs extra on some boats. Gili Getaway charges IDR 100,000 per journey for a single-board bag (about AUD 8, USD 5.5 or GBP 4.1) and twice that for a multi-board bag, and carries normal luggage free, its FAQ states. Ask your operator about boards when you book, not at the pier.

Board bags on Gili Getaway

Single-board bag, per journey
IDR 100,000about AUD 8, USD 5.5 or GBP 4.1
Multi-board bag, per journey
twice the single-board fee
Normal luggage
free

As Gili Getaway states in its FAQ. Rupiah converted at Bank Indonesia rates of 13 November 2026. Other operators set their own rules; ask before you book.

The US CDC advises always wearing a life jacket when boating in Indonesia (page reviewed 25 August 2026). That covers the crossing and any boat that takes you out to a break.

Jungutbatu beach
The Jungutbatu seafront and moored boatsPhoto: rheins / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Fast-boat tickets between Sanur and Lembongan, with the partner's listed price and the date it was read:

laut sea

Insurance and water safety before you paddle out

Your policy. Smartraveller, the Australian Government's advice (updated 21 October 2026), lists surfing among risky activities in Indonesia, together with snorkelling, boat rides and bungee jumping, and warns that these may not be covered by travel insurance. Read your policy's wording on surfing before the trip, and ask your insurer in writing if it is unclear.

No lifeguards to count on. Smartraveller also states that many beaches in Indonesia are unpatrolled and can be dangerous due to rough seas and strong currents. The US CDC advises swimming only in designated areas and obeying lifeguards and warning flags.

On the day. Look at BMKG's warnings for the strait, look at the sea, and ask at a surf school on Lembongan which break and which tide suit your level. What the advisories say for the islands as a whole is on is Nusa Penida safe.

menginap staying the night

Staying in Jungutbatu for a surf trip

Jungutbatu is the Lembongan seafront where boats moor, as the photo above shows. Two Jungutbatu stays, with each partner's listed price for two nights and the date it was read. How Jungutbatu compares with the rest of the island, and more stays, is on where to stay on Nusa Lembongan; the island itself is on the Nusa Lembongan page.

  • Stay on Booking.com

    Lembongan Cliff Villas sponsored

    Listed price
    US$105 for 2 nights, US$53 a night, about AUD 154 in total, read 13 November 2026
    Example dates
    10 to 12 March 2027, 2 adults in one room; prices change with the dates you pick

  • Stay on Booking.com

    Darsan Lembongan Boutique Cottage sponsored

    Listed price
    US$128 for 2 nights, US$64 a night, about AUD 188 in total, read 13 November 2026
    Example dates
    10 to 12 March 2027, 2 adults in one room; prices change with the dates you pick

musim season

A Nusa Lembongan surf checklist

  1. The month. Bigger sea from June to September, smaller from November to April on the ribbon. July's median: 1.7 m; November's: 1.2 m.
  2. The water. Sea temperature in the strait runs from 26°C (79°F) in August to 29°C (84°F) in April (NOAA OISST, 1991 to 2020).
  3. The boat. Ask about board bags when you book; on Gili Getaway a single-board bag costs IDR 100,000 per journey.
  4. The cover. Check that your travel insurance covers surfing; Smartraveller warns it may not.
  5. The break. Ask a surf school or boat on Lembongan which break suits your level, the tide and the day.
  6. The forecast. Check BMKG's warnings for the Badung Strait sea area in the days before.

July swell and the board-bag fee

  • ombak waves

    1.7 m

    median of each July day's highest significant wave in the Badung Strait, the biggest month (model, 4 years)

  • laut sea

    94%

    of July days reached BMKG's moderate band or above, against 42% in November

  • perahu boat

    IDR 100,000

    Gili Getaway's fee for a single-board bag, per journey, about AUD 8, USD 5.5 or GBP 4.1

pertanyaan questions

Nusa Lembongan surf questions

Can you surf in Nusa Lembongan?

Yes. Klungkung Regency reports a 2026 surfing festival held at Pantai Mahagiri, and the Badung Strait carries waves in every month: in the Meteo-France MFWAM wave model, 2022 to 2025, the median of each day's highest wave ran from 1.2 m in November to 1.7 m in July. Ask a surf school which break suits you.

What is the best month to surf Nusa Lembongan?

It depends on the size you want. The strait runs biggest from June to September, with July's median at 1.7 m and moderate-band seas on 94% of days. November is the smallest month. These are model figures for the open strait, not a reading at a break, so ask a local surf school about the day.

Do fast boats to Lembongan take surfboards?

Some do, for a fee. Gili Getaway charges IDR 100,000 per journey for a single-board bag, twice that for a multi-board bag, and carries normal luggage free, as its FAQ states. Rules differ between operators, so ask about boards when you book. The boats and ports are on the Sanur to Nusa Lembongan page.

