text:
Nunukan

Nunukan is a busy town on an island of the same name in East Kalimantan, bordering Tawau in Sabah, Malaysia. It serves as a main transit point to Tawau. Nunukan regency has 9 sub-districts: Krayan, Krayan Selatan, Lumbis, Sembakung, Nunukan, Nunukan Selatan, Sebatik, Sebatik Barat and Sebuku.

Visa
For visa requirements when entering Indonesia, see the Indonesia | Get in section. Note that Nunukan is not listed as a visa-on-arrival entry point. Visas need to be obtained before hand. Citizens of countries not needing visa to enter Indonesia can freely enter via this checkpoint.

Nunukan's Immigration office (Kantor Imigrasi) is about 200m from the port on Jalan Pelabuhan into town and opens at 8am.

By boat
To/from Tawau: Ferries link Tawau in the southeastern corner of Sabah, Malaysia with Nunukan's Tunon Taka port. Ticket costs RM41 for one way. Two departures scheduled daily at 09:00 and 14:00. The ferries operating are M.V. Tawindo Express, M.V. Mid East Express, M.V Labuan Express, M.V Mega Express', M.V Nunukan Express, and M.V Purnama Express,M.V Francis Express. There is a port tax of Rp. 8.000 per person collected before departure. Journey time is about one hour.

To/from other parts of Indonesia: Pelni boats such as KM AWU, KM THALIA, KM UMSINI, KM DOBONSOLO and KM TIDAR, KM TILONGKABILA pass by Nunukan from cities in Nusa Tenggara, Bali, Sulawesi, Java and Kalimantan. Check with Pelni office in Nunukan (Add: Jalan. A. Yani 11, Tel: 0556–21309, 0556–21170, Fax: 0556-21029) for ticketing and departure time tables matters.

By mikrolet
The cheapest way to travel around Nunukan is by mikrolet. These small minibuses running a fairly standard route and picking up and dropping off passengers anywhere along the way. You can get almost anywhere for Rp. 3.000.

Eat

 * Dessy Bakery & cafe

Sleep

 * Lenflin Hotel at Jl TVRI No 105 Nunukan, East Kalimantan                                (Tel: +62-556-24178 - +62-556-24180)  ; http://lenflinhotel.indonetwork.co.id

Go next

 * Tarakan, 100 km south of Nunukan, an island in the East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is a marshy island situated in the eastern Celebes Sea, off the northeastern coast of Borneo.

title: Nunukan


text:
Nuorgam

Nuorgam (Northern Sámi: Njuorggán) is in Finnish Lapland and is situated at the top of Finland and the EU, 510 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, in the municipality Utsjoki. It is very central while on route to the Arctic Ocean and the Finnmark area in Norway. The close proximity of the Norwegian border crossing gives the village with its 200 inhabitants an international atmosphere, with many tourists visiting during the summer season.

Understand
Summer in this salmon valley is dominated by the king of fish and sports fishermen from all over Europe come to try their luck. The winter passes slowly, just like the water under the icy cover of the Teno River (Norwegian: Tana, Sámi: Deatnu. This is when Norwegian traders and European snowmobiling tourists arrive. When the sun rises over the horizon the village fills with people on snowmobiles and ice-fishermen and their families here to catch the giant Arctic Char. Nuorgam is also a place to visit during the period of winter twilight (officially November 26th – January 16th). At this time you have the possibility to experience the blue light and peacefulness of midwinter. It is not pitch-dark throughout the day, the snow gives us some light and softens the moment. And you may also experience the Northern Lights already in the early afternoon.

The EU’s northernmost school, Nuorgam lower elementary, had 16 pupils in 2018.

Get in
Even though it is allowed to cross the Finland-Norway border anywhere it is an outer border of EU and customs regulations apply. If you aren't a citizen of a Nordic Country you also need to carry all necessary documents with you. The corresponding border station is the in Norway.

The ways to get in are car or bus.

Distances by road
To Finland:
 * Utsjoki main village                   47 km
 * Ivalo (airport)                       210 km
 * Rovaniemi (airport and train station) 510 km
 * Saariselkä                            250 km

To Norway:
 * The border (Polmak village)                 3 km
 * Tana Bru                               23 km
 * Vadsø (airport)                        85 km
 * Vardø (airport)                       160 km
 * Båtsfjord (airport)                   160 km
 * Kirkenes (airport)                    165 km
 * Lakselv (airport)                     270 km

By plane
The closest airport in Finland is in Ivalo, to which Finnair flies daily from Helsinki. SAS and Wideroe fly to the airport in Kirkenes in Norway.

Get around
In the village you can get around on foot, for longer distances a car is needed.

All the airports in close proximity offer car rentals: Ivalo, Kirkenes airport and also Vadsø have Hertz, Europcar and Avis car rental companies.

See
Sights in the Nuorgam village and nearby areas:

 * The midnight sun is shining from May 16th to July 27th.
 * The period of winter twilight from November 26th to January 16th when the Sun doesn't rise at all.
 * The autumn colors (Sámi:ruški/Finnish: ruska) rule the views in September. The first snow falls usually early October.
 * The Sami museum in Varangerbotn in Norway
 * Norway and the Arctic Ocean, take photographs of the fisher villages and towns
 * Rastigaisa (Sami: Rásttigáisá): East-Finnmark’s highest fell (1065 m.a.sl.) can be seen from the top of the treeless fells in Nuorgam
 * The Sami museum in Varangerbotn in Norway
 * Norway and the Arctic Ocean, take photographs of the fisher villages and towns
 * Rastigaisa (Sami: Rásttigáisá): East-Finnmark’s highest fell (1065 m.a.sl.) can be seen from the top of the treeless fells in Nuorgam
 * The Sami museum in Varangerbotn in Norway
 * Norway and the Arctic Ocean, take photographs of the fisher villages and towns
 * Rastigaisa (Sami: Rásttigáisá): East-Finnmark’s highest fell (1065 m.a.sl.) can be seen from the top of the treeless fells in Nuorgam
 * Rastigaisa (Sami: Rásttigáisá): East-Finnmark’s highest fell (1065 m.a.sl.) can be seen from the top of the treeless fells in Nuorgam

Do
The vast majority of tourists in Nuorgam are Norwegians coming here to buy cheap booze from the Alko store.

The rest are mostly fishing enthusiasts as Teno is the most important wild salmon river in the Europe. To protect the river and its stock fishing in Teno is strictly regulated; you need to buy a licence and all your fishing equipment must be disinfected (see fishing in Finland). The arctic char is common in many lakes around and during the winter it is the main catch for ice fishing.

South from Nuorgam there is vast backcountry, the Kaldoaivi Wilderness Area. This makes Nuorgam an awesome place for hiking. The 70 km long, marked hiking trail from lake Pulmanki to Sevettijärvi village in Inari is recommended only for experienced trekkers. Near the lake Ylä-Pulmanki, deep within the wilderness area, there is a wreck of a German Junkers-52 airplane shot down by Russians in 1944. The wreck is relatively well preserved due to successful emergency landing and its extremely remote location, it lies over 20 km off the nearest marked trail.

The Arctic Ocean is just 35 km away. Small town Varangerbotn has a large Sami museum.

Go next
You may take a drive along the Teno River (i.e. the border to Norway); the drive between Nuorgam and Karigasniemi has been chosen as the most beautiful road in Finland. The road passes by the famous Alaköngäs rapids, where it is possible to observe the fishermen toiling.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Nuorgam


text:
Nuoro

Nuoro (Sardinian: Nùgoro) is a city and provincial capital of the Nuoro province of Sardinia.

By plane
Being in the center of Sardinia, Nuoro is reachable from all the island's airports:

 * Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (Aeroporto Costa Smeralda) – about  away near the town of Olbia.
 * Cagliari Elmas Airport (Aeroporto Mario Mameli di Elmas) – about  near Sardinia's capital Cagliari.
 * Alghero-Fertilia Airport (Aeroporto di Alghero) – about  away near the town of Alghero.

By bus
Bus ARST Azienda Regionale Trasporti free toll 800 865042 info tel. 070 4098327

See
Nuoro has a cathedral, several museums and a nearby mountain Ortobene.

title: Nuoro


text:
Nuremberg

Nuremberg (German: Nürnberg) is Franconia's largest city, and its undisputed economic, social and cultural centre. The city lies on the Pegnitz River and the Main-Danube Canal. Within the city limits Nuremberg has a population of about 520,000 (2018), making it the second-biggest city in the Bundesland Bavaria and the biggest city in the region of Franconia. Greater Nuremberg including its suburbs has a population of 1.3 million. The Metropolitan Region Nuremberg which extends to cities like Bamberg or Ansbach has a population of 3.5 million. Long a de facto independent "freie Reichstadt", the city was an early centre of manufacturing and proto-industry and had a golden era during the 16th century when people like Albrecht Dürer, Hans Sachs and Martin Behaim called the city home. Annexed into Bavaria in the early 19th century, the city later came to host Germany's first railway, linking it with neighbouring Fürth (this railway has since been replaced first by a tram and then by a subway line; the current rail line to Fürth follows a different alignment). It is probably most famous for being the site of numerous Nazi rallies and later the trials against the main war criminals. Extensively bombed as an industrial centre and a symbol of Nazism, Nuremberg was rebuilt after the war and thus managed to retain much of its medieval charm.

Understand
When people think of Nuremberg, they usually think of gingerbread, toys, Christmas, the Reich Party Rally Grounds or the Nuremberg Trials (see World War II in Europe and Holocaust remembrance). But the old town of Nuremberg in the shadow of the towering imperial castle is more than that. Gothic churches, splendid patricians' houses and romantic corners and spots. An atmosphere of lively co-existence between medieval and modern, between the past and the present, prevails in Nuremberg. In medieval and early modern times, Nuremberg was a rich centre for trade and early industry and it is no coincidence that the first railway in what is now Germany was built to link Nuremberg and Fürth. Despite World War II destroying much of it, the city's former wealth is still visible. And with its position on the crossroads of two major Autobahn and railway routes, the old saying "Nürnberger Tand geht in alle Land" (stuff from Nuremberg goes everywhere) still rings true.

