Nusa Lembongan is a small island (approximately 8 square km in Size) off the southeast coast of the main island of Bali. Fast becoming one of Bali's most popular attractions, this island paradise 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 color.
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 centers which are virtually never crowded.
In Nusa Lembongan you either make a living from the tourists, or from the sea. There is a flourishing and well established seaweed farming industry, and many visitors find it interesting to learn about this.
In order to farm seaweed you need clean ocean water, relatively shallow and sheltered from the ocean swells. A fragile crop, the fields of seaweed must remain covered in water at low tide, and must not be subjected to extreme fluctuations in water temperature or salinity.
The farming plots look like a giant patchwork quilt as the tide recedes. During cultivation the offshoots are taken from the parent plant and attached to lines which are anchored to the ocean floor by bamboo stakes. The new seedlings are then able to be harvested in approximately four to six weeks, and every 45 days thereafter.
After harvesting they are laid out to dry, usually for several days, before being sent to the market to be sold. The seaweed farmers receive between 600 rupiah (US$0.07) to 3,500 rupiah (US$0.39) per kilo, depending on the type of seaweed and the market value of the day.
