If you love nature and being surrounded by greenery and critters, you’ll adore Menjangan Island. Situated in northwest Bali, it’s one of the most picturesque and secluded spots in Indonesia. Named after the deer that inhabit the island, it’s a paradise for nature lovers who want to spend their days chillaxing on white sand beaches and swimming and snorkeling with coral and fish. If you’re looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of Indonesian life (and even Bali), this is your spot. Just make sure to bring your patience – getting there takes some effort!
1. Menjangan Island Overview.
Menjangan Island is a small island located in the northwest of Bali, Indonesia. The island is well known for its natural beauty, with pristine beaches, crystal clear waters and lush jungles. Menjangan Island is also home to a large population of deer, which can be seen swimming and grazing in the water or on the beach
Menjangan Island makes for a great day trip from Lovina, and offers excellent snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities thanks to its coral reef. Visitors can also expect to see monkeys, bats, and a variety of birds. If you take the boat around the coast of the island you can even find a bat cave. Most species are most likely hiding or are not around the beach area.
2. How to get there?
Taking a mini bus.
We booked a tour package (More to the tour package later!) that took us directly from our hotel in the Lovina area to Menjangan island via minibus and boat. We started at 9.30 in the morning. The journey took around 1 hour and 20 minutes and was a great way to see the beautiful Balinese countryside. The mini-bus drive from Lovina in North Bali to the NorthWestern coast of Bali was interesting, as we saw locals going about their day-to-day lives and children playing at the side of the road. We recommend staying in Lovina and do the day trip from there as there aren’t many things to do around in the area.
Taking a boat.
From there we boarded a smaller boat and headed to Menjangan Island. It took us around 30-40 minutes to get there from the mainland. We passed some secluded islands with only a few houses on them as well as beautiful mangrove forests. Luckily, we were only 4 people on the mini-bus and boat. It almost felt like a private boat experience. On a good day, you can even see some volcanoes on Java Island.
When is the best time to visit?
The best time to visit Menjangan Island is during the dry season, from April to October. Menjangan Island is open all year round, but the weather and water conditions are better during the dry season. Menjangan Island can get quite crowded during peak season (July and August), so if you’re looking for a more secluded experience, it’s best to visit during the dry season (April-June and September-November).
3. What to do on Menjangan Island?
Chilling with deers.
On Menjangan Island, there are plenty of things to do. The most popular activity in our eyes is watching the deers on the beach as well as the marine life. The island has a number of beautiful white sand beaches, which make for great swimming, sunbathing and snorkelling spots. The most popular beach is West Menjangan Beach, which is also home to the deer that give the island its name.
It is a bit crazy to see a deer in the ocean and sunbathing as we mostly connect it with a reindeer being a winter animal. There are no predators on the island so the deer grew in number over the years. There is no agriculture, it is a government-protected island where many species can live without much human interaction.
A divers /snorkelers paradise
Marine Life The coral reef around Menjangan Island is a major draw for divers and snorkelers, as it is one of the most diverse reefs in Bali. There are a number of dive shops on the island that offer diving and snorkeling trips, or you can just rent some gear and explore on your own. There is also plenty of fish to be seen, including clownfish, batfish, and moray eels.
Fascinating steep reefs.
A stunning fact about the corals and marine life is the steep and sudden decline of the coral reef. Out of nowhere, the reef gets from just a few meters in depth to around 40 meters in depth. We haven’t seen that anywhere else in Bali so far. Especially, when you are a passionate diver, you will enjoy this. Even though Ika and I prefer snorkeling, it was amazing to see from the surface. Plus we saw plenty and colorful fish!
Exploring the island and its temples.
You can also walk around the island and visit a small temple, not far from the beach. On the other side of the island is a larger temple. There are no permanent residents, only temples where the Monks go to pray. We saw a smaller temple closer to the beach which you can visit. The larger temple, influenced by a traditional Balinese look, we only saw from the boat. We are not sure if it is allowed tourists to visit the large temple. Please be mindful and respectful when visiting these places. Ika and I were too lazy to walk (also it was very hot) and we stayed close to the beach.
Jumping from the boat and swimming in crystal clear water.
One of our favorite activities is jumping from a boat into the water. No better feeling than this! It was simply great to jump and float in the water. Highly recommend it :)
4. Accomodation on Menjangan Island
There are no options for accommodation on Menjangan Island as it is part of a protected national park. The most popular option is to stay in one of the resorts or guesthouses on of the neighboring islands. There are a number of options, with prices ranging from budget to luxury. However, expect steep food prices. Our boat captain told as that the price for a Nasi Goreng is around 100.000 IDR (~6.66€). which is 5 times more than normal. If you’re looking for a more rustic experience, there are also a few camping spots on a nearby island.
5. What do bring to Menjangan Island?
There is no shortage of things to do on Menjangan Island, but there are also a few things you’ll need to bring with you. First and foremost, be sure to bring your swimsuit and sunscreen, as you’ll want to spend plenty of time in the water. You’ll also want to bring a towel, hat and sunglasses. If you’re planning to do any diving or snorkeling, you’ll need to bring your own gear. Finally, be sure to pack some snacks and drinks because there is no one selling any.
6. How much does it cost?
Well, that is a very good question. To be honest, we got scammed while booking our tour in Lovina. More details will follow in our next blog. For the day trip and for swimming with the dolphins on the next day we paid 90€ = 1.350.00 IDR per person. This is probably twice as much as we should have paid normally. It is hard to estimate what only the day trip to Menjangan would have cost. However, we believe it should be around 600.000 IDR or 40€ per person. Watch out for where you book your ticket. Based on our experience, book it directly via your hotel or a travel agency, not with some random locals. Lesson learned for us.
Conclusion
Overall Menjangan Island is a really beautiful and secluded island that makes for a great day trip from Lovina. The marine life is incredibly diverse and the deers on the beach are really cute. If you’re looking for some peace and quiet, Menjangan Island is definitely one of the top destinations for you. Visit during the low season and you have the island almost for yourself. We visited during the rainy season in November and experienced perfect weather conditions with a very calm ocean.
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