Surrounding islands

Big cliffs and dramatic coastline

• Kelingking (T-Rex) cliff, Broken Beach, Angel's Billabong, Diamond Beach
• Manta ray snorkelling at Manta Point and Manta Bay (year round, best Apr–Nov)
• Crystal Bay for sunset and drift dives; mola-mola season Jul–Oct

Getting there: Fast boat from Sanur to Toya Pakeh or Banjar Nyuh, 30–45 min, IDR 175k–400k each way. Boats run roughly 07:00–17:00; book the day before in peak season.

Where to stay: Toya Pakeh / Ped for convenience, Crystal Bay for diving, Atuh side for east-coast sunrises.

Guided: Day tours from Bali IDR 700k–1.4m including boat, car, driver and lunch. West-coast or east-coast loops — you cannot do both well in one day.

On your own: Scooter hire IDR 100k–150k/day, but roads are steep, broken in places and busy with tour cars. Only ride if you are genuinely confident; otherwise hire a car and driver on the island for IDR 600k–800k/day.

Easy island pace, surf and snorkelling

• Devil's Tear, Dream Beach, Mushroom Bay, mangrove forest tours
• Three well-known surf breaks (Shipwrecks, Lacerations, Playgrounds)
• Sunset bars, seaweed farms and a genuinely walkable centre

Getting there: Fast boat from Sanur, 30 min, IDR 150k–350k each way. Some boats stop at Lembongan then continue to Penida.

Where to stay: Jungutbatu for budget and surf, Mushroom Bay for quieter resorts.

Guided: Snorkel trips (Manta Point, Crystal Bay, mangroves) IDR 250k–500k per person for 3–4 stops with gear.

On your own: Best island for going without a guide — scooters are easy, distances short, and the yellow bridge to Ceningan takes minutes.

Blue Lagoon and slow afternoons

• Blue Lagoon cliff views and the cliff jump (dangerous — watch conditions)
• Secret Beach, Mahana Point sunset, cliff-side swings
• Seaweed farms and quiet lanes with almost no traffic

Getting there: Walk or ride across the yellow suspension bridge from Lembongan — no separate boat needed.

Where to stay: Most people stay on Lembongan and visit for the day.

Guided: Usually bundled into a Lembongan tour rather than sold on its own.

On your own: Ideal self-guided: one scooter, half a day, a few stops.

Nightlife, diving and no cars

• Turtle snorkelling straight off the beach, plus the underwater statues
• Dive schools with cheap fun dives and Open Water courses
• Bars, night market food, and a party scene that peaks in dry season

Getting there: Fast boat from Padang Bai or Serangan, 2–2.5 hrs, IDR 400k–800k each way. Morning crossings are calmer.

Where to stay: North and east coasts are quieter; the south-east strip is the busy side.

Guided: Three-island snorkel boat trips IDR 150k–350k per person. Dive trips IDR 500k–700k per dive with gear.

On your own: No motorbikes on the island — bicycles or cidomo (pony carts). Very easy without a guide.

The middle ground — relaxed but not empty

• Good reef within swimming distance, sunset views to Bali's Mount Agung
• Yoga shalas, small cafes and beach swings
• Quiet enough to sleep, lively enough to eat well

Getting there: Same fast boats as Trawangan; most services call at all three Gilis.

Where to stay: East side for sunrise and cafes, west side for sunset.

Guided: Snorkel and freediving trips, plus yoga retreats booked by the week.

On your own: Walk the whole island in under two hours. No guide required.

Honeymoon quiet

• Turtle hatchery and the best turtle snorkelling of the three
• Underwater 'Nest' statues off the west coast
• Salt lake, almost no nightlife, very few people

Getting there: Fast boats from Bali call here, or hop from Trawangan/Air by public boat.

Where to stay: A handful of beach bungalows and two or three resorts. Book ahead.

Guided: Snorkel hops and sunset boats; not much else is organised, by design.

On your own: Bring cash — ATMs are unreliable. Self-guided is the point of Meno.

Volcano trekking and empty surf beaches

• Mount Rinjani trek (2–4 days, permit and guide compulsory)
• Kuta Lombok surf: Selong Belanak, Mawun, Tanjung Aan
• Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep waterfalls, Sasak villages

Getting there: Fast boat from Padang Bai to Bangsal/Teluk Kode (2.5–4 hrs) or fly Denpasar–Lombok in 30 min from around IDR 500k.