History
First mentioned in a document dating to 1050 (like other German cities without a clearly established founding date, Nuremberg uses its first mention in an official document as the basis for anniversaries) Nuremberg grew mostly around the castle ("Burg") which was initially dominated by local nobles and came into the possession of the Hohenzollern, an originally Swabish noble family that would later go on to acquire Brandenburg/Prussia and from 1871 even the imperial crown of the entire German state. While Nuremberg for the most part remained loyal to the Emperor, the wealthy merchants ("Patrizier") did not like interference of noble houses into their politics and eventually managed to "buy out" the Hohenzollern, who however kept possession of the areas around Ansbach and Bayreuth in two separate lines until the 18th century.

Being granted the title of "Freie Reichsstadt" and thus nominally subject to the emperor but otherwise self-governing, Nuremberg became a centre of arts, manufacturing and trade with names such as Martin Behaim (inventor of the pocket watch) Albrecht Dürer (famous painter and polymath) or Hans Sachs (poet and singer) standing pars pro toto for the leading position Nuremberg had in the late 15th to early 16th century. However, the emergence of Transatlantic trade (for which Nuremberg was ill positioned being inland) and ruinous wars with other regional powers led to a decline of Nuremberg and it became a city living off its glorious past for a while.

When the Bavarian Kings offered to take over the considerable debt Nuremberg had amassed while also ending the existence of the Reichsstadt, the notables did not hesitate much to take up the offer. Still, Nuremberg's craftsmanship and potential for innovation served it well in the beginning industrial revolution and it was here that Germany's first railway (built and piloted by Englishmen though it was) started operation in 1835. The Nuremberg toy industry also got a boost from the ability to export across the entire world with the new transportation methods and the town re-acquired considerable wealth as evidenced by some 19th century construction.

Nuremberg also became one of the first bastions of the labor movement, electing some of the first social democrats to the Reichstag and despite being governed by a left leaning liberal during the Weimar Republic being known as reliably "red". However, the Nazis soon discovered Nuremberg and local antisemite Julius Streicher would publish Der Stürmer, a newspaper known for antisemititic propaganda. The Nazis also built their huge rallying grounds in the southeast of the city, heavily featured in Triumph of the Will, their landmark propaganda film. If you've seen images of a huge Nazi rally with Hitler speaking, chances are those are from this movie and thus shot in Nuremberg. Nuremberg was thus an obvious target for allied bombing raids and the burning Nuremberg could be seen at night as far away as Bayreuth.

After the war, rebuilding was the first order of the day and the Americans who had conquered the city blew up a huge swastika above the Rallying Grounds, which are now used for vehicle parking, especially buses and coaches. Nuremberg soon re-acquired its reputation as a "red" city and elected an uninterrupted string of social democratic mayors until 1996 and again from 2002 to 2020 when the centre-right to right wing party that dominates Bavarian politics controlled the mayoralty. One of the biggest changes in postwar Nuremberg was the construction of the subway. While Nuremberg had had a tram network since the 1880s, the contemporary decision in Munich to build a subway led longtime mayor Andreas Uhrschlechter to follow suit. He planned to shut down the trams once the subway had reached a sufficient extent. The subway construction also unearthed some parts of the city wall which can be seen near Frauentormauer.

The second half of the twentieth century and the early twenty first century was also economically turbulent. While the Wirtschaftswunder ("economic miracle") of the 1950s saw economic growth in Nuremberg, there was later a period of deindustrialization, leaving many once notable companies in the area like Quelle, Grundig or AEG bankrupt. Nuremberg's economy shifted to a more service-oriented outlook, but the Messe (trade fair) that moved to the southeast of town in 1974 is still notable for industrial fairs of world renown like the toy fair in February.

Orientation
Nuremberg's old town (Altstadt) is encircled by massive city walls (Stadtmauer), which will therefore be the first thing you encounter whichever way you approach. The town within is divided by the river Pegnitz. The northern half, Sebalder Altstadt, clusters around St Sebald Church and the Town Hall, and is dominated by the Imperial Castle. The southern half, Lorenzer Altstadt, clusters around the Lorenzkirche. Several charming little bridges criss-cross the river. The Transportation Museum lies just outside the walls and can easily be combined with an exploration of the old town. The two churches also serve to give the name to the parts of the Reichswald ("imperial forest") that surrounds Nuremberg to the north, east and west. Those parts on the right (northern) bank of the river are called "Sebalder Reichswald" whereas those on the left bank are called "Lorenzer Reichswald". Both have been heavily used since medieval times for all sorts of economic activity, so don't confuse them with wilderness, but - in part due to the airport at the Southern end of Sebalder Reichswald making construction unattractive - they are still mostly contiguous and surprisingly large pieces of forest in an otherwise densely populated metropolitan area.

The city walls were 5 km long, with five gates: Laufer, Spittler-, Frauen-, Neu- and Tiergärtner Tor. The towers on the city walls are all marked with a coloured letter, and this can help in determining one's whereabouts within the city: is the main train station,  is the Plärrer, and  is Luginsland tower, location of the youth hostel. From the 13th to the 16th century they were continually strengthened, and helped the city withstand all attacks during this era. Nearly 4 km are still standing, with the only major gaps being on the southeast side between the main station and Rathenauplatz. The city moat, which was never filled with water, still exists in good condition for about 2 km along the south side. You might want to swerve clear of the alley between Färbertor and Spittlertor (Plärrer) ( to ), as it's the red light district. A complete walking circuit of the walls will take about 90 min, but there's no particular need to, as you'll see it from multiple angles wherever you wander in town. The most attractive sections are where the walls bridge the river on the west side ("Westtorgraben"), and the south entrance from the railway and bus stations at Frauentor.

Between the two halves of the old town, take time to follow the course of the river Pegnitz, crossing and re-crossing its charming little bridges, surrounded by half-timbered buildings. From east to west these include Heubrücke crossing the larger river island, Fleischbrücke, the smaller island with the flea market and Henkersteg, then Kettelsteg and the bridging walls as the river flows out of the old town. A riverbank walk continues west, eventually to St John's, see "Further out".

Tourist information

 * Nuremberg Touristm website

Get in
Nuremberg has historically been at the crossroads of important trade routes and was the site of Germany's first railway. Even today it is easily reachable by air, canal, road, railway and even walking or cycling.

By plane
German-speaking cities with flights to Nuremberg include Düsseldorf, Frankfurt Airport, Hamburg, Munich Airport, Vienna Schwechat and Zurich Airport, virtually all those flights are operated by Lufthansa or its wholly owned subsidiaries. Traditional airlines serve Amsterdam Schiphol, Istanbul Airport, and Paris CDG. British Airways flies to London (usually Heathrow Airport but sometimes Gatwick Airport). Pegasus Airlines offers flights to Sabiha Gökçen Airport on the Asian side of Istanbul with connecting service throughout the Middle East. The budget airline Wizz flies to here from Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Sibiu, Skopje and Tuzla. Ryanair offers a seemingly random and often changing grab-bag of destinations throughout Europe with a particular focus on Italy. Vueling (the low-cost subsidiary of the owners of Iberia) offers flights to Barcelona Airport which allow connections throughout Spain. Corendon offers a bunch of flights from Mediterranean "sunny" destinations throughout Turkey; these are mostly aimed at German holidaymakers and Germans of Turkish ancestry visiting the "old country". There are also seasonal holiday flights to/from resorts around the Med and in the Canaries. It is the ninth busiest in Germany behind Hanover.

The U2 underground line connects the airport with the central train station in about 13 minutes. When heading towards the airport, be careful to board a U2 with the destination "Flughafen/Airport" as many U2 trains terminate earlier, usually at Ziegelstein. U2s with destination "Airport" run once every ten minutes throughout the operating hours of the subway.

If you fly into Frankfurt airport, take the ICE express train direct from the airport to Nuremberg, with travel time of around 2 hr 25 min.

From Munich Airport you usually have to take the S-Bahn to Munich central station, 40 min, then the regional train from there takes another 2 hours. There are some direct buses from MUC to Nuremberg and some airlines allow rail&fly which includes the ICE (1 hr from Munich to Nuremberg). When using regional trains from MUC, you may also change in Neufahrn and Freising instead of doubling back all the way to Munich.

By car
Nuremberg is well-connected to the Autobahn network. Major routes include:
 * A3 west to Wurzburg and Frankfurt, and south-east to Linz and Vienna
 * A6 west towards Heidelberg, Metz and Luxembourg, and east towards Pilzen and Prague
 * A9 south to Munich, and north towards Dresden, Leipzig and Berlin

The biggest drawbacks of course are traffic congestion, parking, and risk of theft or damage whilst parked. Options include: Information is available online on locations, prices and real-time availability. There are also indicator signs on streets.
 * It's great if your destination has designated parking - and edge-of-town sports arenas certainly do.
 * For a day trip, use Park & Ride. These facilities are signposted from the main approach roads.
 * For full day or overnight stays, there are 19 parking garages, with 5500 spaces.
 * Street parking is very short supply (most spaces are resident-only, even out in the burbs) and costs €2 an hour.

By bus
Most inter-city buses are operated by Flixbus. Buses run round the clock, destinations from here include Amsterdam, Berlin, Dresden, Dusseldorf, Essen, Hamburg, Innsbruck, Koblenz, Luxembourg, Milan, Munich, Ostend, Pilsen, Prague and Vienna. For most of these the bus is slower than the train, but it's faster for Pilsen and Prague (operated by Deutsche Bahn), as the existing rail line is circuitous and non-electrified.

, the main bus station, is on Willy Brandt Platz opposite the main railway station, at the south-east corner of the old city walls.

Local buses link Nuremberg to surrounding towns and suburbs, including Stein bei Nürnberg and Erlangen and may be a better option for some origin/destination pairs than the S-Bahn. Lines 20, 290 and 30 take you from Erlangen to where you can change onto Tram Lines 4&10 and which also serves as a bus hub. Line 30 is the most "express" of those and goes on to the airport and the Nordostbahnhof, while the other lines terminate at "am Wegfeld". Line 33 links Fürth with the airport and also serves am Wegfeld. Line 199 links Herzogenaurach via a single stop at Erlangen Paul Gossen Straße to am Wegfeld but its schedule is mostly oriented towards commuters. There is also a small Park and Ride lot near the am Wegfeld Tram/Bus hub which is rather popular with commuters and thus fills up during the week. It is also used (illegally) by some who wish to save on airport parking by parking there and taking bus line 30 to the airport, but at least in theory you can be towed if you park here more than 24 hours.

By bicycle
Several long-distance cycle routes pass through Nuremberg, making use of the Pegnitz river bank and the Main-Danube canal to avoid traffic. These reach Bamberg to the north and Regensburg to the south.

