Nusa Lembongan, the small island across the strait from Bali

South-east of Bali, across the Badung Strait, lie three islands that most visitors to Bali never set foot on. Nusa Penida is the largest, a rugged limestone island of cliffs and dramatic coves. Nusa Lembongan, smaller and gentler, is the one most visitors know. Nusa Ceningan, between them, is joined to Lembongan by a narrow bridge. A fast boat from Sanur, on Bali's south-east coast, reaches Lembongan in well under an hour.

The island is only a few kilometres across, and it can be explored by bicycle or on foot, or on the small scooters and trucks that use its narrow roads. There are no large resorts, and the pace is slow. For anyone who has spent a few days in the traffic and crowds of southern Bali, it is a relief.

Seaweed, mangroves and surf

For generations, the main livelihood of Lembongan and Ceningan was seaweed farming. At low tide, the shallow waters between the islands are laid out in a patchwork of rectangular plots, marked by stakes and lines, where seaweed was grown, harvested and laid out to dry in the sun before being sold for use in cosmetics and food. Tourism has largely taken its place, and fewer families now farm seaweed than in the past. But the plots can still be seen in the shallows, and the work goes on in some families.

On the north-east of the island, a mangrove forest lines the shore, its channels explored by canoe or small boat. The south-west coast is rocky and wild. At Devil's Tear, the Indian Ocean swell smashes into low limestone cliffs, sending spray high into the air, especially at sunset. Lembongan's reefs also have well-known surf breaks, and the island has been popular with surfers for decades.

The water

The clear water around the islands makes for some of the best snorkelling and diving within reach of Bali. The reefs are home to colourful coral and fish, and off the coast of Nusa Penida, the cleaning stations of manta rays draw divers and snorkellers from around the world. The large mantas glide in to be cleaned by small fish, and they are seen there for much of the year. In the cooler months, from about July to October, divers also hope to see the mola mola, the ocean sunfish, which rises from the deep to the reefs.

The currents around the islands can be strong and unpredictable, and it is wise to snorkel and dive with local guides who know the conditions.

Nusa Penida, the larger neighbour, is now often visited by day from Lembongan. Its rugged coast has some of the most dramatic scenery in the region: sheer limestone cliffs dropping into turquoise water, natural arches and rock pools, and beaches reached by steep, rough paths down the cliffs. The roads are narrow, steep and sometimes in poor condition, and the most famous viewpoints are busy, but the scale of the coast is remarkable. Nusa Ceningan, across the bridge, has a small, sheltered lagoon of startling blue and a few quiet coves.

Between the islands, the narrow channel can run with strong currents at times, which is one more reason to let local boatmen do the navigating. They have been crossing it all their lives.

The tours that include Lembongan

G Adventures' Bali to Lembongan: Island Hopping Bliss, ten nights, combines Canggu, Kintamani and Mount Batur, the village of Bulian and Ubud on Bali with time on Lembongan.

G Adventures' Solo-ish Bali, nine nights, is aimed at solo travellers. It includes Ubud, the villages of Bulian and Lemukih, Mount Batur and Nusa Lembongan. G Adventures' Sumatra to Nusa Lembongan: Wild Islands and Zen Beaches, seventeen nights, starts in Sumatra's Gunung Leuser National Park. It then covers Bali, with Canggu, Mount Batur, Ubud and the lake temple of Ulun Danu, and Nusa Lembongan with Devil's Tear.

The dry season, from about April to October, brings the calmest seas and the best visibility. A few days on Lembongan make a fitting end to a trip to Bali, and a good place to slow down before the flight home.