Bali to Nusa Lembongan by Helicopter
Over the reef and the seaweed farms to a resort landing on Lembongan, with the Yellow Bridge to Ceningan in view. Site approved before you pay.
Island guide · Lembongan and Ceningan
Helicopter Nusa Lembongan: Land for Lunch, Loop the Cliffs, Fly Home
A helicopter to Nusa Lembongan takes 11–15 min from Sanur, from $1,000 one-way for the whole helicopter, up to 4 guests. Land at an approved resort for lunch and be back in Bali the same afternoon, or fly a loop over Devil's Tear, the seaweed farms and the Yellow Bridge to Ceningan without landing. A beach is never a landing site, and every pad is approved before you pay.
- Sanur to Lembongan11–15 min
- One-way from$1,000
- Same-day returnfrom $1,300
- Landingapproved sites · no beaches
11–15 minSanur to Lembongan in the air
21 kmstraight line from Sanur
8–12 minon to the Penida coast
30–45 minfast boat from Sanur
From above
What Lembongan and Ceningan Look Like From Above
Nusa Lembongan is a small island off the north-west coast of Nusa Penida. Nusa Ceningan is smaller still and hangs from Lembongan's southern end, joined to it by the narrow Yellow Bridge. From the air the pair is easy to read: pale bays, reef flats in bands of green and blue, and a patchwork of seaweed lines in the shallows. The lines are easiest to see at low tide.
The ground sights are close together. Mushroom Bay is a curved bay used by snorkellers and day boats. Devil's Tear is a limestone cliff where swell drives into the rock and throws up spray; it is biggest in a strong swell. The Yellow Bridge carries scooters and walkers over the channel to Ceningan, whose coast has the Blue Lagoon. Mangrove creeks lie on the north-east shore, a quieter contrast to the resort beaches.
A scooter shows you one of these at a time along narrow lanes. A helicopter shows the channel, the bridge, the seaweed grid and the cliffs as one picture, and Penida's cliff line is next door: see the Nusa Penida helicopter guide for that coast.
Day-trip plans
Three Day-Trip Plans for Lembongan and Ceningan
Each plan returns you to Bali the same day. Standby means the helicopter and pilot wait on the ground while you eat or swim.
| Plan | What happens | Time on the island | Guide price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch landing | Fly 11–15 min to an approved resort or villa site, have lunch, fly back to Sanur | About 2 hours on the ground | $1,300 with 1 hour of standby; each extra hour $300 |
| Loop without landing | Sanur pad, Lembongan, the Yellow Bridge, Ceningan and the Penida coast, then back | None, you stay in the air | From $1,150 for a 30-minute flight, $1,700 for 45 minutes |
| Lembongan and Penida in one day | Land on Lembongan for lunch, then 8–12 min to the Penida cliffs and back to Bali | A lunch stop, then a sightseeing loop | Lunch price above plus the Penida loop, quoted as one flight plan |
Plans are built from the guide prices on the price page. The quote names the take-off pad, the Lembongan site and the aircraft class. For guests who start from Nusa Dua, see helicopter Nusa Dua.
From Sanur
Flight Times and One-Way Prices From Sanur to the Nusa Islands
| Destination | Distance | Air time | One-way helicopter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nusa Lembongan | 21 km | 11–15 min | from $1,000 |
| Nusa Penida | 24 km | 11–15 min | from $1,000 |
| Crystal Bay | 21 km | 11–15 min | from $1,000 |
Straight-line distance and airborne time. One-way prices include the helicopter's flight back, which is why a one-way fare is close to a return. Sanur is covered in helicopter Sanur.
From Nusa Dua
From the Nusa Dua Resort Area
Guests in Nusa Dua can start closer to the reef: the same island, a slightly longer crossing.
| Destination | Distance | Air time | One-way helicopter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nusa Lembongan | 28 km | 12–20 min | from $1,250 |
| Nusa Penida | 27 km | 12–20 min | from $1,250 |
Guide figures from the Nusa Dua enclave. The pick-up pad is confirmed in the quote.
Landing
Landing on Lembongan and Ceningan: Approval Comes First
Both islands are small, and much of the flat ground is built on or used for seaweed. A light helicopter needs roughly 25–30 m of clear flat ground with no loose items, no overhead lines and no tall trees close by. That narrows the choice to a few resort lawns and private fields, each needing the owner's agreement and the operator's clearance.
No landing on Mushroom Bay beach or any public beach
Beaches, cliff viewpoints and temple grounds are not landing sites. The site we name in the quote is the only place the helicopter will set down.
Ceningan has even less open ground, so the usual plan is to land on Lembongan and cross the Yellow Bridge on foot or by scooter. If you are staying at a resort on either island, send its name; the first question we ask is whether it has, or can host, a pad. The general rules are in landing at a villa or hotel.
Expect a short walk or ride from the pad to the beach or restaurant. The lanes are narrow and busy with scooters, so a cart or a driver can be arranged by your hotel.
Boat or helicopter
Fast Boat or Helicopter to Nusa Lembongan
Be realistic about price. The fast boat from Sanur takes about 30–45 minutes, plus the walk to the beach and the wait for the departure, and it costs a fare per person. The helicopter is one price for the aircraft: $1,000 one-way, which is about $250 each for four guests.
- Choose the boat if you are one or two people, want the cheapest crossing and are happy with a beach arrival.
- Choose the helicopter if you have a tight day, small children, a wedding or business event on the island, or you want the cliff line from the air as part of the plan.
- Choose both if you want the beaches by boat and the aerial view on the way home.
Neither is protected from weather. The boat can be delayed by swell, and the helicopter by low cloud or wind; the pilot decides on the day and we reschedule or refund the part not flown.