By ship
Nuremberg lies on the Main-Danube canal, so relatively large ships can navigate south from here into the Danube, hence to Vienna, Budapest and beyond; and north into the Rhine and all the way down to Cologne and Rotterdam. However these are not point-to-point ferries, but scenic cruises, typically on a 7- or 14-day itinerary. So it's a slow but luxurious way to get in, and you'll notice the tourist sights suddenly get busy whenever a cruise ship is calling. The is  southwest of the old town and railway station. Most arriving cruise ships are met by dedicated buses. The canal was primarily intended as a freight route but while that business has stagnated and shrunk, cruises show relatively consistent growth.

Get around
The old town is best explored on foot. To get from one part of the old town to another by car or public transport, you will often have to leave the old town and reenter it at a different gate.

By public transport

There are three U-bahn or underground lines, and ; seven Straßenbahn or tram lines , , , , , , ; and four S-Bahn or suburban train lines , ,  and , with the S-Bahn lines all reaching far beyond the city limits. They all radiate out from the main railway station. The tram lines have two main hubs at      and the main station which are linked by subway but only awkwardly and indirectly by tram. Public transit is particularly useful for reaching the airport (U2), the Museum of Industrial Culture (Tram 8), the Nazi party rally grounds (S2 or trams 6 or 8), and some of the outlying hotels, as well as nearby towns such as Bamberg (S1). They're all within the integrated VGN, as described in "Get in". A standard Zone A adult ticket is €3.10, a four-journey ticket (which can be split, so a couple could make a return journey) is €11. U1 links Nuremberg and Fürth, was the first line to be built and was actually built from the "outside" (Langwasser, a new housing complex built together with the U-Bahn) inwards, U2 links Röthenbach (almost but not quite Stein bei Nürnberg) and the airport and U3 shares its core route with U2 — between Rothenburger Straße and Rathenauplatz — but branches towards Nordwestring in the north and Großreuth in the south forming an overall U-Shape with both endpoints west of the city centre. U3 is being extended with two more stations on the southern branch scheduled to open in 2025, while lines U1 and U2 seem to have reached their endpoints for the time being. There was extensive talk of tram extensions in the 2010s but apart from a project to link the Tram (current Line 4) to Erlangen and Herzogenaurach they seem to be all on hold until federal or state funds are forthcoming. As lines U2 and U3 are by now fully automated, they naturally have the newest trains and the place that would have to be used for a driver in normal trains is mostly equipped with a panorama window which enables a full view into the tunnel ahead which is worth the ticket price if you care about technology at all and certainly a nice treat for the kids, even though the tunnel is rather dark and you thus don't see all that much. U1 uses some trains that date to the opening of the system and even sometimes some that had been built for the Munich U-Bahn (the first generation of rolling stock was designed to be swapped between Nuremberg and Munich and it often was in the 1970s and 1980s), but in 2020 the newest batch of trains built for U1 entered service. They have removable driver's cabins and can be used on automated lines as well. Unlike all previous generations of Nuremberg U-Bahn trains, they have a single passenger compartment and one can walk through their entire four-car length.

All tram lines operator on ten-minute headways which drop to twenty minutes during the later evening and early morning. U2 and U3 overlap for 100-second headways on their combined route during the busiest time of day and branch out with a little more than three-minute headways which increase during less busy times. U1 usually operates with five-minute headways.

All buses are equipped with Wi-Fi, and the newer trams are to be equipped with Wi-Fi as well. Some U-Bahn stations have Wi-Fi but the vehicles do not. Virtually all vehicles are heated in winter, but only the newer ones are equipped with air conditioning in summer.

By car
In short: don't! Firstly you don't need to, as public transport is almost always quicker. Secondly, the old town is not designed for driving, indeed it's positively designed against it. It's criss-crossed by pedestrian malls and ricketty medieval bridges, and the public roads are twisted into Schleifenlösung — loops. Whichever way you drive in the old town, the road will loop around and spit you back out, and you can't go across town within the walls. Even buses, emergency vehicles and drivers with accessibility permits can't get through.

Bikeshare
Nuremberg is part of the VAG Rad scheme. Bikes can be rented via the app for 10 Cents starting fee plus 10 Cents per minute. You can return the bike at any of the fixed stations throughout Nuremberg, Fürth, Erlangen and Schwabach or in the "Flex Zone" in central Nuremberg, Fürth and Erlangen.

Accessibility
The website wheelmap.org is very helpful for finding wheelchair accessible places in Nuremberg (and Germany in general). A list of wheelchair accessible public toilets is provided here.

The public transport network in Nuremberg is mostly accessible for people with disabilities. All U-Bahn/underground stations are equipped with elevators. Here you can find a list of elevators that are out of service. All U-Bahn trains are equipped with an automatic ramp on every door, so boarding is easy for wheelchair users. All tram and bus lines are served exclusively by wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Further information about the accessibility of the public transport network is provided here.

See
For all but the briefest visits, you'll do well to buy the Nürnberg + Fürth Card. This is valid for two days and gives free admission to over 50 museums and attractions, and free travel on all public transport in Zone A of Nuremberg and Fürth. You also get discounts in many theatres, shops, and the IMAX cinema. The card price for adults is €28. Children aged 5 to 11 pay €5, children under 5 are free. See city website and tourist board for more details.

If so many museums sounds daunting, a day-ticket just for the municipal museums is €9 - worth buying if you only see two, as the individual adult entry price is €6. Buy them at the first museum you visit. So two such days would cost €18, cheaper than the N+F card and your days needn't be consecutive, but it wouldn't include public transport. As of early 2018, these museums (all listed below) include Albrecht Dürer's House, Fembohaus City Museum, Toy Museum, Museum of Industrial Culture, Documentation Centre at the Reich Party Rally Grounds, and Memorium Nuremberg Trials. The day-ticket only includes the regular collection, not exhibitions, tours and events, and doesn't include the Kaiserburg.

The following listings are arranged geographically, north to south through the Old Town then beyond. But if you want to focus on buildings of a particular architectural style, visit this site.

Sebalder Altstadt
Top sights in Sebalder Altstadt, the northern half of town, include the Imperial Castle, the collection of old houses nearby, and St Sebald church. A suggested itinerary is to start with the castle, then admire the collection of old buildings around Tiergärtnerplatz and the Castle Quarter or Burgviertel. Some of these are original, having survived the war, others were rebuilt. Pilatushaus was home to a wealthy merchant. The street Fuell with its sandstone houses is a typical merchant's street. The craftsmen lived in timber-framed houses, many of which have been restored in Weissgerbergasse. More timber-framed houses can be seen in Obere and Untere Kraemersgasse. In Untere Kraemersgasse 16 you can often look into the tiny courtyard. Near here are the Kunstbunker, and Albrecht Dürer's house, listed below. Continue south down Bergstraße to St Sebald and the old town hall, which remains a working building. (Its dungeons re-open to visitors in summer 2018.)

 * East again are buildings erected by the city itself. The Luginsland (watchtower) was built to spy into the Burgrave’s Castle. Next door, the Imperial Stables were the city’s corn granary; they’re now a Youth Hostel, see "Sleep" listing. The gardens around the Castle complex, only open in summer, are free to enter.
 * East again are buildings erected by the city itself. The Luginsland (watchtower) was built to spy into the Burgrave’s Castle. Next door, the Imperial Stables were the city’s corn granary; they’re now a Youth Hostel, see "Sleep" listing. The gardens around the Castle complex, only open in summer, are free to enter.
 * East again are buildings erected by the city itself. The Luginsland (watchtower) was built to spy into the Burgrave’s Castle. Next door, the Imperial Stables were the city’s corn granary; they’re now a Youth Hostel, see "Sleep" listing. The gardens around the Castle complex, only open in summer, are free to enter.
 * East again are buildings erected by the city itself. The Luginsland (watchtower) was built to spy into the Burgrave’s Castle. Next door, the Imperial Stables were the city’s corn granary; they’re now a Youth Hostel, see "Sleep" listing. The gardens around the Castle complex, only open in summer, are free to enter.

Lorenzer Altstadt
Top sights in Lorenzer Altstadt, the southern half of town, include Lorenzkirche, the Way of Human Rights, the Germanische Nationalmuseum and the Neues Museum.

Just outside the walls and easily combined with a stroll around Altstadt is the Transportation Museum.

Annual events
The big annual event in Nuremberg is the Christmas Market (Christkindlesmarkt), listed below. But there’s a full calendar throughout the year – check what’s on even if you don’t plan to attend, as there may be street closures and crowd congestion.

September-December

 * Nürnberg Digital Festival, a good week with ample events at the intersection of digitisation and society.
 * Nürnberg Digital Festival, a good week with ample events at the intersection of digitisation and society.
 * Nürnberg Digital Festival, a good week with ample events at the intersection of digitisation and society.
 * Nürnberg Digital Festival, a good week with ample events at the intersection of digitisation and society.
 * Nürnberg Digital Festival, a good week with ample events at the intersection of digitisation and society.
 * Nürnberg Digital Festival, a good week with ample events at the intersection of digitisation and society.
 * Nürnberg Digital Festival, a good week with ample events at the intersection of digitisation and society.

Sport

 * Nürnberg Rams aka Noris Rams play American Football in the 2nd Division of the German Football League. Their home ground is Zeppelinfeld, next to the Arena and 1.FCN's stadium, same transport directions. The season runs May to Sept. Admission is below €10 for adults, free for children. There's a friendly family atmosphere to the games, with little hostility between fans. Catering is provided by an American restaurant, including burgers and pulled pork.
 * Nürnberg Rams aka Noris Rams play American Football in the 2nd Division of the German Football League. Their home ground is Zeppelinfeld, next to the Arena and 1.FCN's stadium, same transport directions. The season runs May to Sept. Admission is below €10 for adults, free for children. There's a friendly family atmosphere to the games, with little hostility between fans. Catering is provided by an American restaurant, including burgers and pulled pork.
 * Nürnberg Rams aka Noris Rams play American Football in the 2nd Division of the German Football League. Their home ground is Zeppelinfeld, next to the Arena and 1.FCN's stadium, same transport directions. The season runs May to Sept. Admission is below €10 for adults, free for children. There's a friendly family atmosphere to the games, with little hostility between fans. Catering is provided by an American restaurant, including burgers and pulled pork.
 * Nürnberg Rams aka Noris Rams play American Football in the 2nd Division of the German Football League. Their home ground is Zeppelinfeld, next to the Arena and 1.FCN's stadium, same transport directions. The season runs May to Sept. Admission is below €10 for adults, free for children. There's a friendly family atmosphere to the games, with little hostility between fans. Catering is provided by an American restaurant, including burgers and pulled pork.