Where to stay: Kuta Lombok for surf, Senggigi for convenience, Senaru for Rinjani starts.

Guided: Rinjani packages IDR 2.5m–5m per person including porters, food and permits — do not attempt unguided, it is not permitted.

On your own: Scooters and rental cars are easy and roads are far quieter than Bali. Great for a self-driven week.

Bali's clearest water and wall diving

• Vertical coral walls with 20–30 m visibility inside West Bali National Park
• Excellent snorkelling in calm, shallow water — good for nervous swimmers
• Deer, monkeys and a small temple on the island itself

Getting there: Drive 3.5–4 hrs to Labuan Lalang in the north-west, then a 30 min boat. Most people stay in Pemuteran the night before.

Where to stay: Pemuteran — quiet dive town with reef-restoration projects.

Guided: Park entry requires a boat with a licensed guide: roughly IDR 700k–1m per boat plus park fees. Dive packages IDR 1.2m–1.8m for two dives.

On your own: Not possible to visit independently — the national park requires a registered boat and guide.

Wreck diving without a boat crossing

• USAT Liberty shipwreck at Tulamben — shore dive, suitable from beginner level
• Japanese wreck, coral gardens and freediving schools at Amed
• Black-sand bays, jukung sailing boats and Agung sunrise views

Getting there: 2.5–3 hrs by car from the airport. No boat needed — this is east Bali, not an island.

Where to stay: Amed for the village strip, Tulamben for early-morning wreck entries.

Guided: Guided shore dives IDR 500k–800k for two tanks. Snorkel guides IDR 150k–250k.

On your own: Snorkelling the wreck is free from the beach — go before 08:00 to beat the dive groups.

Dragons, Padar and pink sand

• Komodo dragons on Rinca and Komodo islands with a ranger
• Padar Island viewpoint, Pink Beach, Manta Point at Karang Makassar
• Liveaboard boats and Labuan Bajo as the launch town

Getting there: Fly Denpasar to Labuan Bajo, 1 hr 15 min, IDR 800k–2m return. Boats leave from Labuan Bajo harbour.

Where to stay: Labuan Bajo hotels, or sleep aboard on a 2–3 night boat trip.

Guided: Shared day boats IDR 1m–1.8m per person; private boats IDR 4m–7m per day; liveaboards IDR 3m–12m per person for 2–3 nights. Rangers are compulsory on the dragon islands.

On your own: You can walk Labuan Bajo and dive independently, but the national park itself is boat-and-ranger only.

Serangan, Sanur reef and Turtle Island

• Serangan (Turtle Island) — conservation centre, kite spots, 20 min from Sanur
• Sanur reef snorkel trips by jukung at low tide
• Good options if you cannot face a two-hour crossing

Getting there: Drive — Serangan is connected by causeway. No fast boat required.

Where to stay: Stay in Sanur and go out for the morning.

Guided: Jukung snorkel charters IDR 350k–600k per boat for 2–3 hours.

On your own: Easy to drive yourself; conservation centre entry is a small donation.

The site is inside a national park (Menjangan, Komodo), the trek needs a permit (Rinjani), the roads are dangerous (Penida's west coast), or you only have one day and want the logistics handled.

You are on Lembongan, Ceningan, the Gilis or Lombok's south coast, you have two or more days, and you are comfortable on a scooter or in a rental car.

Get yourself to the island by fast boat, then hire a local car and driver by the day. You keep the flexibility, they take the road risk and know where the crowds are not.

Return boat, land transport, entry fees, snorkel gear, lunch and water. If a quote seems cheap, one of those is missing — usually entry fees, which are then collected in cash at the gate.

Sanur 07:30 boat to Lembongan, scooter across to Ceningan for the Blue Lagoon, snorkel Manta Bay mid-morning, sunset drink at Mushroom Bay, last boat back around 16:30.

Two nights on Nusa Penida with a car and driver: west coast day one (Kelingking, Broken Beach), east coast day two (Diamond Beach, Atuh), manta snorkel on the morning you leave.

Padang Bai to Gili Air for three nights of diving, public boat to Lombok, then Kuta Lombok surf beaches by rental car, flying home from Lombok airport rather than backtracking.