Does travel insurance cover surfing in Indonesia?

Maybe not. Smartraveller, the Australian Government's advice, lists surfing among risky activities in Indonesia and warns these may not be covered by travel insurance. Read the wording of your own policy before you travel and ask your insurer in writing if it is unclear. Smartraveller also states that many Indonesian beaches are unpatrolled.

Is there surf on Nusa Ceningan too?

Nusa Ceningan, joined to Lembongan by the Yellow Bridge, faces the same Badung Strait, so the same months apply on the swell ribbon. Ask a surf school on Lembongan or Ceningan which break suits your level and the tide. The island itself is covered on the Nusa Ceningan page, and its cliffs on the Blue Lagoon page.

Where to next

Sources

  1. Smartraveller states many beaches in Indonesia are unpatrolled and can be dangerous due to rough seas and strong currents. Smartraveller (Australian Government, DFAT), Indonesia travel advice, updated 21 October 2026, 2026-10-21.
  2. Smartraveller lists bungee jumping, scuba diving and snorkelling, surfing, boat rides and crossing suspension bridges among risky activities in Indonesia and warns travel insurance may not cover them. Smartraveller (Australian Government, DFAT), Indonesia travel advice, updated 21 October 2026, 2026-10-21.
  3. The US CDC advises travellers in Indonesia to swim only in designated areas, obey lifeguards and warning flags, and always wear a life jacket when boating. US CDC Travelers' Health, Indonesia traveler view (page last reviewed 25 August 2026), 2026-08-25.
  4. Bank Indonesia's JISDOR reference rate for 12 November 2026 is IDR 18,241 per US dollar. Bank Indonesia, JISDOR reference rate table, 2026-11-12.
  5. Bank Indonesia's transaction rate (kurs transaksi) for the Australian dollar on 13 November 2026 is IDR 12,511.73 selling. Bank Indonesia, Kurs Transaksi BI table, 2026-11-13.
  6. Bank Indonesia's transaction rate (kurs transaksi) for the Australian dollar on 13 November 2026 is IDR 12,383.60 buying. Bank Indonesia, Kurs Transaksi BI table, 2026-11-13.
  7. OpenStreetMap places Jungutbatu at latitude -8.67592, longitude 115.45931 (WGS84). OpenStreetMap (read via Overpass API) and Wikidata.
  8. OpenStreetMap places Sandy Bay at latitude -8.68897, longitude 115.42976 (WGS84). OpenStreetMap (read via Overpass API).
  9. Klungkung Regency states the LST Surfing and Music Festival 2026 was held at Pantai Mahagiri, organised by the Lembongan Surf Team and PSOI. Klungkung Regency, news item on closing the surfing and music festival, 2026-09-07.
  10. Gili Getaway charges IDR 100,000 per journey for a single-board surfboard bag and IDR 200,000 for a multi-board bag; normal luggage is free. Gili Getaway, FAQ.
  11. BMKG's high-wave warnings cover four categories; 'Gelombang Sedang' (moderate) is a significant wave height of. BMKG Maritime, Peringatan Gelombang Tinggi (high-wave warning page).
  12. BMKG category 'Gelombang Tinggi' (high) is a significant wave height of. BMKG Maritime, Peringatan Gelombang Tinggi (high-wave warning page).
  13. BMKG warns that maximum waves may reach the significant wave height multiplied by up to. BMKG Maritime, Shipping Bulletin (Douglas Sea Scale table).
  14. BMKG forecasts the Badung Strait (Sanur to Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan crossings) as sea area. BMKG Maritime, sea area index (marine2026-data meta/area_province.json).
  15. Waves and sea temperature by month (share of days over several years, not a forecast; wave shares count days in BMKG's moderate band, 1.25 m and up, high band, 2.5 m and up, or very high band, 4 m and up). Daily highest significant wave height: ERA5 wave reanalysis (ECMWF, Copernicus Climate Change Service; 0.5° grid) for the south coast, 1991 to 2020, and Meteo-France MFWAM (about 0.08° grid) for the Badung Strait, 2022 to 2025, both via Open-Meteo; sea surface temperature from NOAA OISST v2.1 (0.25° grid), 1991 to 2020; wave bands from BMKG. Shares of days, not a forecast
  16. Rupiah in Australian dollars, US dollars and British pounds. Bank Indonesia: AUD and GBP transaction rates (mid of buy and sell), 13 November 2026; USD JISDOR reference rate, 12 November 2026
  17. Places and straight-line distances. OpenStreetMap and Wikidata points (© OpenStreetMap contributors); distances are great-circle lines between two points, not routes or travel times

Photographs

  1. Surf break at Lembongan. Photo: Lembongan (Wikivoyage user) / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
  2. Seaweed farms with the Ceningan surf break. Photo: Burmesedays (Wikivoyage) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
  3. Jungutbatu beach. Photo: rheins / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0