What to book
Flights to Book for Lembongan
Bali to Nusa Lembongan transfer
From $1,000 · one-way
A one-way flight to an approved site with the empty return included. 11–15 min from Sanur.
Nusa Penida helicopter tour
From $1,150 · whole helicopter
Add the Penida cliffs to the day: Kelingking, Broken Beach and Diamond Beach in one sweep.
Helicopter picnic
From $2,350 · whole helicopter
A private landing on approved ground with a table and a set-up for two, if a site is available on the island.
Island-hopping charter
Lembongan for lunch, Penida from above and a Gili stop in one chartered day, priced by flying time.
Seasons
Best Time for a Helicopter Day on Lembongan
April to October is the dry season, with the clearest water over the reefs. November to March is wetter, with showers mostly in the afternoon; plan a morning flight. Flights run in daylight only. Light is best between 07:00 and 10:00, and the last hour before sunset suits the cliffs.
Low tide shows the seaweed lines and the reef edge best, so ask your preference when you book and we check the tide table against your date. The Devil's Tear spray is biggest in a strong swell, which is also when boats run late. July, August and Christmas to New Year are the busiest weeks for helicopter slots; send the date early.
Before you fly
Before a Lembongan Day Trip
- Name your resort or lunch spot. We need it to check whether a landing site exists and how far the walk is.
- Plan for 2–3 hours on the ground. That is one hour of standby in the same-day price plus extra hours at the standby rate.
- Pack soft bags and light clothes. The hold is small, and rotor wash on the pad will take a hat.
- Give approximate weights. They decide the aircraft class and the fuel load in the tropical heat.
- Keep the afternoon free. If wind or cloud moves the flight, the return can shift by hours.
Booking
How to Book a Helicopter to Nusa Lembongan
Send the date, guests and the plan
Lunch landing, loop without landing, or Lembongan plus Penida. Tell us where you start in Bali.
We confirm the site, the pad and the price
You receive the aircraft class, the take-off pad, the Lembongan site and a fixed price on WhatsApp, usually the same day.
A deposit holds the slot
The deposit instructions are in the quote, and the slot is held when it arrives. The site itself takes no money.
Fly
Be at the pad 20 minutes early. The pilot weighs bags, briefs you and fits headsets. Wind and cloud are checked the day before, and you get the final pick-up time then.
Route pages
Route Pages for the Nusa Islands
Sanur → Lembongan
Over the reef and the seaweed farms to a resort landing on Lembongan, with the Yellow Bridge to Ceningan in view. Site approved before you pay.
Air time11–15 min · 21 km
One-wayfrom $1,000
Bukit → Nusa Penida
From the Bukit pad to an approved site on Penida in 14–20 min, with Kelingking and Crystal Bay in view on the way.
Air time14–20 min · 34 km
One-wayfrom $1,300
Bali → Gili T
Sanur to Gili Trawangan in 30–40 min instead of 2–2.5 hours on a fast boat. Gili landing sites are limited and approved in advance.
Air time30–40 min · 93 km
One-wayfrom $2,700
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long is the helicopter flight to Nusa Lembongan?
11–15 min from Sanur and 12–20 min from Nusa Dua, in the air. Allow a 15–20 minute briefing and shutdown at each end.
Can the helicopter land at Mushroom Bay or on a beach?
No. Beaches, cliff viewpoints and temple grounds are closed to our landings. We land on an approved resort lawn or private ground only, and we confirm the exact site before you pay.
How much is a helicopter to Nusa Lembongan and back the same day?
A same-day return from Sanur with one hour of standby is about $1,300 for the whole helicopter, up to 4 guests. The one-way price is $1,000, and each extra hour on the ground adds $300.
Can we land on Nusa Ceningan or near the Yellow Bridge?
Ceningan has very little open ground, so landings there are rare. The usual plan is to land on Lembongan and cross the Yellow Bridge on foot or by scooter. We check the site on request.
Can we combine Lembongan and Nusa Penida in one flight?
Yes. The hop between the islands is 8–12 min, so you can have lunch on Lembongan, fly the Penida cliff line and return to Bali. We quote it as one flight plan; see the Penida tour.
Is a helicopter better than the fast boat to Lembongan?
The boat takes about 30–45 minutes from Sanur and is cheaper per person. The helicopter takes 11–15 min, carries a group and bags together and adds the aerial view. For one or two people the boat is better value; for four with a tight day, the helicopter is.
Lunch on Lembongan, Home the Same Afternoon
Send the date, your guests, your start area and the plan you like best. We reply today with the pad, the landing site and a fixed price.
Get My Quote on WhatsAppRelated
Build the Rest of the Island Day
Helicopter Nusa Penida
From $1,000 one-way · whole helicopter
Kelingking, Broken Beach, Diamond Beach and Crystal Bay from the air in minutes. Landing on approved sites only, never on beaches.
Nusa Penida Helicopter Tour
From $1,150 · whole helicopter
30 minutes across the strait to Nusa Penida: Crystal Bay, Broken Beach, Angel's Billabong and the Kelingking cliff, seen from the side.
Helicopter Picnic and Dinner
Package from $2,350 · whole helicopter
Land at an approved clifftop, beach lawn or villa garden and sit down to a styled lunch or early dinner for two.
Helicopter Flights From Sanur
Lembongan from $1,000 · whole helicopter
Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida, Ubud or the Gilis by private helicopter, with the pad and the car time from your Sanur hotel confirmed in the quote.
Inter-Island Helicopter Charter
Penida from $1,300 · Lombok from $3,250
Fly from Bali to Lombok, the Gilis, Nusa Penida or Lembongan in one private hop. Whole helicopter, your timetable, multi-leg trips by quote.