Wellness
Germans have the reputation to work hard and efficiently, and means to unstress have become a strong part of the culture. In Nuremberg there are many facilities for bathing, wellness, and relaxation, which can also be a good refuge from rainy weather. As elsewhere in Germany, wellness facilities in Nuremberg are usually mixed gender (unlike for example an onsen in Japan) except for a few gay bathhouses near the city centre. They are visited by men and women of all ages, although many have age restrictions to keep children out, in an effort to preserve an atmosphere of serenity and relaxation. As such they are often places where generations connect with each other, and it's very normal for students to strike a conversation with pensioners and vice versa. Unlike swimming pools, wellness facilities are partially or entirely nude (German: textilfrei). Any attempt to enter the Wellnessbereich with beachwear will quickly evoke a remark from the Bademeister. Many venues include a relaxation area (German: Ruhebereich) where you can take a nap or read a book. Any electronic devices (phones, laptops, tablets) are associated with work and frowned upon, so leave them in your locker. When using a sauna, always lay out a clean towel before sitting down — dripping sweat on the pinewood benches is not accepted.

Buy
Nuremberg's main shopping district is the Lorenzer Altstadt, the part of the old town south of river Pegnitz. There are three shopping streets running from the white tower (Weißer Turm) to the vicinity of St Lawrence church (Lorenzkirche): The cheapest stores can be found in Breite Gasse, in Karolinenstraße you find mid-priced stores and Kaisserstraße, next to the river, offers luxury goods. At their eastern end the three streets are connected by the street Königsstraße, which runs from the main station via St Lawrence church to the main market place. The biggest department stores, Karstadt, Galeria Kaufhof and Breuninger, are located here. On Trödelmarkt you find some small shops. At Sebalder Altstadt you find antiques, curiosities and designer shops.

As souvenirs you can buy gingerbread (Lebkuchen). Several large manufacturers and a number of small bakeries produce this local specialty. The best quality is called Elisenlebkuchen. Alternatively, sausages (Nürnberger Bratwürste) are available in tin cans or vacuum-wrapped. Don't take them to countries outside the EU unless you've checked customs regulations on importing meat.

Clothing
Gothic, Dark Wave, Fetisch:
 * Crazy Fashion (for Adults only), Schweiggerstr. 30 (South)
 * Mac's Mystic Store, Ludwig-Feuerbach-Str. 13 (South)
 * Underground, Königstr. 39 (City)
 * Vampiria, Kappengasse 10 (City)

Eat
Bratwurst: The city’s own pork sausage, the “Nürnberger Rostbratwürste”, is spicier than other sausages of the surrounding Franconia region, and half the size. So a serving in a restaurant is six Nürnberger (or three other Franconians), grilled or pan-fried, accompanied by sauerkraut or potato salad. A light bite on the street is three Nürnberger in a bread roll - ask for “Drei im Weggla”. “Nürnberger Rostbratwürste” is a protected name and they may only be manufactured here.

Another way of cooking these sausages is to stew them in a broth of vinegar, onions and spices. This is called "Saure Zipfel" – “sour corners” - because of the broth stains in the corners of your mouth.

There are many other styles of sausage and ways of preparing them. “Pressack” is like salami, sliced and eaten with mustard. The “Nürnberger Stadtwurst” go well with farmhouse bread and beer. “Stadtwurst mit Musik” means they're sliced, and heaped with vinegar and raw onion. . . so guess where the “Musik” will be coming from, 30 minutes later.

Looking for places that serve sausages in Nuremberg is like looking for water in Venice. Three outlets (among many) that specialise in them are Zum Gulden Stern and Bratwursthäusle (both listed below), and Bratwurstglöcklein as you enter Old Town from the railway station.

Lebkuchen: if you want to eat it here, buy a package labelled Bruch: broken. It's cheaper, and the quality is fine, but it's second-run stuff that they can't market as souvenirs. Other confections are:

Eierzucker – delicate white biscuits, often in shapes, eg like a horse

Kirschenmännla - cherry casserole with loose dough

Schneeballen – "snowballs", thin dough baked in lard, with powdered sugar. Often handed out to guests at ceremonies such as baptisms, confirmations or weddings.

Budget
Many food stalls and fast food restaurants can be found along Königstraße leading from the main station into the old town.

One stand is in the middle of the street perpendicular to the front of the Lorenzkirche. Several are also in Lorenzstraße (coming from the pedestrian zone, that is the street starting strait after the roundabout behind the Lorenz square.

All these are in the city centre:

Beer
Many great beers are made in Franconia (Upper Franconia has the largest concentration of breweries world wide) and even in Nuremberg itself.

Beer gardens

 * Beer garden at Hummelstein Park
 * Beer garden at Hummelstein Park

On the city walls:

Gostenhof:

Wine
The Franconian wine is said to be a "man's wine". Analogous to "man's chocolate" this points to a rather dry taste. Furthermore the rather harsh climate and the soil structure definitely contribute to this fact. An extravagance of the Franconian wines is their bottle. In Germany the Bocksbeutel bottle shape is generally reserved for higher-quality wines from Franconia.

Clubs

Sleep
For a fast room reservation service in the Nuremberg-Fuerth-Erlangen-Schwabach area, please go to the on-line room reservation request of the Nuremberg Convention and Tourist Office.

Near Plärrer
Just outside the southwest corner of the old city are several mid-range hotels within walking distance of many sights in the old city, and about a 20-minute walk from the Hauptbahnhof.

Stay safe
According to the state police, Nuremberg has the lowest crime rate of the cities with more than 400,000 inhabitants.

Connect
Most city buses and some U-Bahn stops have free WiFi. U-Bahn vehicles and most trams do not, in part because they were built before free WiFi became a major concern and upgrading them would be prohibitively expensive.

Go next
Several interesting small towns lie very close to Nuremberg. You'd probably do them as a day trip, as it wouldn't be worth re-locating (unless you were hiking, knapsack on your back):
 * Fürth - just 5 km west, this has charming medieval streets, a Jewish museum and a radio museum.
 * Faber Castle (as in Faber-Castell pencils; their factory is here) is in the small town of Stein (Mittelfranken).
 * Erlangen - University town with a remarkable collection of museums and early modern architecture (and, of course, bicycles cranked by earnest young men and women). It's also a company town, dominated by Siemens, and has a big Pentecost festival Bergkirchweih.
 * Schwabach - pleasant old town centre.

Well within a day-trip, but deserving longer:
 * Bamberg - once an ecclesiastical centre, the entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its original Romanesque buildings, which survived the war. Its beer is also famous.
 * Bayreuth - even if you don't care for opera, admire its baroque centre and collection of palaces. Tickets for the annual Wagner Opera Festival get snapped up months in advance.
 * Ingolstadt - is packed with medieval, Renaissance and baroque architecture.
 * Regensburg - astride the Danube and still showing traces of its Roman founders, the city sights reflect its status as a former capital of Bavaria.
 * Dachau - was the site of the Third Reich's first concentration camp.

You'll need your own transport to get around Fränkische Schweiz - "Franconian Switzerland" and Fränkisches Seenland - the lake district south-west of Nuremberg.

The western edge of Franconia is traversed by the Romantic Road, a tourist route through a series of shamelessly picturesque old towns. Closest to Nuremberg is Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The "Road" leads north to Würzburg, and south through Nördlingen and Augsburg to Füssen on the Austrian border, with its over-the-top Schloss Neuschwanstein.

And then there's the looming state capital, often disliked by Franconians that is Munich.

title: Nuremberg


text:
Nuristan

Nuristan is in the northeast part of Afghanistan.

Understand
Nuristan is one of the most remote areas on Earth, right up in the Hindu Kush mountains. The area used to be called Kafiristan, land of unbelievers, until it was converted to Islam at swordpoint in the late 19th century and became known as Nuristan, land of light.

Kipling wrote of it in The Man Who Would be King. In his day, no Europeans had been there. John Huston made a film based on the book, with Sean Connery and Michael Caine in lead roles. It is a fine movie and the geography is about right, but the culture is more from Kipling's imagination than anything related to the actual place.

A wonderful book about the area is Eric Newby's A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, long out of print but worth hunting for. When Newby and a friend visited Nuristan in the 1950s, they were the second or third European expedition ever to reach it.

Talk
There are several Nuristani languages and some locals speak one or both of the country's main languages, Dari and Pashto.

 * kashi – how are you
 * lesem – fine
 * ow – water
 * boodi – bread
 * korangi – where are you going

Get in
To even get close to Nuristan, you need a four-wheel drive vehicle with a winch and other rough-country preparation.

Get around
For most of the area, you need to hike or ride a horse or donkey. A local guide is near mandatory.

Do
There are some peaks of interest to mountain climbers.

Stay safe
See the warning on the Afghanistan article for information on the security situation.

Nuristan poses risks of altitude sickness.

title: Nuristan


text:
Nurpur

Nurpur is in Himachal Pradesh, India.

Get in
25 km from Pathankot on nh20.

Buy

 * Nurpuri shawls and silk is famous

Eat

 * Boor (a type of namkeen) is this place's speciality
 * all type of food is available

Sleep

 * Hotel Shah Balaji
 * Hotel Spain Spa
 * Hotel Spain Spa

Go next

 * Chamba - an ancient town with many temples and a wildlife sanctuary.
 * Dalhousie - a hill town with a great view of Dainkund Peak.
 * Dharamshala - a hill station in Himachal Pradesh, famed for its large Tibetan community centred around the activities of the Dalai Lama.
 * Indora - a bank of the river Beas and a small town
 * Kangra - location of the famous Bajreshwari Devi Temple.

title: Nurpur


text:
Nusa Dua

Nusa Dua is a peninsula in South Bali, well known as an enclave of high end hotels. Nusa Dua host some of best five star hotels in Bali and is the home of the most popular golf course and a convention centre. Nusa Dua gets a lot of bad press amongst travelers as it is so artificial and sanitised. That does not change the fact though that the beaches here are glorious - white sand, deep, long and safe for swimming.

Understand
The place name Nusa Dua can be used in two ways: either it can refer to the entire eastern side of the Bukit Peninsula at the southern tip of Bali, or it can refer to the purpose-built, safe and rather sterile tourist enclave (Kawasan Pariwisata, quite literally Tourism District) at the southeast side of this peninsula.

This article covers everything in the Nusa Dua enclave plus the Tanjung Benoa peninsula and a few points west of the enclave to the village of Sawangan. Everything on the Bukit Peninsula to the west of Sawangan is covered by the Uluwatu article.

The public beach at Geger is the best to head to if you are not staying at Nusa Dua. This is also home to one of the best museums in Bali. The fact that it is nearly always empty is testament that most visitors who stay here in the least Balinese part of the island are, unsurprisingly, rather uninterested in learning much about Bali.

The Nusa Dua enclave has three manned gates and everyone entering is subject to a security search. This can have a slightly claustrophobic effect, and only contributes further to the impression that you are in an artificial location.

Get in
Nusa Dua is 40 km south of Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali. Access is easy from the Kuta area (20-30 minutes) and Jimbaran (15 minutes) on the main southern route called Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai, which becomes Jalan Bypass Nusa Dua as it approaches the enclave.

The international airport is about 20 to 30 minutes by car and a pre-paid taxi fare from there will cost between Rp 95,000 and 110,000. If you are staying here, then your hotel will no doubt arrange to pick you up at the airport.

Public transport if far from regular in the area, but some bemos from Tegal terminal in Denpasar do ply the main bypass.

See

Do

 * Nusa Dua is home to many good quality spas. If you are staying at a luxury resort, then you will certainly have access to in-house spa and treatment facilities.
 * Many companies in Nusa Dua offer water sports activities (banana boat, parasailing, jetski, diving, flying fish, etc.). You can book directly on the beach at Nusa Dua or Tanjung Benoa, or have your hotel organise for you. All the operators work together to ensure that there is very little (if any) price difference. Expect to pay about US$25-30 for most activities.
 * Many companies in Nusa Dua offer water sports activities (banana boat, parasailing, jetski, diving, flying fish, etc.). You can book directly on the beach at Nusa Dua or Tanjung Benoa, or have your hotel organise for you. All the operators work together to ensure that there is very little (if any) price difference. Expect to pay about US$25-30 for most activities.
 * Many companies in Nusa Dua offer water sports activities (banana boat, parasailing, jetski, diving, flying fish, etc.). You can book directly on the beach at Nusa Dua or Tanjung Benoa, or have your hotel organise for you. All the operators work together to ensure that there is very little (if any) price difference. Expect to pay about US$25-30 for most activities.
 * Many companies in Nusa Dua offer water sports activities (banana boat, parasailing, jetski, diving, flying fish, etc.). You can book directly on the beach at Nusa Dua or Tanjung Benoa, or have your hotel organise for you. All the operators work together to ensure that there is very little (if any) price difference. Expect to pay about US$25-30 for most activities.

Eat
There are not too many quality restaurants in Nusa Dua outside of the luxury hotels. Bali Collection has a dozen restaurants with reasonable prices. The main Jalan By Pass which connects Nusa Dua to Jimbaran, the airport and Kuta is the home of a large number of Japanese and other Asian restaurants aimed at tour groups, but generally these are best avoided.

Drink
Nusa Dua does not have much of a nightlife. It is known more for its luxurious 5-star resorts where cocktails on the beach are the go.

Sleep
There is little accommodation in Nusa Dua outside of the luxury price range although many of the large resorts do offer very substantial reductions in the low season; always check.

Mid-range

Splurge
There are many deluxe hotels in the area and more are constantly being constructed.

Go next

 * Uluwatu - 20 minutes west to one of Bali's most famous temples and surfing spots
 * Jimbaran - fantastic seafood dinner on the beach and is only 15 minutes away

title: Nusa Dua


text:
Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Lembongan is a small island off the southeast coast of the main island of Bali. Fast becoming one of Bali's most popular attractions, this island is a world away from the hassle and hectic pace of South Bali. Neither hawkers nor traffic mar the magnificent scenery; this is a fine place to just put your feet up and relax. Main activities include surfing, diving and snorkeling. The water is some of the clearest you will find anywhere, and a vivid aqua blue in colour.

Understand
Nusa Lembongan is approximately 8 km² in size, and is one of three neighbouring islands, the others being much larger Nusa Penida and tiny Nusa Ceningan (also covered by this article). The three islands are separated from Bali by the Badung Strait. Some visitors may find Nusa Lembongan a little slow after the pace of South Bali.

Many areas around the island are good for diving and snorkeling, with abundant marine life and healthy coral. Surfing can get a bit crowded, but the waves are good. There are several white sand beaches away from the main centres which are virtually never crowded. There is a flourishing and well established seaweed farming industry here, and many visitors find it interesting to learn about this.

Orientation
Two main beach areas have traditionally attracted visitors.

Jungut Batu in the northwest is the bigger of the two, and has myriad hotels and cheap eateries. This is the area which traditionally attracted backpackers and surfers to the island. The white sand beach here is pleasant enough but nothing to get too excited about, and it is a little narrow in places. The hillside to the south of Jungut Batu known as the Bukit (the hill) has been developed and has attracted some higher level hotels and private villas. The views from the Bukit are perhaps second to none on Nusa Lembongan. Sunsets are best viewed along the main Jungut Batu beachfront.

Mushroom Bay to the southwest of Jungut Batu is a quaint, attractive and sheltered bay. It is an especially nice spot after 15:00 when the day trippers have returned to Bali, and it has a great white sandy beach, along with some cozy little water-side restaurants.

Further south, the lesser known beaches either side of the Devil's Tear outcrop, known as Dream Beach and Sunset Beach (or Sandy Bay), are increasingly drawing more visitors. The coastal landscape in this part of the island is mostly low-lying limestone cliffs, and there are some dramatic cave formations.

The north end of the island is fringed by an important mangrove forest, and the eastern side of the island is separated from neighbouring Nusa Ceningan by a shallow estuarine channel.

The main population centre of the island is Lembongan Village in the southern interior, and it is here that you will find the homes of many traditional island families.

Climate
The climate of Nusa Lembongan is similar to neighbouring 'mainland' Bali, but it is noticeably drier here, particularly in the period of May to September. If there is a time to avoid, it would be the height of the rainy season in January and February.

Culture
The local Lembonganese are Hindu and visitors will notice little or no difference from the prevailing culture on the Bali mainland.

Talk
Balinese is the most common language of communication between local residents, with Bahasa Indonesia a distant second. The Balinese spoken here is a distinct dialect, and sharp-eared linguists would certainly notice this. English is widely understood and spoken, often with an Australian accent!

Get in
The only realistic way (although you can charter a helicopter) to reach Nusa Lembongan from Bali is by boat. There are several options according to budget and speed. Most of the scheduled fast boat services leave from Sanur. Other services run from Serangan and Benoa Harboursin south Bali, and there are a couple of services to and from Padang Bai in East Bali.

As of 2021, there are over 20 different fast boat operators going to Lembongan, making it hard to chose one that is reliable, safe and value for money. Standards vary widely, so some caution is advised. If you want to compare services ahead of time, a simple online search for "Bali to Lembongan" should get you pointed in the right direction.

If leaving from Bali, you can simply go directly to a fast boat office of your choice (usually near the departure point) to book. The best places to check live seat availability and get immediate confirmed e-tickets online are 12go.asia (which seems to have the cheapest prices at May 2024, even better than walk-in), Gilibookings.com or the cheaper Gilitickets.com. Sanur port websites direct to 12go to buy tickets. Otherwise you can go direct to one of the fast boat company websites to make reservation inquiries which in some cases takes 24 hr to get confirmation. There are also plenty of local agents selling tickets that you can purchase when there, or you may be able to book with staff from your hotel. If you are coming from Lombok or the Gili islands it may be easier to pre-book online as options are more limited and local fast boat offices less prevalent (excepting perhaps Gili Trawangan).

The majority of fast boat services to Lembongan do involve getting your feet wet at boarding and disembarkation, usually up to knees or a bit higher. Also, nearly all offer complementary pick up and drop off services to/from the most popular areas of Bali.

Arrival
There are three main arrival locations on Nusa Lembongan:

 * Jungut Batu beach in the north of the island
 * Mushroom Bay to the west
 * The base of the Yellow footbridge between Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan, in the south of the island.

The latter 2 options are mainly used by larger fast boat and fast ferry (charter) services that dock at dedicated floating pontoons near to the coast, using smaller craft to transfer people ashore.

From South Bali
By far the most fast boat services to Lembongan depart from the newly constructed (2023) Sanur Port on Jalan Matahari Terbit, while some may still depart from nearby Sanur beach, which can be found at the end of Jalan Hangtuah. The exact departure and arrival point on this beach depends on the tide, however some operators have a waiting area on the boulevard or beach for checked-in passengers. Nearly all the Sanur services sail to Jungut Batu on Lembongan. Sanur - Lembongan ranges Rp 115,000-300,000 online, walk-in Rp 150,000-300,000 one-way, Rp 400,000-600,000 with return. About 30min boat ride.

Serangan Harbour hosts some of the best established fast boat companies in the region, some of which service Lembongan from time to time. The advantage of Serangan is that boarding takes place from dedicated jetties, rather than the beach. There is also a larger fast boat that sails from Serangan to the floating pontoon at the back of Lembongan island, avoiding wet feet on both ends of the journey.

Benoa Harbour has a couple of very large fast ferry operations to Nusa Lembongan, but cater mostly to mass group bookings from Asian tour operators and are thus often chartered out and not always available for individual ticket sales.

Crossings from south Bali to Lembongan generally take between 35 and 45 min, depending on the sea conditions and arrival point.

From East Bali
Padang Bai has a fast boat jetty most often used for services to Lombok and the Gili islands, however as of 2019 there was also a daily trip to and from Nusa Lembongan, taking about 45-min.

From Nusa Penida
Neighbouring Nusa Penida is much less visited, but slowly growing in popularity. It's relatively straightforward to get between the islands with local speedboat charters. It's just a short hop over, typically taking only 10 min.

From the Gili Islands and Lombok
Several fast boat services offer connections between Lombok, the Gilis and Lembongan. These are usually en-route to or from Bali so make for an excellent island hopping route. Many travellers chose to spend a few days on Nusa Lembongan before or after their time on the Gili islands and/or Lombok. Travel time varies per route, as some boats sail via Padang Bai Bali or Sengiggi, Lombok. On average, the journey time is between 2 and 3 hr.

By foot
Nusa Lembongan is a nice place to walk, with coastal paths linking nearly all the guest houses, hotels and restaurants. Most walks will take less than two hours. The less developed southwestern area of the island has some spectacular coast paths which provide easy walking, great views back to Bali, and spectacular sunsets. You can cross by foot to the small neighbouring island of Nusa Ceningan via a scenic suspension bridge.

From the end of the beach at Jungut Batu it is a 35-min walk along the coast to Mushroom Bay.

By bicycle
Bicycles can be rented at some hotels and guest-houses. Some of the roads are quite well surfaced, but be prepared for degraded surfaces in places and there are some steep hills. This is a great way to see the island at your own pace. Expect to pay about Rp 20,000-40,000 per day.

By motorbike
Motorbikes are also widely available for rent, but may be unnecessary given the short distances involved — the island is only about 4 km end-to-end. Expect to pay Rp 50,000-100,000 per day, depending on how busy it is. Local boys are more than happy to transport you on the back of their motorbike for a fee.

By truck
There are virtually no cars on Nusa Lembongan, and any business or local resident wishing to bring one to the island needs special permission from the village elders. This will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. Local 4-wheeled transport is available though in the form of basic pick-up trucks which most hotels and restaurants use. These are useful for transport to and from the boat transfer point when you are likely to have heavy bags, but are otherwise not really necessary.

By boat
Local boatmen are willing to take you by boat from Jungut Batu to Mushroom Bay. One way should cost about Rp 30,000. A return trip can be negotiated down to Rp 50,000.

See

The attractions here are mostly natural. The beaches and other coastal landscapes are obviously a key draw, as are the sunsets. There are a limited number of man-made attractions, most notably temples and the rickety suspension bridge.

Other

Do
Activities are very much water-based, with surfing and scuba diving being especially notable.

Surfing
Nusa Lembongan was first opened up as a tourist destination by surfers, and it has long been an established part of the Bali surf circuit.

There are three main breaks, all off the top half of the west coast, with another less well known just to the southwest off Nusa Ceningan. Playgrounds, Lacerations and Shipwrecks are all close offshore and reached via an energetic paddle from the beach, or in a more leisurely fashion, by a local boat (perahu) which can be chartered from the nearest beach.

Whilst the breaks usually suit intermediate to experienced surfers given they all break over coral reefs, the aptly named Playgrounds is a little more forgiving and can be enjoyed by beginners and experts alike. All the surf breaks become extremely crowded during the dry season

Although surfable all year round, waves are best when winds are in the southeast quarter, normally from April to September/October.

There is a thriving surf scene in Jungut Batu. When compared to its tiny population, Nusa Lembongan has produced a remarkable number of international competition-quality surfers. Any keen surfer will certainly not be short of company here.

Scuba diving

Diving is of excellent quality in the crystal clear waters around the island. A number of reputable dive shops are present, and this is a notable teaching destination. Many hundreds of visitors have learned to dive here.

For more experienced divers, the most interesting sites are off neighbouring Nusa Penida. There are some challenging drift dives here, and dive operators will visit certain sites only when the sea conditions are safe. There are plenty of options for easier flat reef and wall dives as well. Marine highlights include large manta rays all year round, spectacular, massive oceanic sunfish (mola-mola) in season (July–October), white-tipped reef sharks, nurse sharks and the odd hammerhead. Whale sharks are far from regular, but the odd migrant is seen. Last but certainly not least, four species of sea turtle can be found here. All operators offer scheduled trips to the prime dive sites around all three islands.

Prices vary little from shop to shop. Course fees run from about US$60 for a half-day Discover Scuba introduction, to US$395 for PADI Open Water certification. A fun dive will cost approximately US$35-45 including all equipment, with discounts offered for multiple dives. Dive shops have variable opening hours according to seasonal demand. Night dives are widely offered and offer a fantastic underwater experience.

Snorkelling

Non-divers should not feel left out, as good snorkelling is available close inshore at various spots around the island. Perhaps the two best areas are Mushroom Bay on the west coast, and the mangroves on the northern tip. Equipment can be hired from your hotel or on the beach, and depending on the quality of the gear, you should expect to pay Rp 20,000-50,000 for renting a mask, snorkel and set of fins.

If you fancy getting further offshore, dive shops may sell you a snorkeling space on a scheduled dive boat, subject to availability.

Also, local boatmen are willing to take you by boat to various snorkeling spots. Depending on the number of snorkeling spots you want to visit, a boat trip can be arranged for about Rp 200,000-300,000 (including snorkeling gear). An enjoyable snorkelling spot reached by boat only is the west coast of neighbouring Nusa Penida, with Crystal Bay being especially rewarding. There is a strong current along this coast. The boatman will drop you off at the beginning of the current, and you can drift while snorkeling along the drop off wall with beautiful coral and loads of fish. The boatmen will follow you and pick you up at the end of the drift. Typical snorkeling trip Rp 300,000-600,000 with 3 spots, possible stop in Nusa penida toyapakeh to fetch more people. Spots toyapakeh, manta bay or manta point, mangrave point or turtle point near lembongan beach. Travel to manta point is about 45min in fast boat one-way and can be bumpy depending on sea conditions and get sea sick for some. About 30 min per spot but possibly only 15min on Manta point as more crowded and sea conditions. Private boat Rp 1,200,000-3,000,000. Some operators may offer additional activities like kayaking.

Other water sports
Families with children will not be short of options. The full gamut of typical resort-type, mechanised water sports are available, including wake-boarding and banana boats. Those who care a little about the environment may be keener to patronise the sea kayaking option. Your hotel will be able to assist with booking any of these activities. Alternatively, just head down to the beach at either Mushroom Bay or Jungut Batu, and figure it out for yourself. Costs start at about Rp 150,000 for a single banana boat ride.

Walking
This is an excellent island for walking and keen visitors should not hesitate to just head off and explore the myriad tracks that criss-cross the island.

Walking itinerary
The low cliffs in the south offer some splendid coastal walking routes. Perhaps the best of them starts at Dream Beach, from where you should take the obvious footpath north over the Devil's Tear outcrop, pausing to see some of the most dramatic wave formations anywhere around the island. The crashing plumes are sometimes huge here, so be prepared to get wet! Continue northwards to Sunset Beach and explore the cove. If you time your arrival for low tide, the cave at the eastern end of the beach may be accessible.

At the opposite end of the beach you will find the Beach Club. From here follow the footpath leading northwest up the hill always keeping the private villas to your left, until you again hit the cliff line. From here you will see right across the Badung Strait to Bali. Follow the cliff path northwards and then around to the east, all the time pausing to appreciate the dramatic coastal formations. Birdwatchers should lookout for flashes of turquoise and white, as spectacular sacred kingfishers are common in this area, and offshore it is worth keeping an eye out for huge frigatebirds. Keep following this path eastwards, and you will drop down into Mushroom Bay where the suggested walk ends and refreshments are available.

Buy
Some hotels and scuba shops will accept credit cards, although many of them charge a fee of 3-5% for charges to a credit card.

There are multiple ATMs on the island nowadays, so it shouldn't be an issue to most travelers, although it is still advised to bring rupiah with you so you don't have to look everywhere for an ATM with money in it. There are also cash-withdrawal services, both on the main streets and in some hotels, but they charge a fee of around 8% to 10%.

Small shops are widespread, and they are geared towards basic visitor requirements, stocking sun-block, cheap knock-off boardshorts and hats, as well as the usual range of snacks, beer, soft drinks and cigarettes. Do not though expect anything too sophisticated. There is little in the way of souvenir type shopping on the island, and there is nothing of this nature which would not be better purchased on the Bali mainland.

Eat
Virtually any place you stay on Nusa Lembongan will have a cafe or restaurant attached to it, and the majority of these encourage non-staying guests to eat with them. These can be of hugely variable quality and any casual visitor could be forgiven for thinking the food on this island is terrible! Some of the better budget options can be found at Linda's Bungalows, Mainski, and Dream Beach Huts.

There are a few good local warungs to choose from, but by-and-large there have not been many decent independent restaurants on Nusa Lembongan. That is now changing at a pace though and the more notable exceptions to the old rule are listed below. Fish is naturally a great option.

Drink
As with restaurants, there are few independent drinking establishments. Most cafes and restaurants attached to hotels also double as bars. Nusa Lembongan is known as being very quiet for nightlife. A few beach parties are advertised around the island during high season, and there is sometimes a small monthly full moon party.

Sleep
There is a broad range of accommodation, with options to suit almost any budget. Most budget accommodations can be found at Jungut Batu, while more up market accommodation is further south, around Mushroom Bay, the Bukit and Dream Beach. Traditionally, budget guest houses aimed at young surfers and back-packers dominated, but that changed as more and more well-heeled visitors discovered the island. Some of the older budget options are very tired indeed, and visitors should bear that in mind when assessing where to stay.

Check-in and check-out times are something of a movable feast at most hotels. It is safe to assume a time of about 13:00 for check-in and about 11:00 for checkout, unless specifically stated otherwise.

There are no formal campsites on the island but travellers do sometimes pitch tents. A small donation to the local community is recommended.

Budget
There are myriad small, cheap back-packer places in the small lanes leading off the main road in Jungut Batu.

Mid-range

Private villas
The following are all stand-alone, self-contained villas with private swimming pools.

Stay safe
This is a safe island and reports of crime, major or minor, are rare. Most common is the theft of items left in unlocked rooms, so as you would anywhere in the world, just be sensible.

Drugs are not especially widespread here, but you may be offered marijuana or mushrooms, and more rarely, harder drugs. Be aware that the former is highly illegal in Indonesia and penalties are harsh. The Indonesian legal position on mushrooms is unclear but to be totally safe, visitors should steer clear.

The biggest dangers to visitors are related to the sea. Swimming is not be taken lightly in any waters around Bali, and Nusa Lembongan is no exception. Mushroom Bay and the area around the mangroves in the north are largely safe for swimming, but still take care. Swimming at Dream Beach and Sunset Beach (in particular) should be avoided by all but the very strongest of swimmers, and even then with great caution. Surfing at all four breaks is challenging for beginners.

Stay healthy
There is a small medical clinic in Jungut Batu with an attendant doctor. This is a perfectly good facility for treating minor ailments, but visitors with anything approaching a serious problem should get back to Bali as quickly as possible. Opening hours are erratic and unpredictable. Ask at your hotel.

Like all of Bali, Nusa Lembongan is officially a malaria-free zone. Dengue fever is a potential problem. Unlike in mainland Bali, there are no recent cases of rabies.

Telephone
It is possible to make phone calls from Nusa Lembongan. Although a little pricey, public telephone offices (wartels) can be found at the Scoot boat office and at Bungalow No7.
 * International phone operators: 101.
 * International Direct Dialing prefix: 001, 007, or 008.
 * The area code for Nusa Lembongan is officially 0366, although 0361 is also widely used.
 * Landlines are not that common, and even many well-established businesses operate with mobile telephones only. All of the major Indonesian mobile networks have coverage of the island.
 * For directory inquiries, dial 108 from a landline or 0361-108 from a mobile phone.

Nusa Lembongan receives good 3G coverage by all the major Indonesian networks.

Internet
Most places to stay and some restaurants now have wireless internet capability for guests but it's often very slow.

There are a couple of basic, well signed public internet cafes at the southern end of the main coast road in Jungut Batu. Look for the signs and expect to pay about Rp 30,000 per hour. Service is sometimes very slow. Most of the internet cafes also have a download limit in addition to charging for time, so save your media streaming activities for Bali.

The national phone company, Telkomsel, provides a decent 3G connection, however it may default to GPRS.

Go next

 * The vast majority of visitors leave the way they came in, i.e. back to Sanur and then on to elsewhere in Bali.
 * For the adventurous, a side trip to Nusa Penida island will get you well off the beaten path.
 * There is a daily direct boat service to mainland Lombok and Gili Trawangan.

title: Nusa Lembongan


text:
Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida is the largest of three islands off the south eastern coast of Bali, the others being Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. It is an island of outstanding natural rugged beauty.

Understand
With an area of 247 km², Nusa Penida is much larger than the better known Nusa Lembongan. However, tourist infrastructure is not as advanced as Lembongan. The north shore is the most densely populated part of the island and is where most tourism is based. This is also where the beaches are and where the seaweed farms are. Seaweed farming started on the island in the 1980s as a way for locals to get an income. Sadly prices are declining and so is production. Most locals still derive their income from subsistence farming.

The west and south side of the island is carpeted with limestone cliffs and magnificent views but not many beaches that can be accessed by land.

Due to a lack of natural fresh water, little is grown or produced on Nusa Penida outside of the rain season, and even a lot of produce comes in by boat.

Nusa Penida has become an unofficial bird sanctuary for endangered Balinese and Indonesian bird species, including the critically endangered Bali Starling (Leucopsar rothschildi). In 2004 the Friends of the National Park Foundation (FNPF) started an introduction program onto Nusa Penida of the near-extinct Bali Starling.

The waters around Nusa Penida are part of a marine park authority (MPA) and are home to diverse corals and fishes. Nusa Penida is part of the coral triangle which is a massive area renowned to be "the amazon of the sea" as it provides habit for the many fishes to breed in. Nusa Penida is renowned as one of the best diving sites in the world and is also home to the giant manta ray and mola mola (oceanic sunfish).

Get in
The only way to get to Nusa Penida is by boat.

Speedboats
Nusa Penida is about 30 min away from the east coast of Bali by speedboat. Operators and timings change constantly, but local booking engines Skypenida and 12go offer reasonably up-to-date schedules and online booking options. Most leave from Sanur port (Sanur Beach Pelabuhan Rakyat) and head to one of the many ports on the north coast — check carefully to see where you'll end up. The boats are cramped, occasionally unsafe, and depending on the tides you can expect to get wet boarding and disembarking, so dress accordingly!

Speedboat Safety

In rough seas, wear the lifejackets. They are usually on a rack above you. Just because others are not, does not mean you should throw caution to the wind. There have been several recent instances of tourist fast boats capsizing. Do not let the size of the fast boats and distance of only 25 km between Sanur on Bali and Sampalan Beach on Nusa Penida fool you; this is the open ocean in between the two islands. Even if the weather seems fine at port, these can be very rough waters with strong currents, and waves sometimes reaching between 6-10 meters. Sit towards the back of the boat for less turbulence and on the aisle for easier evacuation access in case of emergencies.

Ferries
You can catch the daily public roll-on, roll-off ferry (large boat that includes vehicles) from Padang Bai. The ro-ro departs twice a day from either direction. It is slower but much cheaper than the fast boats. In November 2017 only one departure a day at 10:00. Tickets can be bought from 09:00 in a Building called "Loket" for Rp 31,000 per adult. The boat departs between 10:30 and 13:00, depending on the quantity of passengers (Oct 2018).

Day cruises
The vast majority of visitors to Nusa Penida do so on day trip cruises, returning to Bali for the night. All the speedboat operators listed earlier also offer tours, but there are a few dedicated cruise operators as well.

From Nusa Lembongan

 * Public boats depart daily at 06:00 close to the suspension bridge between Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan and run to Toyapakeh or Buyuk Harbour in northern Nusa Penida. There are also services from the Jungut Batu area of Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Penida.
 * Charter boats are available, departing from and arriving at the same area as the public boats. If you are staying on Nusa Lembongan, ask at your hotel. If not, go to the shoreline close to Yellow Bridge or to the beach at Jungut Batu and ask around amongst the boatmen. Rates certainly vary but expect to pay around Rp 300,000.

Get around
Renting a motorcycle is the most practical option, and this will cost you about Rp 70,000. Look for vendors in Toyopakeh and Sampalan (or more likely, they will find you!) Car rentals are available but very expensive (about Rp 650,000 per day).

Some visitors from Nusa Lembongan arrive with rented pushbikes - make sure you get permission to take the bike off Nusa Lembongan first. Roads in Nusa Penida are rough, hilly away from the north coast, and in remote areas no more than stone-strewn tracks.

Local public transport is in small old bemos or on the back of a truck. These vehicles ply the north coast road with some regularity, but elsewhere on the island do not bank on anything.

See
There are many quiet and secluded white sand beaches along the north and northwest coasts of Nusa Penida. Other geographical highlights include limestone caves, spectacular high coastal cliffs with karst formations and offshore pinnacles in the south and east, and rugged hill tops in the high centre.

Beaches

 * Heat Emergencies: There is little shade on the coasts of Nusa Penida, especially on this side of the island. The weather can get extremely hot in the warm season (up to 40 ° C) during peak hours of sunlight, not to mention the humidity. Do not overestimate your athletic abilities as comparable to the body’s ability to handle the heat and direct sun on a 400 meter vertical hike with no shade. Medical infrastructure on the island is limited and heat stroke is a serious medical emergency. It is not advisable to conduct this hike in the warm season between 10:00-14:00 when the sun is at its strongest.
 * Heat Emergencies: There is little shade on the coasts of Nusa Penida, especially on this side of the island. The weather can get extremely hot in the warm season (up to 40 ° C) during peak hours of sunlight, not to mention the humidity. Do not overestimate your athletic abilities as comparable to the body’s ability to handle the heat and direct sun on a 400 meter vertical hike with no shade. Medical infrastructure on the island is limited and heat stroke is a serious medical emergency. It is not advisable to conduct this hike in the warm season between 10:00-14:00 when the sun is at its strongest.
 * Heat Emergencies: There is little shade on the coasts of Nusa Penida, especially on this side of the island. The weather can get extremely hot in the warm season (up to 40 ° C) during peak hours of sunlight, not to mention the humidity. Do not overestimate your athletic abilities as comparable to the body’s ability to handle the heat and direct sun on a 400 meter vertical hike with no shade. Medical infrastructure on the island is limited and heat stroke is a serious medical emergency. It is not advisable to conduct this hike in the warm season between 10:00-14:00 when the sun is at its strongest.
 * Heat Emergencies: There is little shade on the coasts of Nusa Penida, especially on this side of the island. The weather can get extremely hot in the warm season (up to 40 ° C) during peak hours of sunlight, not to mention the humidity. Do not overestimate your athletic abilities as comparable to the body’s ability to handle the heat and direct sun on a 400 meter vertical hike with no shade. Medical infrastructure on the island is limited and heat stroke is a serious medical emergency. It is not advisable to conduct this hike in the warm season between 10:00-14:00 when the sun is at its strongest.

Do

This is a wild, rugged and largely untamed island which offers plenty to those with an adventurous spirit.

Trekking and mountain-biking are rewarding with amazing coastline views. The terrain away from the coast is hilly rising to nearly 521m and the vista back to Bali is stunning. Camping is a wise option for those who really want to explore this wild island away from the populated northern coast.

Absorb the culture. The native people are Hindu as in Bali. Locals speak Nusa Penidan, an ancient dialect of Balinese no longer heard elsewhere, younger locals speak Bahasa Indonesia also. The architecture and dance is also distinct to the island. There is also a Muslim village situated in Toyapakeh on the north west shore which faces Nusa Lembongan.

Birdwatchers who find themselves with the opportunity to visit Nusa Penida should know that a thriving population of the superb white-tailed tropicbirds breeds on the south and southeastern cliffs of the island. Keep your eyes peeled. Nusa Penida has been designated an island-wide bird sanctuary by Friends of the National Parks Foundation (FNPF). Various endangered Indonesian bird species have been released onto the island, including the Bali Starling, Java Sparrow, Mitchell's Lorrikeet, Lesser Sulphur Crested Cockatoo.

Island & snorkelling tours
Tour the 200-km² island or snorkel with giant mantas and dive with mola mola.

There are various tour operators on the island that will take you on private guided tours by car or scooter as you prefer. Packages can be tailor made to suit your budget and time schedule.

Diving
Nusa Penida is best known as a world class diving destination. There are more than 20 identified dive sites around the island, the most notable including Crystal Bay, Manta Point, Toyapakeh, Suana Bay and Malibu Point. The rich waters around the three islands support no less than 247 species of coral and 562 species of fish.

Many dive operators based in Bali and neighbouring Nusa Lembongan offer specific dive trips to Nusa Penida. Special attractions include fabulous Mola Mola (Oceanic Sunfish) in season and large Manta Rays year round. Mola Mola are migratory fish and most likely from July to October although sightings are reported all year round. There is diving available here for beginners but most of the dives require a decent level of experience as currents are strong and unpredictable.

Freediving the rich waters around the island is one of the most satisfying ways of exploring the underwater world. Several locations provide great opportunities to see the abundant corral and marine life. Going with a knowledgeable operator is important as the currents around the island are quite strong and in places unpredictable. Fancy to see sharks in Malibu point or dive with Mantas away from the snorkeling hotspots? Take a course with one of the freediving schools and learn more about your hidden abilities to dive deep without a tank.

Dive operators

 * Nusa Penida Watersport +62 822 3681 4935 Locally owned and operated with a really good reputation. They have PADI certified instructors and also do snorkelling trips.
 * Octopus Dive, Ped

Freediving

Buy
There are two ATMs in Sampalan, one for Visa and one for MasterCard, there is one ATM is in Toyapakeh. However, it's best to bring enough rupiah with you just in case the ATMs are out of order.

Eat
There are simple local warungs on Nusa Penida and since 2016, there are a few great western style places for a meal, music and sunset drink.

Sleep
Most holiday accommodation is to be found between Toyapakeh and Sampalan although accommodation is opening up in other areas too.

Visitors wishing to explore the remote, rugged areas of the island in the high centre and south may be able to find informal accommodation with a local family by asking a head of village (Kepala Desa). The only other alternative away from the north coast is camping.

 * Penginapan Jose Homestay, Toyapakeh. 6 rooms located right on beach road in Toyapakeh. Great views and affordable.
 * Ari La Casa, Toyapakeh.
 * Namaste Bungalows, thatched bungalows, Sakti Village, on the way to Crystal Bay.
 * Bintang Bungalows, thatched bungalows, Sakti Village. Locally owned.
 * Coco Resort, thatched bungalows, Sakti Village.
 * Full Moon Bungalows, Ped
 * Mae Mae Beach House, Kutampi.
 * Caspla Bali Beach Club, Buyuk
 * Nusa Penida Beach Club, Buyuk
 * Mae Mae Beach House, Kutampi.
 * Caspla Bali Beach Club, Buyuk
 * Nusa Penida Beach Club, Buyuk
 * Caspla Bali Beach Club, Buyuk
 * Nusa Penida Beach Club, Buyuk

Connect

 * International phone operators: 101
 * International Direct Dialing prefix: 001, 007, or 008.

Directory inquiries
 * 108 from a landline or 0361-108 from a mobile phone.

Wi-fi - there are more and more places offering free Wi-fi but connection speed and reliability is still not fast as people would like.

Go next
The best advice is to get out from one of the northern points in the same way as you came in. A boat to Nusa Lembongan and then onward to Bali or Lombok is recommended. To get to Lombok or other points east you will have to travel to Padang Bai and connect with boats there.

title: Nusa Penida


text:
Nusa Tenggara

Nusa Tenggara ("Southeast Islands"), also known as the Lesser Sunda Islands, is a region in southeastern Indonesia.

Formerly little more than afterthought for most Bali-bound travellers, this region is now attracting more and more visitors, with Komodo National Park close to Flores island and Lombok leading the way.

Regions

Nusa Tenggara is administratively divided into two provinces:

East Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Timur)
While Bali is geographically a part of the archipelago, they are covered in separate articles.

Cities

 * — lazy main city in Flores
 * — the capital of East Nusa Tenggara, in the western half of Timor
 * — launching point from Flores to Komodo Island, diving and snorkeling
 * — the capital of West Nusa Tenggara, in Lombok
 * — the main transport hub in Flores
 * — the main tourist town in Lombok
 * — the largest city in Sumbawa
 * — the main city of Sumba and gateway to this most mysterious of islands
 * — home of the pasolas and some truly stunning beaches in West Sumba.

Other destinations

 * — three gorgeous tiny islands perched off Lombok, formerly a backpacker mecca and now fast going up-market destination
 * — home of the komodo dragon, a very rich marine fauna and magnificent remote landscapes
 * — a seldom visited volcano in the remotest area of Sumbawa
 * — popular with volcano climbers and visitors to Lombok
 * — national marine park with superb diving and home to a remarkable Aman resort
 * — amazing multi-coloured volcanic crater lakes

Understand
Nusa Tenggara is one of the least developed and least visited parts of Indonesia. But United Nation World Tourist Organization (UNWTO) acknowledged Indonesia as an example of success in developing tourism. In 2016 East Nusatenggara got 6 medals from 10 categories of Anugerah Pesona Indonesia 2016. Gold medal of Most Popular Surfing Spot of Nemberala Beach, Rote Ndao Regency; Gold medal of Most Popular Cleanliness of Nihiwatu Beach, West Sumba Regency; Gold medal of Most Popular of Historical Site of Ende Bung Karno (Proclamator and the first Indonesia President) Site; Gold medal of Most Popular Diving Site of Alor Island, Alor Regency; Silver medal of Most Popular Attraction of Pasola, Southwest Sumba Regency; Bronze medal of Most Popular Highland of different color of three lakes/calderas of Mount Kelimutu, Ende.

While the islands of Lombok and Sumbawa have a majority of Muslim inhabitants, the vast majority (90%) of the rest is Christian, with a strong Hindu presence on Lombok and a good number of remnant aspects of animist belief. Nusa Tenggara has been largely spared the religious conflicts of nearby Sulawesi and Maluku.

The Wallace line, the boundary between the Asian and Australian ecosystems, passes through the region, between Bali and Lombok. Therefore, Nusa Tenggara is part of Wallacea, a transitional ecozone, identified by both the WWF and Conservation International as a global conservation priority area.

Talk
Bahasa Indonesia is spoken throughout the region, along with a host of regional languages. English is understood in some of the larger towns and cities, in particular those with significant tourist infrastructure. Outside of those places, do not expect English to be either spoken or understood. Dutch may be spoken by some seniors.

Get in
Being a vast archipelago, the main means of transport are by plane and by ship.

By plane
The main airports, with frequent flights from Jakarta and Denpasar (Bali), are Lombok, Labuan Bajo (Flores, ) and Kupang (West Timor, ). From Denpasar there are also regular flights to Bima (Sumbawa), Ende and Maumere (Flores), and Tambolaka and Waingapu (Sumba).

There are also several international flights to the region. Lombok is connected to Singapore (Scoot) and Kuala Lumpur (AirAsia), and there are direct flights between Kupang and Dili in East Timor (Air Timor).

By boat
There are frequent ferry services from Bali to Lombok. There is a ferry from Padang Bai, whilst there is a fast boat to GilI Islands and Senggigi from Sanur, Benoa, Kuta, Padang Bai and Amed. Connections between Nusa Tenggara and Indonesia's other islands are limited to the occasional PELNI ferry sailing between Makassar (South Sulawesi) to Flores and, if you really want to get away from it all, from various ports in Papua via Tual and Saumlaki, Maluku to Kalabahi, Alor and onward to Flores.

By plane
The network of inter-island flights has grown considerably over the last decade. Kupang Airport is a hub for East Nusa Tenggara, with flights to all other airports in the province. Similarly, there are flights from Lombok Airport to Bima and Sumbawa Besar on the island of Sumbawa. Alor Island Airport can be reached from Kupang and Atambua.

By bus and ferry
From Bali in the west to Timor in the east, the classic island-hopping backpacker trail across Nusa Tenggara runs something like this:

 * Ferry from Padangbai, Bali to Lembar, Lombok
 * Overland across Lombok via Senggigi
 * Ferry from Labuhan Lombok to Poto Tano, Sumbawa
 * Overland across Sumbawa via Sumbawa Besar and Bima
 * Ferry from Sape to Labuanbajo, Flores
 * Overland across Flores via Maumere to Ende
 * Ferry from Ende to Kupang, West Timor
 * Overland across Timor to Dili, East Timor

Popular detours include visiting the 3 Gili Islands lying a few km of the western coast of Lombok and Komodo north of Flores. Less popular options include going via Sumba instead of Flores.

A night time ferry also runs, sometimes, from Waingapu, Sumba to Ende, Flores, taking about 11 hours.

See

 * Komodo dragon. The Komodo dragon, which lives in Rinca and Flores as well as Komodo islands, is the largest lizard in the world. Tours of are available where dragons can be seen in the wild. Tourists must be accompanied by park rangers who use forked wooden sticks to fend off any approaching dragons, and provide information about the islands and wildlife. The practice of feeding dragons stopped in 1992.
 * See the three varying colored lakes at Kelimutu on Flores.

Do

 * Pasolas, festivals with ritual battles between warriors, in western Sumba in February or March.
 * Swimming in the Flores Sea between Sumbawa and Flores, en route to or from one of the islands in Komodo National Park.

Eat
With a drier climate, there is less rice and more sago, corn, cassava, and taro compared to central and western Indonesia. Fish is popular including sepat, which is shredded fish in coconut and young-mango sauce.

Drink
Jus Apokat (avocado juice), often including a swirl of chocolate, is generally very good.

Stay safe
Komodo dragons, at up to 3 m (10 ft) in length, are more than capable of killing a human with ease, although human predation is rare. Zoologists formerly believed that the main problem was the dragon's diseased-filled bite from the rampant bacteria residing in their mouth. More recently theories have been put forward that the Komodo dragon is actually venomous, and that the biggest problem when bitten is shock and massive blood loss due to the ferocity of the bite. Whichever, getting bitten is not a good thing.

The dragon usually bites a larger animal and then waits for the infection to kill it. So, despite the fact that being actually eaten is unlikely, the bite itself can be deadly. Keep at a considerable distance and never enter dragon territory alone. If you use basic common sense you should have a wonderful time viewing these magnificent animals. The absence of crocodiles on Komodo Island (due in part to a lack of suitable habitat) leave the Komodo Dragons with no natural predators.

Saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) also reside in most of this area, however they are not found on Komodo. The saltwater crocodile is the largest of all living crocodilians and the average size for an adult male is 5.2 m (17 ft) (although the largest saltwater crocodile on record was 8.8 m (29 ft) in length, from northern Queensland). They are known throughout their range as man-eaters and account for many human deaths every year. This can all be avoided by using basic common sense. Never swim in the ocean near a river mouth, in swamps or in large rivers. Never clean fish near the water or frequent the same spot at a river over a prolonged period of time, saltwater crocodiles are known to memorise a potential prey item's patterns for days or weeks at a time before attacking.

Go next

 * Bali
 * Sulawesi
 * Maluku

title: Nusa Tenggara